With John Gibson unavailable to dress tonight against Seattle, the Ducks needed a backup goaltender. In a move they have made several times, the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve brought up Alex Stalock on an emergency basis. The emergency designation means he won’t count against their post-deadline recalls.
This is the sixth recall of the season for the 36-year-old who has been returned to the minors within 48 hours of the promotions each time; it wouldn’t be shocking if that trend continued as long as Gibson is clear to return on Sunday versus St. Louis. With his NHL time being short-lived this season, Stalock has yet to see regular season action with Anaheim so far.
Instead, Stalock has served as the veteran third-string option with AHL San Diego this season, playing in just 13 games behind prospects Tomas Suchanek and Calle Clang. With his playing time being limited, it’s no surprise that he has struggled, posting a 3.81 GAA and a .889 SV% in 13 appearances. Those numbers certainly won’t help his cause when he hits the open market as an unrestricted free agent in July.
Gibby has some serious motivational issues. Time to retire I think.