I wasn't able to talk to free agent goalie Jonas Gustavsson, who was visiting North Texas Thursday.
Gustavsson, 24, is picking from four NHL teams with which to sign a free agent contract.
He has already visited Colorado and San Jose and still has Toronto left. He has not spoken to the media in any town, because his agent Joe Resnick knows how difficult it could be to handle the media during a visit to Toronto.
However, Resnick did speak while the two attended the game against Houston at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and said that Gustavsson is looking at this decision in the long term. He is an undrafted player, but he still falls under the rookie contract rules (just like Fabian Brunnstrom did last year). Gustavsson can sign a one-year deal and can make no more than the rookie maximum of $2.25 million (bonuses included). Brunnstrom made about $1.7 million last season, although his cap hit was $2.25 million.
Still, this is more than a one-year contract, Resnick said. Gustavsson could become a restricted free agent in 2010-11, which means the team he signs with still controls his rights.
``He's looking at team philosophy and where the team is going and what they are thinking,'' Resnick said. ``This is a decision that's not a one-year decision, it's a long-term decision. We're looking at years two, three, four and five, that's our game plan.''
Gustavsson went 12-1 in the playoffs in leading Farjestad to the Swedish Elite League championship this spring. He posted a 1.03 GAA in the playoffs with a .966 save percentage.
Still, Resnick said Gustavsson knows the transition could be tough.
``It's tough to be a goalie and it's tough to start off and play 50 games,'' Resnick said. ``He's a very good goalie, but I think the ideal situation is he plays 20 or 25 games, and then moves forward from that.''
_Mike Heika
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