Came here to post the same thing. Being UFA at the end of the year I doubt we do. Maybe though.
Lets not kid ourselves though Mason isnt going anywhere except the minors.
Put it this way. I think Nittymaki is more likely to be traded than Mason and he was just put on waivers.
he (Nitty) could be a solid placeholder until the offseason, when the jackets (hopefully) try to better address the putrid goaltending situation.. especially if Mason, OR SANFORD, is moved before the deadline.
With Dekanich possibly done for the season, does Howson claim Niittymaki off of waivers, possibly as a tryout for next season?
Unless there's a health concern I don't know about, I'd do this in a second.
I recall a rumor/story about a goaltender in the league who had been told not to play anymore and it was presumed Nittymaki was that guy on the San Jose boards, but no idea how true it is/was.
If he's ok to go, claim him, waive Mason and lets move on with our lives. Best case is that one of he or Sanford does well enough to stick around here and the CBJ add a stud young guy to go with all while Mason regains his form in the minors. However, if Mason is claimed, I won't lose sleep either.
I can't believe you can continue on with Mason/Sanford the rest of the year, especially given injuries to Dex and Legace. Do not want to see York in NHL again until he's even close to ready.
God, do it. Claim Niittymaki, waive/find somebody willing to take on Mason, call it a day. As long as he's not damaged somehow, give him a shot with the possibility of a deal for next season.
Much like the Lebda signing, I guess my attitude at this point is "Why not?"
For Mason, the best step for his career would be to accept being waived and playing in Springfield for the rest of the season (assuming another team doesn't nab him, which I highly doubt). Some team might take a chance on him at half price through recall waivers, so that means once he's down in Springfield, he can't come back up.
If Mason wants to be traded to another NHL team rather than bought out and end up playing in Europe, he needs to admit that his development was rushed and he needs playing time to prove that he can be an NHL goalie for another team.
The issue is paying Mason's full salary while he's in Springfield, but oh well, it's worth it to get rid of him.
For Mason, the best step for his career would be to accept being waived and playing in Springfield for the rest of the season (assuming another team doesn't nab him, which I highly doubt). Some team might take a chance on him at half price through recall waivers, so that means once he's down in Springfield, he can't come back up.
If Mason wants to be traded to another NHL team rather than bought out and end up playing in Europe, he needs to admit that his development was rushed and he needs playing time to prove that he can be an NHL goalie for another team.
The issue is paying Mason's full salary while he's in Springfield, but oh well, it's worth it to get rid of him.
I do not believe that the bolded portion is correct. If believe that Mason would have to clear re-entry waivers if he was to be recalled. Case in point, Michael Leighton was put on waivers last season by the Flyers, played for the Phantoms and then played again for the Flyers that season.
That said, if Niittymaki is waived, my assumption is that Sanford would be sent down.
I do not believe that the bolded portion is correct. If believe that Mason would have to clear re-entry waivers if he was to be recalled. Case in point, Michael Leighton was put on waivers last season by the Flyers, played for the Phantoms and then played again for the Flyers that season.
No, it's correct if the Jackets don't want to lose him for nothing and be stuck paying half of his contract. They're free to recall him, but he has to go through re-entry waivers. Odds are, he would never clear.
Unless there's no team that wouldn't want a half-priced Mason, they'd be really stupid to recall him. So, once he's in Springfield, he would stay there for the rest of the season (unless they can get around that with an emergency recall)
No, it's correct if the Jackets don't want to lose him for nothing and be stuck paying half of his contract. They're free to recall him, but he has to go through re-entry waivers. Odds are, he would never clear.
Unless there's no team that wouldn't want a half-priced Mason, they'd be really stupid to recall him. So, once he's in Springfield, he would stay there for the rest of the season (unless they can get around that with an emergency recall)
Didn't I say that he'd have to clear re-entry waivers if recalled? You said he couldn't come back up and I said he could, but he'd have to clear re-entry waivers.
As for another team wanting a half-priced Mason, how many teams are going to pay the balance of $1.45 million this season and a full $1.45 million next season for a guy who had a very good rookie season 3 seasons ago and hasn't even come close to matching those stats since? I don't think the line of teams lining up would be all that long.
Didn't I say that he'd have to clear re-entry waivers if recalled? You said he couldn't come back up and I said he could, but he'd have to clear re-entry waivers.
I said "Some team might take a chance on him at half price through recall waivers, so that means once he's down in Springfield, he can't come back up."
He would have to be put back on re-entry waivers to join the Jackets next season.
I don't believe this is correct. If he is brought up during the rest of this year, he's subject to re-entry. However, next year starts fresh and he would not be subject to re-entry to start the year.
If we claimed him we'd somehow go on a godlike streak and play our way into 25th place and get screwed in the draft anyway.
I would rather sign a goaltender in the off-season. Plus, I believe Nittymaki has a $2mil price tag... I don't know they want to do that for cap space.
Unless there's a health concern I don't know about, I'd do this in a second.
I recall a rumor/story about a goaltender in the league who had been told not to play anymore and it was presumed Nittymaki was that guy on the San Jose boards, but no idea how true it is/was.
If he's ok to go, claim him, waive Mason and lets move on with our lives. Best case is that one of he or Sanford does well enough to stick around here and the CBJ add a stud young guy to go with all while Mason regains his form in the minors. However, if Mason is claimed, I won't lose sleep either.
I can't believe you can continue on with Mason/Sanford the rest of the year, especially given injuries to Dex and Legace. Do not want to see York in NHL again until he's even close to ready.
I don't have a strong opinion on this, but...
Niittymaki's hip was injured in 2006 while playing for Philadelphia. He probably should have had surgery, but played through it for most of the rest of the season. It has never been right ever since then.
Since then he has been able to play in: 28, 32, 49, 24 and now 0 (5 in AHL) games per season.
He plays about as many games per season as Leclaire and I doubt he will ever be healthy. When he's healty, he's a decent goalie he just isn't healthy much of the time.
In 234 career NHL games with the Flyers, Lightning and Sharks, Nittymaki has posted a 95-86-31 record with a 2.95 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage.
Nittymaki is in the final year of a two-year contract worth an annual average of $2 million. The Sharks assigned him to Worcester (AHL) in January on a conditioning stint.
And we would claim him thinking he was our goalie savior? Are you people on drugs? or at least so desperate you are not thinking straight? which I can understand.
I don't believe this is correct. If he is brought up during the rest of this year, he's subject to re-entry. However, next year starts fresh and he would not be subject to re-entry to start the year.
What ever the case, he's going to be bought out after this season anyway.
