The Chicago Blackhawks made a major splash in the 2005 free agent market by signing the best available free agent goaltender.

Three years later, they've done it again, signing Cristobal Huet to a reported four year deal worth $5.6 million per season.

Huet will split the goaltending duties with Nikolai Khabibulin, who was signed with much fanfare three years ago to be the Blackhawks starting goaltender, but injuries have adversely affected the performance of the crumbling 'Bulin Wall.

The 'Hawks aren't expected to re-sign Khabibulin when his current contract expires after next season and he'll likely be relegated to backup duty behind Huet this coming season, which at $6.75 million will make him the most expensive backup goalie in the league this season.

For the Blackhawks, it's worthwhile, as the team made significant improvement last season and might've made the playoffs if they could've had better goaltending.

They'll get that in Huet, who's a proven regular season netminder although in his limited playoff experience he's yet to win a series, but for a Chicago team hungry to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2002, they'll be happy if he can backstop them to the postseason first and then they'll worry about his playoff record.