Fasth Train

It doesn’t matter where they come from, all they need to do is stop the damn puck. In Canada, more phone calls have been made in search of goalies (all the way from pick  up games to rec league to pro hockey) than the search for girls. Well, maybe not but it’s close.

Viktor Fasth is not a huge goaltender by today’s standards (6.00, 198) and he’s no kid (born in 1982, he can see 30 up the road apiece) but he’s as hot as hot can be right now. Fasth is coming off a quality SEL season (42gp, 2.26 .925SP) and has gone supernova at the World Hockey Championships (4gp, 0.50 .983). He won the "Honken" trophy as the SEL’s best goaler this season and NHL teams are circling.

The Edmonton Oilers have a few things they can offer Fasth. One: NHL employment. With NK’s legal situation on the docket for this summer the Oilers will no doubt do the prudent thing and protect themselves with a suitable replacement. Should said player win a job outright (not impossible based on Khabibulin’s Red Light Racicot moments this past season) then the Russian may spend next season in the Sheldon Souray "richest man in the minors" seat. Two: they can pay him very good dollars based on their cap situation.

Any number of NHL teams have been associated with Fasth. If you google "Fasth-NHL" you get over 1 million results including this one that has Steve Yzerman interested in the suddenly popular Fasth. He has a contract for next year, but these things have a way of working themselves out.

Viktor Fasth could be the most important free agent signing the Oilers make this summer. Seriously. Goaltending is miles from being adequate despite a very fine showing by rookie Devan Dubnyk. The elephant in the room is the Russian goaltender. Viktor Fasth could change all that in a heartbeat.