The first signing was that of Peter Budaj and I must say, it surprised me as I didn't expect the Habs to go after someone that was going to cost more than $1M/yr nor did I think that they would go after someone who wasn't already designated as a clear back-up. One could argue that Budaj is just that but I'd rather think of him as that goalie who battled it out with Jose Theodore and won the #1 spot a few years ago.
Yes, Budaj has struggled as a starter in this league but it's worth noting that the teams, with which he had his worst stats, also were terrible. He has also played very well in stints, throughout his career, which shows promise and ability.
From a technical standpoint, Budaj plays the position correctly and efficiently and his raw talent has allowed him to make it to the sharp-shooter filled NHL. He has had issues by leaving his catching glove too low and then corrected it by holding it too high. In my opinion, I believe that his lack of further development has been directly linked to the Avs' failure in hiring a proper goalie coach - a real 'faux-pas' in today's hockey.
