Islanders Re-Sign G. Al Montoya To A One-Year Extension

AL MONTOYA SIGNS ONE-YEAR EXTENSION WITH NY ISLANDERS

Taken From: http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=557576

"The New York Islanders announced today that they have agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension with goaltender Al Montoya. The contract will keep him with the club through the 2011-12 season. Montoya, 26, has a record of 8-4-4 with a 2.35 goals against average (GAA) and a .923 save percentage (save%) in 17 games with the Islanders this season. The Chicago, IL. native was acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes on Feb. 9, 2011 in exchange for a sixth round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Originally selected by the New York Rangers in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Montoya has played in 197 career American Hockey League games with the Hartford Wolf Pack and San Antonio Rampage, compiling a 96-72-7 record with nine shutouts. Prior to joining the Islanders, the 6’2”, 195-pound goalie had played in five career NHL games, all with Phoenix, and posted a 3-1-0 record with a 2.08 GAA and a .925 save%. In 22 career NHL games, Montoya is 11-5-4 with a 2.29 GAA and a .924 save%.

Montoya played three years of college hockey at the University of Michigan, where he finished his career tied for the all-time best career save% (90.8) in U. Michigan history, third in GAA (2.36), third in shutouts (13) and fourth in wins (86)."

PattyB Thoughts:

On February 9th when the NY Islanders traded their 6th Round Draft Pick (in this upcoming draft) for Al Montoya, I was not pleased. I looked at this deal as Garth Snow just tossing away a draft pick for a few months of a mediocre goalie. But, before you start to think I am crazy, lets go over Montoya's resume at that point...Montoya at the time of the deal was 25 years old (turned 26 on Feb. 13th), had played only 5 NHL games despite having played 6 years in the AHL, his stats in San Antonio (AHL) this year were disappointing to say the least (3.19 GAA, 0.891 Save %), and was considered a major "bust" throughout the hockey world. But within a month, Montoya had become a major piece of this revitalized Islanders club. Nobody back in 2004 (after Montoya was drafted 6th overall by the Isles crosstown rival, the Rangers) would have imagined Al stealing games for the other team in NY. But now, lo-and-behold he is going to be an Islander, along with his one time combatant in Rick DiPietro, for another season. The talent, that once made him the hottest goaltending prospect in hockey is finally starting to shine through and many believe (along with myself) that this may be the start to an effective NHL career. The one year extension he received is more than reasonable from an Isles perspective as he will now be given one more season to prove the past month or so was no "flash in the pan" type scenario.