Signing goalie Ray Emery to a one-year, two-way contract (per TSN) is a shrewd gamble
for the Anaheim Ducks.
He’ll make $500,000 at the NHL level and $105,000 at the AHL
level, with the plan to start him down in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch
should he clear waivers in the next 24 hours. Neither of the goaltenders at
that level have NHL experience; so if Jonas Hiller or Curtis McElhinney go down
and Emery has worked his way back, all of a sudden you have an NHL veteran that
faced the Ducks in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals at your service.
Hiller is aces as a starter, but his
battle with fatigue may have been a wakeup call that the Ducks need better
depth between the pipes. If Emery shines in the AHL, is he an insurance policy
or does he supplant Curtis McElhinney as the backup? Said
his agent JP Barry to Ducks Blog last week:
"I
think the opportunity is what’s more important," Barry said. "At this
stage of the year, the contract isn’t about money. It’s about getting him back
playing and getting him positioned with the right team that will allow him to
play games."
Emery, you’ll recall, is attempting a comeback from
avascular necrosis, a hip
condition that derailed Bo Jackson’s career. He hasn’t played in the NHL
since last Feb. 1 with the Philadelphia Flyers.
According to Bob
McKenzie, Emery goes through waivers to be demoted to the AHL, in order to
have a prolonged conditioning stint. If a team claims him, they’d have to keep
him in the NHL.
Read some more on Emery and the Ducks from Quackalackin’.
Emery has his detractors, for sure, but if nothing else you
have to respect the drive to get back into the game. This isn’t rehabbing a
wonky groin: This is a life-altering ailment that he’s attempting to overcome
in order to continue his career in professional hockey.
As far as the reputation, Jeff Carter of the Flyers, who was
a junior and NHL teammate of Emery’s, said
to Flyers Files when the Flyers were in the hunt for him last week:
"Razor
was awesome for us. His reputation may not be the best, but I played with him
in juniors and I know what kind of guy he is. He’s a stand-up guy who would be
welcomed on this team."
Said Carter: "There’s no risk in giving him a shot."
The Ducks obviously agree.
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