The Blues already had a goalie before this Jaroslav Halak trade on Thursday. His name was Chris Mason, and two years ago, he was seen as the future in the Blues crease. Or something like that. At the very least, Mason was liked by people in St. Louis after he played a major role in a 2009 stretch run comeback by the Blues, hoisting them into playoffs after death had once seemed imminent.
Blues Goalie Chris Mason ‘Shocked’ By Halak Trade
Mason dropped off a bit this season, but so did the entire Blues team, who most people think were playing way over their heads during that insane run in ‘09. So, you might understand then that Mason, who will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, was a little surprised when he heard that his team went out and got another goalie.
“I was pretty shocked,” said Mason, who will become a free agent July 1 after compiling a record of 57-43-15 with a 2.47 GAA in two seasons with the Blues. “We had been talking the last couple of weeks, and I felt pretty good about getting a deal done this week.
“It was just a matter of getting confirmation and getting everything in order. It was delayed a couple of times and now we know the reason why. I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was disappointing. I loved being a St. Louis Blue and I thought I was going to continue to be.”
Mason will, more than likely, hit the free agent market on July 1 with hopes of landing somewhere. With the amount of goalies on the market this summer, though, that might prove difficult.
(H/T ProHockeyTalk)
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