Steve Mason wants to be the clear-cut guy.
The Flyers goalie and pending unrestricted free agent would return to Philadelphia, but he's no longer interested in sharing the net.
"It doesn't work," Mason said of goaltending platoons, writes the Courier-Post's Dave Isaac. "It's shown throughout the league that it doesn't work. Tampa got rid of their situation (with Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy). St. Louis got rid of their situation (with Jake Allen and Brian Elliott). It's got nothing to do with (Michal Neuvirth) and I as people. I've got no issue with Neuvy. It just doesn't work for the goaltending position."
Problem is, Flyers general manager Ron Hextall disagrees. He's already signed Neuvirth to a two-year, $5-million extension, clouding Mason's future with the team.
| Goalie | Season | Starts | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason | 2016-17 | 54 | .908 |
| 2015-16 | 53 | .918 | |
| Neuvirth | 2016-17 | 24 | .891 |
| 2015-16 | 29 | .924 |
Both goalies were good in season one together, and both were awful this time around.
Thanks to Neuvirth's contract, it's expected he'll be protected in the coming expansion draft.
As for Mason, Hextall told him the club has things to work through before making any decision, but that he's "not closing the door" on Mason's return.
Mason will be 29 in late May and has a .911 save percentage in 446 career starts in the NHL. If he doesn't end up back in Philly, he'll find work elsewhere, but he may not find the starting job he covets.
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