Zachary Fucale Eyeing NHL Comeback

Former Canadiens and Capitals farmhand Zachary Fucale is looking to return stateside and is generating “significant interest” from NHL clubs on a contract for the 2025-26 season, Kevin Weekes of ESPN reports.

Fucale, now 29, hasn’t played in North America since the 2022-23 season. He headed to Russia to sign with the Kontinental Hockey League’s Traktor Chelyabinsk upon reaching unrestricted free agency at the end of the season, a move that’s proved prudent for boosting his stock.

Since arriving in Russia, the former Montreal second-rounder in 2013 has been one of the league’s best goaltenders. After posting a sparkling 2.16 GAA and .929 SV% with six shutouts in 46 games for Traktor last season, he’s having a strong encore performance in 2024-25. Through 25 games, his 14 wins are tied for second in the league, and he’s supported his record with a .924 SV% and five shutouts.

Fucale was often streaky in the North American pros, usually bouncing between AHL and ECHL affiliates during his time in the Montreal and Washington umbrellas. He only ever got one NHL call-up, a four-gamer in 2021-22. It went quite well for the Quebec native, who logged a 1-1-1 record with a .924 SV% and 1.75 GAA. He’s one of only a few netminders in NHL history to record a shutout in his first career start, blanking the Red Wings with 21 saves on Nov. 11, 2021.

But by the end of 2022-23, Fucale had lost his grip on an AHL starting job and was surpassed by Hunter Shepard for the No. 3 job in the Capitals organization as he guided Hershey to the first of back-to-back Calder Cup wins. Overall, Fucale’s minor-league numbers have been pedestrian – a .902 SV% in 149 AHL games over eight seasons and a .905 SV% in 116 ECHL contests.

Nonetheless, Fucale’s numbers in Russia have been strong enough to warrant him another chance at opening the season as someone’s No. 3 option stateside. He’ll likely need to start in the AHL and work his way back up if he wants to add to his NHL resume, and although his minor-league salary may be rich, it’ll still likely be a two-way pact if he lands one next summer.