Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Chris Driedger

Chris Driedger Expected To Be Taken By Seattle In Expansion

at CDT | by 12 Comments

The protection lists won’t be finalized for a few hours yet but it appears Seattle knows who they will be taking from the Panthers.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the Kraken will select goaltender Chris Driedger from Florida and sign the pending unrestricted free agent to a new contract.

Driedger has definitely been a late bloomer.  After Ottawa non-tendered him back in 2018 following a season that saw him post a 4.04 GAA in the AHL, he went to Florida on a two-way deal, doing well enough to earn another two-way contract in 2019, one that just expired now.  But instead of serving as their third or even fourth-string goaltender as they intended, the 27-year-old worked his way into an early-season promotion in 2019-20 and has stayed with the Panthers ever since.

He finished off that season with a 2.05 GAA and a .938 SV% in 12 games and while he wasn’t quite able to duplicate those numbers this past season, he came pretty close, posting a 2.07 GAA with a .927 SV% in 23 games.  By comparison, Sergei Bobrovsky, who they intended to have as their starter, had a 2.91 GAA and a .906 SV% in his 31 appearances.  Bobrovsky carries a $10MM AAV while Driedger made just $850K.

Driedger will certainly be in line for a significant raise on his next deal even though he’s still quite inexperienced in the NHL with all of 38 games under his belt.  If Seattle winds up selecting and extending him as expected, he should get an opportunity to push for the number one role depending on which other goaltenders the Kraken pick on Wednesday.

As for Florida, this will be a much different expansion experience for them.  Last time, they lost both Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault to Vegas with the two becoming top-six fixtures for the Golden Knights ever since.  Now, they appear to be set to lose a player they were highly unlikely to retain anyway with top prospect Spencer Knight also in the mix for playing time between the pipes.  Losing someone they weren’t going to be able to keep is basically the best-case scenario for them, a nice reversal of fortune from 2017.

Teams Calling On Chris Driedger

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The Florida Panthers have an interesting asset in Chris Driedger, the relatively unknown goaltender that has outperformed Sergei Bobrovsky for two years running. Because of Bobrovsky’s big contract and Spencer Knight’s emergence, the Panthers don’t really need to retain Driedger, but with just a few weeks until he becomes an unrestricted free agent, time is running out if they want to cash him in.

The 27-year-old netminder is drawing interest, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, who tweets that teams are calling the Panthers about Driedger ahead of free agency. As he notes, however, the expansion draft looms and any acquiring team would need to be able to both sign and protect him if they want to keep him out of Seattle.

Buyer beware, as the former Ottawa Senators prospect still has just 41 games of NHL experience, but perhaps the late-bloomer has really just found a new performance level. As recently as the 2018-19 season he was in the ECHL, posting a .911 save percentage in 11 appearances for the Manchester Monarchs. This year in Florida, he had a .927 in 23 NHL contests.

Overall in his 41 NHL appearances, Driedger has a .926 and has posted a 21-10-4 record. The fact that he’s still young enough to potentially improve has to be enticing to teams (even expansion ones) and his lack of history should keep his price relatively low.

The situation is eerily similar to one that played out in 2017, when the Carolina Hurricanes (then led by Kraken GM Ron Francis) traded a third-round pick for Chicago Blackhawks backup Scott Darling, then signed him to a four-year, $16.6MM contract. At the time, Darling had played in just 75 regular season games and had a .923 save percentage (and was even just a few years removed from ECHL action himself). Of course, he also came with a Stanley Cup ring, as he appeared in five games during the 2015 run.

Darling flamed out during his first season as a starter, posting an .888 save percentage in 43 appearances with Carolina, and was bought out by 2019. There’s no guarantee that Driedger would suffer the same fate, but it certainly should pause some front offices that are drooling over his performance from this season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Penguins Notes: Goaltending, Jarry, DeSmith, Malkin

at CDT | by 13 Comments

The Penguins’ new brain trust threw their support behind goaltender Tristan Jarry after his struggles led to another early exit for the team this postseason. At least publicly, the team claimed that they still believed in the 25-year-old as their starter. In fact, they went so far as to say that adding size and physicality was their only objective this off-season. Behind closed doors, the conversation seems to have gone differently. Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports that multiple sources close to the team confirm that the Penguins aim to add a veteran goaltender on the trade or free agent market this summer. While Kingerski calls the focus an “experienced backup”, in all likelihood that means they are looking for someone with starting experience to play 1B to Jarry’s 1A and take over if he again has issues. Frederik Andersen is a name that has already been linked to the Penguins, while other UFA options include Jonathan Bernier, James Reimer, Antti Raanta, Jaroslav Halak or Devan Dubnyk. Younger names like Linus Ullmark or Chris Driedger could really push Jarry if brought in. Trade options are numerous and the Expansion Draft will likely shake up the market, but Anton Khudobin stands out as an ideal fit for what the Penguins are looking for.

