Mailbag: Avalanche goaltending, Price's future with Canadiens

Unless they add to their depth, it's iffy at best that the Avalanche will have the ability to rely on goaltending as their foundation in the playoffs with Kuemper leading the way and either Jonas Johansson or Pavel Francouz as the backup.Marc-Andre Fleury, a pending unrestricted free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks, would be the perfect addition if the Avalanche can make it work under the NHL salary cap. He's more cost effective with a $2.8 million cap charge compared to Fleury's $7 million charge, but Fleury has played 162 NHL postseason games and Korpisalo has played nine. -- @J18M19Retaining salary in a trade is the price the Canadiens have to pay if they want to save on the salary cap to build their team in other areas. Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau are backups who each can become a restricted free agent after this season, but I wouldn't think either could get more than $1 million in his next contract, so the Canadiens would be under $10 million for goaltending as opposed to paying $10.5 million for one goalie. I don't think it needs to be done immediately in NHL regular-season games, but perhaps this change can be analyzed through usage in the American Hockey League and in NHL preseason games. I think he needs another goalie to push him at this point in his career.Video: NJD@WSH: Blackwood makes stretching stopI've always been uncomfortable with the Masterton Trophy being awarded to just one person. The members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in each market nominates one player they deem worthy for the Masterton Trophy, which is given annually to the "NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."All 32 teams will have their own Masterton nominee this season and one will be voted the winner. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, Stanley Cup Final logo, Stanley Cup Qualifiers name and logo, NHL.TV, Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Network Showdown name and logo, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, NHL Mascots, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, NHL Power Players name and logo, NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe name and logo, NHL Street name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League.