Fantasy Impact: The New York Islanders have given Phoenix a sixth-round draft pick in exchange for prospect goaltender Al Montoya.

The Coyotes get: a draft pick for an asset that they were probably not going to use.

The Islanders get: a once-promising netminder, who turns 26 in a few days. Montoya went 3-1-0, 2.08 and .925 at the end of the 2008-09 season for Phoenix and would have been the backup in 2009-10 were it not for their acquisition of Jason Labarera. That killed Montoya's NHL dream and he has spiraled downward ever since. But, back from the dead....

Fantasy Players Impacted: Montoya went from zero value to possible career save. The Islanders will probably ride Montoya over Mikko Koskinen, who was shaky in two of the three periods of his NHL debut and is not NHL ready. Montoya thrives with playing time and the Isles will give it to him in spades. If he starts 25 games down the stretch, and I think he will, then I'm thinking 11 wins. How well he does will determine where he sits next season versus Kevin Poulin, who is now out for the season with a knee injury. Montoya's AHL numbers this season are rather weak, but that is strictly the result of sporadic playing time. A non-issue now.

Comments (4)

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Mac Vincent said:

	... The path is clear for Visentin now, if it wasn't already.
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February 10, 2011
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derek said:

	Panthers Frolik and Stalock to the Blackhawks for Skille and some other turds...whats your take?
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February 09, 2011
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Larry said:

	... Id laugh if he had to clear waivers coming up from the minors- and got claimed
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February 09, 2011
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Pavel Nikiforovitch said:

	Third time is a charm? I signed Nabokov, then Poulin, and now Montoya. Maybe this time an Islander goalie won't be a complete waster of a move? :-)
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February 09, 2011
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