  • Again, this means that Casey DeSmith is the odd man out – and not just on the depth chart. Kingerski put to rest any speculation to the contrary by stating definitively that Jarry will be protected by the Penguins in the impending Expansion Draft. That will leave DeSmith, 29, up for grabs for the Seattle Kraken, though the team will likely have better options elsewhere on the Pittsburgh roster. Nevertheless, DeSmith’s time with the Penguins could be running out. After outplaying Jarry in everything but games played this season, DeSmith has proven himself to be a solid backup in his own right. Injury prone and unaccustomed to a starter’s workload at the NHL level, teams may not be clamoring to acquire DeSmith, but he also is unlikely to clear waivers if the Penguins add another goalie.
  • Another player that Kingerski confirms for the Penguins’ protection list in next month’s Expansion Draft: Evgeni Malkin. No, its not exactly a revelation. Not only is Malkin one of the faces of the franchise, but his contract also carries a No-Movement Clause, requiring him to be protected. Malkin could waive his NMC, but the team will not ask him to do that. That may seem like common sense, but after a down year by his standards, advancing age, an expensive contract, a serious injury that could carry over into the season, and very poor Expansion Draft outlook for their deep roster, the Penguins have plenty of reason to at least consider exposing Malkin. However, Kingerski adds that it probably would be a useless request anyway. As as has been the book on Malkin throughout his whole career, he would only leave Pittsburgh if he was traded to a Florida team, where he makes his home in the off-season. Seattle is on the other side of the continent.

Chris Driedger Expected To Start Game Two

at CDT | by 13 Comments

The Florida Panthers have a $10MM goalie. They also have one picked 13th overall in 2019, arguably the best goaltending prospect in the world. Neither of those players will be in the net when the team takes the ice for game two against the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. Instead, Chris Driedger, the 27-year-old journeyman on a two-way contract is expected to start the most important game of the season so far after working in the starter’s net at morning skate.

Driedger has played just 38 games in his NHL career, but has been outstanding since climbing up to the Florida roster in 2019-20. Originally selected by the Ottawa Senators back in 2012, he bounced around the minor leagues for years, spending much more time in the ECHL with teams like the Elmira Jackals, Evansville Icemen, Wichita Thunder, Brampton Beast, and Manchester Monarchs than he did in he NHL. By the time he signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Panthers in 2019, he had just three NHL appearances, none of them lasting a full 60 minutes.

But in his 35 starts for the Panthers, 23 of which came this season as he stole the crease from Sergei Bobrovsky, Driedger has a .931 save percentage. He has gone 21-8-4 and played himself into the starting goalie market for the upcoming offseason. The Panthers, who have Bobrovsky making $10MM per season and Spencer Knight ready to make an impact at age-20, likely don’t have room to bring the pending unrestricted free agent back this summer. For now though, he is their best option in net as Florida tries to take down their cross-state rivals.

As team reporter Jameson Olive tweets, the team will also have Juho Lammikko entering the lineup to fill in for the suspended Sam Bennett. Alexander Wennberg will be moving up to center the second line, with Noel Acciari also getting a bump. The big news is Driedger though and his potential to be one of the most compelling storylines this postseason.

Nominees Announced For 2021 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

at CDT | by 7 Comments

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is given out annually to the NHL player who exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The award has been voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association since 1968, and today they announced their nominees for 2021.

Past winners of the award include Bobby Ryan (2020), Robin Lehner (2019), Brian Boyle (2018), Craig Anderson (2017), Jaromir Jagr (2016), Devan Dubnyk (2015), Dominic Moore (2014), and Josh Harding (2013).

