Goalie market dries up as NHL teams scramble to secure netminders

It is not a good time to be an NHL team in need of a goaltender.

Fewer than a dozen who played in the league last season were available as unrestricted free agents, Detroit acquired John Gibson from Anaheim over the weekend after years of trade rumors and that left a handful of veteran backups to sign Tuesday.

New Jersey kept Jake Allen, Thatcher Demko stayed in Vancouver, Philadelphia added Dan Vladar and the New York Islanders signed David Rittich.

"Really, you sort of take a look at the landscape and see what's out there," said Allen, who re-signed with the Devils for $9 million US over five years. "Yeah, there were some spots, but at the same time, my situation in Jersey was good."

Two-time defending Western Conference champion Edmonton might have lost out in the game of musical goalies and could have little choice but to stick with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. They combined for a save percentage of .888 in the playoffs, ranking 13th out of 16 teams, dropping to .866 in the Stanley Cup Final loss to Florida.

Allen was not really an option for the Oilers because he wanted to stay on the East Coast regardless.

The Canucks have a rare surplus at the most important position in hockey after extending Demko for $8.5 million a year through 2029. They also have Kevin Lankinen under contract at $4.5 million annually through 2030, and Arturs Silovs backstopped Abbotsford of the American Hockey League to the Calder Cup after playing well in the playoffs for Vancouver last year.

Demko is a franchise No. 1, so he's not going anywhere.

"Probably we have the best goalie tandem in the league," said winger Conor Garland, who also signed a long-term extension with the Canucks. "For Demmer just coming back being healthy and the