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Stars goalie Bachman avoids arbitration, gets a one-way deal

Richard Bachman

Richard Bachman #31 of the Dallas Stars gives makes a save against the Detroit Red Wings at American Airlines Center on January 17, 2012 in Dallas, Texas. (January 16, 2012 - Source: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America)

The Dallas Stars are reporting that netminder Richard Bachman has agreed to a one-year, $625,000 deal. His arbitration date had been set for July 25.

Bachman’s contract is one-way, which means that he will earn that amount even if he gets sent to the minors. That’s a good indication that the Dallas Stars are prepared to go into the 2012-13 season with him as their backup goaltender.

He started the 2011-12 season in the minors, but got called up after Kari Lehtonen suffered a groin injury in late November. It initially looked a great opportunity for Andrew Raycroft, but it was Richard Bachman that ended up serving as the Stars’ goaltender for the bulk of December.

Eventually, the Dallas Stars decided to waive Raycroft so that Bachman could finish the season as Lehtonen’s understudy.

Lehtonen will get the vast majority of the starts when he’s healthy, but Bachman has already demonstrated that he’s capable of stepping up should something happen.