Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood has been added to Canada’s list for potential Olympic participation, reports TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link). It has been a breakout season for the 33-year-old who took on the starting job when Mackenzie Blackwood was injured to start the season and he hasn’t relinquished it. Through 17 appearances, he has a 13-1-2 record with a 2.09 GAA and a .918 SV%. While his international experience is also rather limited (just a World Juniors appearance in 2011), Wedgewood has certainly done well enough to warrant late consideration, especially with Canada’s goaltending group still in some question.
More from out West:
- Laurent Brossoit’s tenure with the Blackhawks hasn’t gone as planned. Signed to a two-year deal in 2024, he hasn’t played a second of hockey since then thanks to multiple injuries. That should be changing soon, however. The netminder told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that he’s actually ahead of schedule in his recovery from his most recent hip surgery which has him likely nearing a conditioning stint with AHL Rockford in the near future. Once cleared to do so, he can spend up to two weeks in the minors before needing to be added to Chicago’s roster or placed on waivers.
- While the trade market is still in the process of getting established this early in the season, several teams know they will be looking to buy when the opportunity arises. One team that hasn’t done a lot of that in-season lately is the Mammoth but it appears that will be changing. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes in his latest 32 Thoughts column that Utah is definitely looking to add to its current group. While they’ve scuffled a bit as of late in the win-loss column, they enter play tonight in a Wild Card spot and with them projecting to finish the year more than $5MM under the salary cap per PuckPedia, they have ample flexibility on that front to make a move along with one of the better prospect pools in the league.
- Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen could rejoin the team on their current road trip, relays Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre (Twitter link). It was announced yesterday that he was taking a leave for personal reasons but it appears that his absence will be a short-term one. Meanwhile, MacIntyre adds that their other netminder Thatcher Demko along with winger Nils Hoglander are expected in Los Angeles on Saturday to skate with the team, suggesting they’re nearing a return as well. Vancouver has been decimated with injuries in the early going this season but some help could be on the horizon.