Below are the nominees from each team:

Anaheim Ducks – David Backes

Arizona Coyotes – Phil Kessel

Boston Bruins – Kevan Miller

Buffalo Sabres – Dustin Tokarski

Calgary Flames – Milan Lucic

Carolina Hurricanes – Jordan Staal

Chicago Blackhawks – Andrew Shaw

Colorado Avalanche – Valeri Nichushkin

Columbus Blue Jackets – Zac Dalpe

Dallas Stars – Roope Hintz

Detroit Red Wings – Danny DeKeyser

Edmonton Oilers – Mike Smith

Florida Panthers – Chris Driedger

Los Angeles Kings – Matt Roy

Minnesota Wild – Matt Dumba

Montreal Canadiens – Corey Perry

Nashville Predators – Pekka Rinne

New Jersey Devils – Scott Wedgewood

New York Islanders – Casey Cizikas

New York Rangers – Colin Blackwell

Ottawa Senators – Nick Paul

Philadelphia Flyers – Oskar Lindblom

Pittsburgh Penguins – Casey DeSmith

San Jose Sharks – Patrick Marleau

St. Louis Blues – Vladimir Tarasenko

Tampa Bay Lightning – Steven Stamkos

Toronto Maple Leafs – Jack Campbell

Vancouver Canucks – Tyler Motte

Vegas Golden Knights – Marc-Andre Fleury

Washington Capitals – Zdeno Chara

Winnipeg Jets – Eric Comrie

Three finalists and the winner will be named at a later date.

Seattle Kraken Interested In Goaltender Chris Driedger

at CDT | by 12 Comments

The Seattle Kraken have an enormous amount of decisions to make in the next few months as the expansion draft rolls in. The team must select players from 30 teams and decide on the core of their team for the immediate future. The Vegas Golden Knights hit the jackpot when the opportunity to bring in Marc-Andre Fleury from Pittsburgh became a reality, giving them a face of the franchise, which he continues to be. Now the Seattle Kraken must look to see who can man the net for the next few years.

There are a number of possibilities, including a number of free-agent options for the team, including Philipp Grubauer, Tuukka Rask, Linus Ullmark, Antti Raanta, Mike Smith, Jonathan Bernier and Chris Driedger to name just a few.

However, in his new mailbag piece while talking about goaltending options for Toronto next season, The Athletic’s James Mirtle (subscription required) mentions that Driedger isn’t a likely option for the Maple Leafs as sources are telling him that Seattle likes Driedger as one of their goalies for next season.

The idea makes some sense as Driedger, while a latecomer to the NHL, has seized his opportunity with the Florida Panthers despite the fact that they signed Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven-year, $70MM contract back in 2019. The 26-year-old dominated in 12 appearances in 2019-20 with a 2.05 GAA and a .938 save percentage and has proven he can keep producing, posting a 2.17 and .923 save percentage in 22 appearances this year.

The team chose not to trade Driedger at the trade deadline even though the goaltender would have brought in a significant return. However, with the Panthers success during the regular season, holding onto Driedger for the postseason was too important to allow the netminder to leave.

However, with free agency approaching as well as a significant payday, the Panthers likely can’t afford to pay big money for Driedger to serve in either a tandem or backup role to the high-priced Bobrovsky. On top of that, Florida just signed top goalie prospect Spencer Knight, who has already made his NHL debut and is next in line to step into the backup role at some point. That leaves Driedger out in the cold and looking for a new job. While there are plenty of teams who will be looking for a netminder next offseason, Seattle could be quite an intriguing option for Driedger.

Unfortunately for Seattle, the team has only a 48-hour exclusive window before the expansion draft to negotiate with Driedger and any other UFA and have them agree to terms, which means they could select him with their expansion pick. Driedger would have to be willing to go to Seattle as opposed to signing with a number of interested teams.

Injury Updates: Panthers, Avalanche, Sabres Goalies, Watson

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Panthers are in a battle for first place in the Central Division but will be without a few regulars for a little while.  The team announced (Twitter link) that goalie Chris Driedger has been ruled out for the rest of the road trip which takes him out for the next three games though he isn’t expected to be out much longer than that.  Winger Patric Hornqvist is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, winger Carter Verhaeghe isn’t expected to play on the trip either, notes David Wilson of the Miami Herald.  As a result, Florida entered tonight’s game down two of their top four scorers plus their top netminder statistically.  Between that and Carolina holding two games in hand, the Panthers will have their work cut out for them if they want to secure that top seed.

