Antti up for Huet

By Bryan Thiel

All anybody wants is a second chance and, as strange as it sounds, Cristobal Huet may get his thanks to Antti Niemi.

A few weeks ago, we thought that Niemi and whatever contract he signed with Chicago would be the reason Huet wouldn’t get a another shot, and that he’d be buried in the minors.

Five months ago we wondered if Huet would ever start again for Chicago.

It was in his last start that he gave up seven goals to the Columbus Blue Jackets, a game the Blackhawks understandably lost. From then on, Niemi played every single minute of action for the ‘Hawks, outside of one period in game one during the conference semi-finals against Vancouver.

We questioned whether or not Huet would be a buy-out candidate, but the hit on the cap would be too heavy on a team already having to deal away its Stanley Cup-winning squad.

Some thought he might get traded, but you could almost blame Niemi for that impossibility too.

Although you can’t count Huet as one of the game’s elite, teams are still shying away from a big-money goalie thanks to the performances of Niemi, Michael Leighton, and Tuukka Rask on cheap contracts.

Now Niemi has his performance (and an arbitrator) to thank for a contract too rich for Chicago’s liking and his spot on the free agent market.

And while Marty Turco has been brought in to compete for the starter’s spot, and Huet might still end up in the minors (Chicago is still $2-million over the cap), the much-maligned French goaltender has a shot at redemption.

This isn’t to say what’s happened to Niemi is remotely fair. Playing well enough to earn a starting job and win a Stanley Cup, only to end up unemployed, is not a just way for things to turn out. But, unfortunately that’s what happens when you put things in the hands of an arbitrator.

They judge based on what they see, and Niemi certainly gave them a lot to look at: a 26-7-4 record, a .912 save percentage, and a 2.25 GAA in the regular season, coupled with just six losses in the playoffs and of course that Stanley Cup ring.

The arbitrator doesn’t care if you only had three games of NHL experience before this year. The arbitrator cares about the two numbers presented: the one by the team and the one by the player - and what stats are brought to the table that are pertinent to make each party’s case.

Niemi is said to be disappointed to leave Chicago, but if that’s the case, he shouldn’t have backed a team that was obviously willing to deal more big salaries away into a corner.

If his ultimate goal was to stay in Chicago for the long-term and get this team another Stanley Cup, then he should have made it happen.

Forget whatever the perceived value was, the opportunity was there for Niemi to take a low-money, two-year deal so that he would be due for another contract at the end of Huet’s pact.

Then Niemi would get his sizeable raise, as the ‘Hawks would suddenly have the space to accommodate it.

Now, he’s out in the cold. And while there are teams kicking tires, they aren’t where he wants to be. He wants to be in Chicago, but today that’s impossible.

As for Huet? Anything’s possible for him with a second chance.