Darcy Comber signs five-year contract to become Capitals’ number one goalkeeper

The Washington Capitals finally have their number one goalkeeper.

The capitals signed the 2022 Stanley Netminder Cup Champion Darcy Comber for a five-year deal worth $5.25 million per season 90 minutes after the free agency started. team recently Exchange Vitek Vanecek for New Jersey Devils And the Did not extend a qualified offer to Ilya Samsonov. Samsonov I signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier today.

NEW TENDIE IN TOWN!

Washington Capitals has signed guard Darcy Quimper for a five-year contract worth $26.25 million.# the caps | Tweet embed

Washington Capitals July 13, 2022

“Darcy is a key starting guard who has proven his ability to win on the biggest stage of the game, and we’re excited to welcome him to Washington,” said Brian McClellan, General Manager, Capitals. “We feel this signing will provide our team’s confidence and stability in the network.”

Kuemper’s new deal will earn him $6 million in his first two seasons. It was reported during the NHL Draft that he was looking for a $6 x 6 million deal.

Kuemper necklace with hats
First year 6 million dollars
Second year 6 million dollars
Third year 6 million dollars
Fourth year $4.5 million
Fifth year $3.75 million

– Pierre VLeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 13, 2022

“I was excited to be in a group that had won before, and you know how to win,” Comber said on TSN when asked why he chose Washington. “You know, it’s clearly a veteran group where I think I can participate and help and we have a good chance of winning.”

Kuemper, 32, arrives in the capital after one season with an avalanche. Colorado couldn’t pay Kuemper his price on the open market, so then-GM Joe Sakic decided to let him walk. capital Cities Kuemper has been linked since the NHL Draft.

“Winning was a dream come true,” Kuemper added. “Things happen fast, it’s a quick turnaround.” “You’re celebrating and then all of a sudden you think about where you’re going to play.”

Kuemper is coming to the capitals after his best and most consistent season. avalanche acquired The Saskatoon native of the Arizona Coyotes last summer in exchange for defender Conor Timmins, Colorado’s first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and conditional third.

Kuemper, in 57 games with the Western Conference’s best team, went 37-12-4 with a 0.921 save, 2.54 goal-to-average, and five finishes. When the calendar turned to 2022, Kuemper played some of the best hockey of his career, second only to Igor Shesterkin in savings ratio and fourth in high-risk save ratio only to Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin and Jake Oettinger.

Darcy Comber wasn’t at his best during the playoffs but he’s been pretty good in the league. The question here is what the market will be like for him as the goalkeeper’s carousel is recognized as he sits waiting for the FA market to open. pic.twitter.com/MBERgCLZ1y

– Andy and Rono (@ARHockeyStats) 12 July 2022

While Kuemper was off in the regular season, his performance in Posteason wasn’t very good. Kuemper suffered an eye injury in Game Three of the team’s first-round series against the Nashville Predators when Ryan Johansen’s wand was caught in his mask.

Named Darcy Quimper after Game Three in Nashville….. pic.twitter.com/Zc6fN6kO6D

– World Hockey Report (worldhockeyrpt) 30 June 2022

According to Money PuckKuemper scored the second worst saved goal above the expected figure (minus 4.2) in the playoffs, finishing 29th out of 30 goals. Kuemper went 10-4 at Posteason, but scored 902 below average. The Avs have won 16 of their 20 matches at The Loves.

Prior to arriving in Denver, Kuemper played parts of four seasons with the struggling Arizona Coyotes, made an All-Star Game appearance in 2020, and finished voting for two of the top 10 spots at the Vezina Trophy (2019, 2020). Prior to that, he spent the first five seasons of his NHL career, primarily as a backup for the Minnesota Wild.

Darcy Quimper, signed $5 x 5.25 million by WSH, has been one of the best hockey guards of the past three seasons. Despite winning a cup, he flew under the radar thanks to playing in Arizona and then suffered an eye injury in the first round that damaged his big stage play. #AllCaps pic.twitter.com/eJT5M0cM0g

– JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 13, 2022

Going forward, Kuemper should provide stability to the Capitals in a position they have had nothing in since the departure of Braden Holtby in 2020. Kuemper stopped 21 more goals than expected for Colorado last season while Samsonov (-12.1) and Vanessek (minus -5.4). ) combined to save 17.5 goals less Than expected for the capitals.

Stanley Cup champion Darcy Comber joins Tweet embed! 🏆 #NHLFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/I24XvDZo1s

– NHL (NHL) July 13, 2022

This is the full press release from Capitals:

Signature of the capitals goalkeeper Darcy Comber
Stanley Cup champion strikes five-year deal with Washington

Arlington, Virginia – Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian McClellan announced today that Washington Capital has signed guard Darcy Quimper to a five-year, $26.25 million contract. The Kuemper contract will have an average annual value of $5.25 million.

“Darcy is a key goalkeeper who has proven his ability to win on the biggest stage of the game, and we are excited to welcome him to Washington,” McClellan said. “We feel this signing will provide our team’s confidence and stability in the network.”

Kuemper, 32, helped the Colorado Avalanche win the 2022 Stanley Cup. Kuemper played in 16 playoffs and set a 10-4 record with 2.57 goals-to-average and 902 saves. During the 2021-22 regular season, Kuemper went 37-12-4 scoring 2.54 goals for an average and 0.921 savings in 57 games. The 6’5-inch, 215-pound Netminder tied for fourth in NHL wins (37) and closing (5) and fifth in savings percentage (.921). His 37 wins were the highest of his career and the fifth-highest total in a single season in Colorado history.

The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, player appeared in 27 games with the Arizona Coyotes in 2020-21, finishing by scoring 10-11-3 with 2.56 goals versus average and 907. Kuemper ranked third in the NHL in goals versus average (2.22) and third in keeping percentage (0.928) during the 2019-20 season and was selected to represent the Pacific Division of the NHL All-Star Game (not playing due to injury). In 2018-19 with Arizona, Kuemper played in 55 games and finished in a tie for fifth in the Vezina Trophy vote.

In 299 professional NHL games with Minnesota, Los Angeles, Arizona, and Colorado, Kuemper is 143-95-36 with 25 closeouts, 2.48 goals-to-average and .918 savings.

Kuemper represented Canada at the 2018 and 2021 World Championships, claiming a gold medal in 2021 while setting a 5-2-1 record with 2.17 goals-to-average and 916 saves in eight games.

Kuemper was drafted by Minnesota Wild in the sixth round (160 total) of the 2009 NHL Draft.