The Detroit Red Wings have found some ice for another one of their players, this time loaning Calvin Pickard to the Vienna Capitals. The veteran goaltender will head to Austria for the month of December, giving Vienna some depth at the position while Sebastian Wraneschitz leaves to take part in the World Junior Championship.
Pickard, 28, is in the second season of a two-year deal signed with the Red Wings in 2019 and is scheduled to earn $800K on his one-way contract. Even with his extensive experience at the NHL level he likely won’t spend much time there this season after Detroit added Thomas Greiss as a free agent. Greiss will partner with Jonathan Bernier in net for the Red Wings, while Pickard is one of five other goaltenders under contract in the organization.
That’s a crowded position given how uncertain the minor league seasons are, but for now, Pickard can focus on the playing time provided with Vienna, something he has never really experienced before. Though Pickard has never locked down an NHL job for very long, he also hasn’t ever tested the waters overseas, instead playing more than 230 games at the AHL level. Most recently, he played 33 matches for the Grand Rapids Griffins, posting a 17-12-6 record and .903 save percentage.
It ain’t a chat until he shows up.
Chet?
@Ol Voodoo – You are to be commended for making a guess…*any* guess. It seemed like his comment was meant for another thread, or he is using a really bad AI for speech-to-text…
I thought it said Captain Picard for a second there…
@madmanTX – Make it so, Number 1! ;)
Now Calvin can enjoy all the wine & beer with his Wiener Schnitzel , and a side order of Vienna Sausage, favorites of Austria , Stay Safe