Report: Islanders, Sabres swap goalies Johnson, Neuvirth
The Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders swapped goalies on Monday, with Michal Neuvirth going to New York and Chad Johnson going to Buffalo with a third-round 2016 draft pick, reports Stephen Lorenzo of the New York Daily News.
Neuvirth, 26, has a 2.99 goals-against average and .918 save percentage over 27 games this season. He took over as Buffalo's No. 1 goaltender after Jhonas Enroth was traded to the Dallas Stars last month.
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[daily_cut.NHL]Neuvirth is due $2.6 million in 2014-15 before hitting unrestricted free agency after the season. He will share time in the Islanders' net with Jaroslav Halak, with whom he was traded for last year in a deal involving Buffalo and the Washington Capitals.
Johnson, 30, has a 3.08 goals-against average and .889 save percentage over 19 games this season for the Islanders. He is due $1 million this season and $1.6 million next season before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2016-17.
The Islanders (41-21-2) lead the Metropolitan Division with 84 points. The Sabres are (19-39-5) are last in the Atlantic Division with 43.
- Mike Fiammetta