John Glennon at the Tennessean reports that Pekka Rinne's new contract is for two years, for $6.8 million. $2.8 million will come next season, with $4 million on tap for 2011-12.
It's interesting to see such a short term; apparently this limits the risk on each side, and sets up Rinne for free agency in the summer of 2012. Might that give both sides an out if Chet Pickard develops successfully over the next two seasons, perhaps?
Here are some other contracts goaltenders have been signed over the last year, for comparison's sake:
Roberto Luongo, 12 years for $64 million
Did you see the way he owned Germany last night? I kid, Luongo's one of the few (very few) NHL goalies who is worth a big-time salary.
Cam Ward, 6 years for $37.8 million
Gads, what a bad contract. Cam will need to contend for the Vezina consistently to warrant such a salary (higher per year than Luongo). He's good, but not that good.
Jonas Hiller, 4 years for $18 million
Hiller has been consistently excellent and is now in his 3rd season with Anaheim. He wrested the #1 job from incumbent J.S. Giguerre, who has since been traded to Toronto. He famously led the Ducks to an upset of San Jose in the first round of the playoffs last spring.
Jonathan Quick, 3 years for $5.4 million
Los Angeles has struggled for years to find a goaltender they can rely on, and hope that the young Quick (in his 2nd full season) is up to the task.
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