Other injury notes from around the NHL:

  • Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram and winger Logan O’Connor have both suffered setbacks in their recoveries from upper- and lower-body injuries respectively, reports Mike Chambers of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Byram was recently taken off the COVID-Protocol Related Absences (CPRA) List but his injury preceded his placement there.  As for O’Connor, he has been out since the end of March.  Both players are now listed as week-to-week.
  • On the other hand, Colorado is set to get several key regulars back as com’s Rick Sadowski mentions that wingers Mikko Rantanen and Joonas Donskoi plus goalie Philipp Grubauer could all return to the lineup on Friday. Those three were on the CPRA list until recently as well and would undoubtedly provide a boost to the Avalanche’s lineup as they look to chase down Vegas for the top seed in the West.
  • The Sabres are unlikely to have goaltenders Linus Ullmark or Carter Hutton return this season, reports Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. Ullmark has not yet resumed skating after suffering a lower-body injury two weeks ago while interim head coach Don Granato noted that Hutton recently had a setback after resuming skating as he worked his way back from a leg issue.  That means that Dustin Tokarski and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will likely remain Buffalo’s tandem for the rest of the year.
  • The Senators have ruled out a return for winger Austin Watson this season, relays Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). Watson suffered a wrist injury back in late March, one that carried a four-to-six week recovery time and it appears it will be the latter with him not returning.  He wraps up his first year with Ottawa with 10 points, 40 penalty minutes, and 100 hits in 34 games.

Trade Deadline Primer: San Jose Sharks

at CDT | by 6 Comments

We are now less than a week away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the San Jose Sharks.

Earlier this season, it appeared as if the San Jose Sharks were in for another disappointing year. The club wanted to use the shortened 2020-21 campaign to evaluate their core and the early returns were not encouraging. However, the past few weeks have changed everything. The Sharks are 6-3-1 in their past ten games, including four straight wins. In the meantime, the St. Louis Blues have continued to slump while four of the Sharks’ recent wins have come against the Los Angeles Kings. Suddenly, San Jose finds themselves in contention for a playoff spot in the West Division, just three points back with a game in hand on the fourth-place Arizona Coyotes.

With that said, some recent luck is not going to change the Sharks’ plans for the season. The team is not going to give up major assets for short-term help just on the off-chance that they can sneak into the playoffs where the West’s daunting top three teams await. The core is still in the process of proving themselves and San Jose likely wants to see if they have the pieces in place to be a playoff team once again, knowing that rentals will not put themselves over the top this season. This does not mean that the Sharks will sit back at the deadline though; the club has some fringe pieces on expiring contracts that they could look to deal away and there are some needs beyond this season that they may discover a chance to address. In short, San Jose is unlikely to stand pat, but don’t expect them to sell off anything more than rental pieces or to acquire any major rental help of their own.

Record

17-16-4, .514, T-5th in East Division

Deadline Status

Light Seller/Opportunistic Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$2.41MM in full-season space ($10.74MM at the deadline), 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: SJS 1st, SJS 3rd, SJS 4th, SJS 5th, SJS 6th, SJS 7th
2022: SJS 1st, SJS 2nd, SJS 3rd, SJS 4th, SJS 6th, MIN 7th

Trade Chips

In terms of rentals, the Sharks do not have much to offer other buyers. However, for that same reason they will probably not hesitate to move any of their expiring contracts if there is interest. None of the Sharks’ impending UFA’s are anything more than depth pieces, in San Jose or elsewhere. The Sharks’ ability to retain salary if need be could result in some better trade returns, but there isn’t much to get excited about.

Among the rental group, veteran goaltender Devan Dubnyk is likely their most valuable trade chip, if only because he is one of a small number of available net minders with postseason experience. The Sharks’ plan to combine Dubnyk and Martin Jones and hope one will rediscover their starter status has not really worked out. Jones has improved marginally this year, but Dubnyk has been a bust. The 34-year-old has an .898 save percentage and 3.18 GAA thus far, resulting in just three wins on the year. Dubnyk will not command much of a return unless the scarcity of goalies creates a bidding war. There are certainly those in San Jose who would like to see Jones traded, but that move won’t happen at the deadline, if it ever happens at all.

Up front, Patrick Marleau is the biggest name, but not likely to be the most valuable. Sure, Marleau brings more experience and leadership than most in the game, but he did not work out as a rental for the Pittsburgh Penguins last year and that was even after finding decent success with the Sharks pre-trade. The 41-year-old has been a non-factor this season with just six points 37 games and may not even have any suitors. Making the playoffs one last time with the Sharks would probably mean more than another go-round as a rental for the respected veteran. The real name to watch among San Jose’s expiring forwards is Marcus Sorensen. Although his production has been poor this season, Sorenson is a good two-way forward and notched 17 goals and 30 points just two years ago. Contenders looking for fourth line options could do worse than Sorenson. Matthew Nieto and Kurtis Gabriel are other bottom-six forwards who could have value, but Nieto is currently injured and Gabriel has become a well-liked locker room presence for the Sharks this year, so neither is a lock to leave.

