Add another netminder to a trade market for goalies that started out thin but has seen several players added to it in recent weeks. This time, it’s Kraken goaltender Chris Driedger being made available as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (video link) that Seattle is looking to move the veteran.
It has certainly been an eventful few years for the 29-year-old. A journeyman for the bulk of his career, Driedger had a stellar showing as the backup in Florida in 2020-21, posting a 2.06 GAA and a .927 SV% in 23 games, setting him up nicely for unrestricted free agency. However, Seattle opted to make him their selection in expansion, signing him to a three-year, $10.5MM contract, quite a price tag for someone that never had a seven-figure AAV before.
Driedger wasn’t able to repeat that level of success in Seattle’s first season, putting up a 2.96 GAA with a .899 SV% in 27 games but still earned himself an invitation to play for Canada at the World Championship that spring. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in the tournament, causing him to miss the first half of the season.
With the Kraken bringing in Martin Jones as Driedger’s replacement this season, they quickly waived Driedger when he was cleared to return, sending him to AHL Coachella Valley. Driedger had a decent showing during the regular season with them, compiling a 2.61 GAA with a .908 SV% in 14 games. However, he hasn’t seen a second of ice time during the Firebirds’ run to the Calder Cup Finals with Joey Daccord, a pending UFA, seeing all the action.
Driedger has one year left on his contract with a $3.5MM price tag that is on the high side with how things have gone for him over the last two seasons. Notably, his salary jumps to $4.5MM with the deal being a back-loaded one. Seattle would certainly like to free up some extra cap flexibility this summer and moving him would be one way to accomplish that. However, given the number of teams needing to open up cap space, clearing his contract outright could be a challenge.
If Seattle is willing to move on from Driedger, one other option over the next couple of weeks could be a buyout. Doing that would drop his cap charge to just $500K for next season but would add $1.5MM in dead cap space for 2024-25. Alternatively, taking a contract back in the swap to help balance the money could help facilitate a move. Either way, the fact they’re in this situation isn’t ideal, especially when it looked like Driedger’s career was on the rise just a couple of years ago. Now, they just have to hope that another team thinks he’ll be able to recover his form from his final season in Florida.
Just buy him out, nobody is interested.
No kidding. Can’t imagine anyone is looking to spend 4.5mil on a backup goalie coming back from ACL injury and not actually playing in the AHL
Detroit or Buffalo could do it to buy a draft pick.
It would have to be a 1st!
I don’t see either team daring. Buffalo has a goalie logjam, and while both teams have big cap space, this is the year that Detroit has to make a serious push towards the playoffs and Buffalo has to actually succeed at doing it. There’s no more room for faffing around and collecting picks for rebuilding: they have to be reBUILT or their fans are going to revolt. Driedger’s cap hit is better spent going after that last big piece they need.
Agreed. Both Wings and Sabres goalie slots are a premium right now to develop legitimate prospects.
I agree, but they have the cap space to do it and fill their needs depending on the Dahlin and Power extensions. I’m just not sure the Pegulas are letting Adams add money for picks anymore….they didn’t seem to do that at the deadline this year.
Having the cap space to do it isn’t the issue. It’s “what does it get them?” that is. Neither Buffalo nor Detroit can afford to waste $3.5 MM in cap space for a pick that might help them four or five years down the road. They need every available dollar for any possible improvement to get them into the playoffs NOW. If that means breaking the bank for a Hellebucyk or DeBrincat, then that’s what they need to do. Their fanbases have been very understanding, but that patience ends if they aren’t 2024 playoff teams.
Phoenix or San jose maybe if include something else. Otherwise buyout. Sign Daccord one way for couple years for couple million. If he is smart will grab it.
I’d kick tires if I was San Jose. He was great in Florida, and worth a gamble with Nabokov coaching. Can’t really do much worse than Kahkonen…