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Top 5 Free Agents the Carolina Hurricanes should target

By Christian Candeloro

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 04: Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during the third period of Game Five of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on May 04, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeat the Blue Jackets 4-3. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 04: Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during the third period of Game Five of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on May 04, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeat the Blue Jackets 4-3. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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2. Semyon Varlamov

TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 08: Semyon Varlamov #1 of the Colorado Avalanche looks on during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on December 8, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 08: Semyon Varlamov #1 of the Colorado Avalanche looks on during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on December 8, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

A hearty debate can be made between Mrazek defenders and Varlamov advocators. Varlamov is no spring chicken, checking in at 31 years old next season, but has been a mainstay in net for Colorado for the past eight seasons.

His numbers, admittedly, were not better than Mrazek’s this season. Mrazek made a lot of teams look silly for not giving him a short-term contract by carrying the Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference Final. Varlamov however, has been posting similar numbers for much longer than Mrazek.

Mrazek went 40-24-13 this season with 2.39 GAA and .913 save percentage. Varlamov was at a 2.87 GAA but he’s also been under three goals a game for five of the last six seasons. Mrazek has been wildly inconsistent, bouncing back from bad years with good ones and then immediately reverting.

Give me Varlamov, who has proven he can be a No. 1 goalie for years, over a prayer that Mrazek can continue his pace.

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