Khabibulin's 4 years a mixed bag

DETROIT - So is this how Nikolai Khabibulin's Blackhawks career will end, with an injury?

It's probably only fitting.

The debate could go on forever whether the four-year, $27 million contract Khabibulin signed as a free agent in 2005 - at the time the richest in franchise history - was worth it for the Hawks.

For the first three years the answer most certainly was no.

In his first two seasons with the Hawks after coming from Tampa Bay, Khabibulin played behind teams that weren't very good and went 42-52-11. He was quick to remind everyone of that fact during the fall after the Hawks put him on waivers.

In 2007-08, when the Hawks missed the playoffs by 3 points, Khabibulin went 23-20-6 but appeared in only 50 games, missing eight with a broken finger.

It can be argued Khabibulin was worth his $6.75 million salary this season when he went 25-8-7 in 42 games, but again there were two stints in the injury list for a total of 17 games.

Khabibulin did help get the Hawks to the Western Conference finals, but by no means did he put the team on his back. There were a few great games in the Calgary series, and he made a key stop on Alex Burrows in overtime in Game 4 against Vancouver right before the Hawks got the winner from Andrew Ladd.

Khabibulin has a 2.93 goals-against average in the playoffs and a .898 save percentage. Compare those numbers to Detroit's Chris Osgood, who brought a 2.14 goals-against average and .921 save percentage into Game 5 on Wednesday.

Those numbers for Khabibulin, now 36, are well below his 2.38 goals-against average and .917 save percentage for his playoff career.

Khabibulin missed his second straight playoff game Wednesday with another groin issue that should have the Hawks worried if they are thinking of finding a way to bring the veteran back for 2009-10.

The three years and more than $16 million Cristobal Huet has left on his contract likely makes any discussion of Khabibulin returning a moot point. My belief is Huet could be a better goaltender next season without the presence of Khabibulin.

Huet is a worrier, and there no doubt were times when he felt if he didn't play well with Khabibulin looking over his shoulder, he might not start again for a few weeks.

There are a number of teams that figure to be looking for an experienced goalie just like Khabibulin in the free-agent market this summer. Colorado, Edmonton, Philadelphia and Washington immediately come to mind.