Sateri’s signing adds depth at goaltender
While the Florida Panthers added the lower-profile Evgenii Dadonov over Alexander Radulov and signed Radim Vrbata instead of bringing back future hall of famer Jaromir Jagr on Saturday, lost in the shufflewas the bolstering of the organization’s depth at goalie.
Panthers general manager and president of hockey operationsDaleTallon signed free-agent Finnish goalie Harri Sateri to a one-year, two-way deal for a reported $750,000.
Tallon said that the6-foot Sateri, who has yet to play an NHL game, will serve as a mentor to Samuel Montembeault on the team’s AHL affiliate in Springfield (Mass.) this season, while serving as the Panthers third goalie in case of injury to either James Reimer or Roberto Luongo.
“He shut out Team USA in the quarterfinals of the World Championships for Finland, and stood on his head,” said Tallon, an advisor for Team USA, on Saturday. “We liked his play. We want Montembeault to be mentored and have protection in the minors right now.
“And a third goalie is very important, depth in the organization. He usually gets to play important games for you.”
Sateri, 27, was drafted by the SanJose Sharks in 2008, but has spent three seasons in the Finnish elite Liiga for Tampere Tappara, threeplus seasons with the Sharks’ AHL affiliate in Worcester, Mass., and the past three years in the KHL with Vityaz Podolsk. Last season, he played 42 games and notched a 2.50 goalsagainst
Although Tallon said Luongo is fully recovered from last season’s hip issue, he’s 38andplayedjust40games, his lowest total (other than the 2012-13 lockout season) since his rookie season with the New York Islanders in 2000. He posted a 2.68GAA after allowing 2.35 the previous two seasons.
Reimer, 30, played a career43 games last season with a 2.53 GAA, and third goalie Reto Berra played seven games, going 0-5. In 2014-15, the team’s third goalieDan Ellis played eight games.
Montembeault, 20, Florida’s third-round pick in 2015, is the team’s projected starter down the road and will play his first professional season with the Thunderbirds after four years in the QMJHL.
“I think I’m ready. They send me back to junior [last year] to play more games and get that maturity level to be ready for the next level,” said the 6-3 Montembeault, who posted a 2.40 GAA in 42 games with six shutouts for BlainvilleBoisbriand Armada of the Q, during last week’s developmental camp.
Evan Cowley is also getting ready to start his professional career. After four years playing for the University of Denver, the Panthers signed Cowley, who went 5-2 with a 1.13 GAA for the NCAA champion Pioneers, to a minor-league contract in June. The graduate with a degree in economics is expected to start in Manchester (N.H.) of the ECHL.