The Ottawa Senators look to be heading towards a rebuild, but the team';s
goaltender position already looks to have a positive future ahead thanks
largely to a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, which saw Filip Gustavsson
join the team.The Senators'; Current Goaltending Situation

Ottawa has a fairly average situation between the pipes, at best, with veteran
goalie Craig Anderson entering his eighth full season with the team.

Heading into last season, hopes were high with Anderson in net, with the
6-foot-2 Illinois native earning the Bill Masterton Trophy in 2016-17 while
also leading the Senators to the Eastern Conference Finals. Since then,
however, things have looked rather shaky, and the future of the position needs
to be addressed sooner rather than later.

Anderson';s numbers dropped significantly, with a 3.32 goals-against average
(GAA) and a save percentage (SV%) of .898-down from 2.28 and .926 respectively.
 And, with Anderson turning 37 this past May, the end of his playing days might
 be here sooner rather than later.Craig Anderson 41, Ottawa Senators - February
 3, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The biggest concern for the Senators is his cost, with the long-time starter
holding a cap hit of $4.75 million a season until 2020. Add to that the $2.4
million they pay backup Mike Condon for the same length of time, and the
financial situation looks pretty similar to the performances seen between the
pipes.

The organisation is going through a difficult time with owner Eugene Melnyk,
and the potential trade of captain and star player Erik Karlsson suggesting the
 team is now looking to rebuild rather than re-tool. But with a potential
rebuild in sight, the future of the goaltending situation looks to be in fairly
 safe hands.Filip Gustavsson: A Bright Spark

Twenty-year-old Swedish goaltender Filip Gustavsson has not been a member of
the Senators organisation for very long, arriving from the Penguins in a trade
just a few days prior to deadline day back in February. He was included in the
package that saw the Senators part ways with Derick Brassard, who was having a
strong sophomore season with the team.

In Gustavsson, however, the Sens have a guy that looks to have a real shot at
becoming the team';s starter in the very near future, with the young goalie
already accomplishing a lot so far in his career.

Gustavsson was always a high-potential player when he was selected 55th overall
 by the Penguins back in 2016, ranked as the top European goaltender available
in that draft. In his draft year, the Skellefteå native won a silver medal
with his country at the Under-18s World Junior Championships, a tournament in
which he was also named the Best Goaltender.Gustavsson (#30) playing for Sweden
 in the World Junior Championships in December 2016 (Photo by Minas
Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Following the draft, Gustavsson has continued to develop his game primarily in
Sweden-playing in 37 Swedish Hockey League regular season games over the past
two seasons behind established starter Joel Lassinantti. His statistics have
also improved greatly, going from a 2.70 GAA and .912 SV%in the 2016-17 season
to 2.07 GAA and .918. He also made seven regular-season appearances for the
Senators'; AHL affiliates in Belleville but did not have as much success with
the team, who was having a very poor season.

His performances in his home country earned him significant recognition on the
international stage, leading him to earn a silver medal at last season';s World
 Junior Championship in Buffalo. He was named Best Goaltender and had the best
GAA (1.81) in the tournament and was named to the tournament';s All-Star team
as a result of his strong performances.

Due to his successes at the World Juniors, and for Luleå HF in the SHL,
Gustavsson was named as the third goalie for Team Sweden';s gold medal-winning
World Championships roster. Sat behind Anders Nilsson and Magnus Hellberg,
Gustavsson did not see the ice in Copenhagen, but the fact that he was chosen
for the team at such a young age speaks volumes of his potential.The Senators
Future

The biggest issue the Senators have regarding their goaltending is monetary,
with nearly $7 million tied up in two players. Gustavsson';s contract is
perfect for the organisation thanks to the fact that he is still on his
entry-level deal, which slid - meaning that the team still has him signed for
three seasons, rather than two, costing them just $761,666 a season.Filip
Gustavsson (Tomas Bergman/Lulea Hockey)

His young age and lack of experience on North American ice mean that he should
spend at least another season or two in Belleville, adjusting to the different
style of play seen across the two continents. His low cap hit means that the
organisation can spend its time developing him without high expectations early
on. For Anderson, however, his age and high cap hit means he could be in line
for a trade at some point over the next season or two, with the team needing to
 work towards moving on from their long-time number one.

While it will not be an immediate changing of the guard, Gustavsson has shown
plenty to be excited about and his low cost will mean that the team will not
need to push him too quickly and can take the right steps to rebuild their
roster into a regular playoff contender.

The post Filip Gustavsson: Goalie of the Future for the Ottawa Senators
appeared first on The Hockey Writers.

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