Others to Watch For: D Fredrik Claesson ($700K, UFA), F Fredrik Handemark ($925K, UFA), F Stefan Noesen ($925K, UFA), F Antti Suomela ($700K, UFA), D Nick DeSimone ($700K, Group 6 UFA)

Team Needs

1) Term Forward – Even if the Sharks don’t venture into true “buyer” territory, they still need to keep their eyes open for possible forward additions for next season – or more accurately, for the Expansion Draft. San Jose is in a tough situation when it comes to meeting the exposure requirements of the impending draft. Currently, they have just five forwards who meet the games played and term criteria and all five will almost certainly be protected: Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, and Kevin Labanc. They have zero forwards who can meet the exposure requirements simply by playing more games this season. This means that the Sharks must add two forward before the draft, either by re-signing or acquisition. Their extension candidates, who would qualify by only signing on for another year, include Sorenson, Marleau, and Nieto – any of whom could be traded and none of whom appear to be part of the Sharks’ future – and Dylan Gambrell and Rudolfs Balcers, who would seemingly be competing for the seventh and final protection spot. As a result, it seems more likely than not that San Jose will need to make an addition before June and they may as well add some additional help before the deadline, especially if the likes of Sorenson, Marleau, or Nieto head out of town. The Sharks could honestly use another long-term top-six forward, especially with the futures of Kane and Hertl in doubt, if they do decide to take a bigger swing at the deadline.

2) Goaltender – If the Sharks do trade Dubnyk, they won’t have much choice but to add another goaltender. The club likes young keepers Alexei Melnichuk and Josef Korenar, but the duo’s AHL numbers show that they are not ready for NHL backup duty this year and probably not next year either. San Jose could look for a cheaper rental to replace Dubnyk or they could look for a goalie with term or an impending free agent that would warrant an extension. The Sharks have previously been linked to the Florida Panthers’ Chris Driedger.

3) Prospect Defensemen – If the Sharks are not successful in landing valuable draft picks in exchange for their rentals, they should target defensive prospects. While San Jose has some nice young defensemen at the NHL level, the pipeline is all but bare behind polarizing Ryan Merkley. The team desperately needs to add bodies on the blue line, especially with an aging core in the NHL and the potential to lose a roster defenseman in the Expansion Draft.

Negotiation Notes: Nugent-Hopkins, Driedger, Luongo

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Edmonton Oilers and impending free agent forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins continue to talk extension, but thus far to no avail. Frank Seravalli reports on TSN’s latest “Insider Trading” that the Oilers’ latest contract offer was “not flattering”. He believes that the extension proposal contained just a five-year term, as well as an AAV that did not serve to counteract the short term. Unsurprisingly, Nugent-Hopkins’ camp was quick to move on from the offer. However, the two sides are committed to continuing talks and there does not yet seem to be any resentment growing despite the lack of progress on a new deal. Seravalli notes that, as of now, there is no desire on the Oilers’ part to trade RNH before the impending trade deadline. Should the two sides fail to come to terms on an extension, Nugent-Hopkins will be one of, if not the most sought-after free agent. It has previously been speculated that the Seattle Kraken, who will have plenty of cap space but could be short on center talent, would be a major suitor for the 2011 No. 1 overall pick if he were to hit the open market this off-season.

  • With the Florida Panthers signing star goalie prospect Spencer Knight on Wednesday, the pressure is on to decide the future of current backup Chris Driedger. Driedger has been one of the best stories of the 2020-21 season. A veteran minor leaguer, with more ECHL games than NHL games in his career, Driedger has broken out at the age of 26. After an excellent showing in limited action last season, Driedger has continued his stellar play into the current campaign, stealing starts from $10MM lead netminder Sergei Bobrovsky. However, the Panthers stand to lose him for nothing this off-season as an unrestricted free agent. The two sides had been in communication about an extension, but with Knight now joining the fold alongside Bobrovsky, leaving Boston College after just two seasons, there doesn’t seem to be a place for Driedger beyond this season – and other teams realize this. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that as soon as Knight’s contract was announced, a number of rival GM’s reached out to Florida’s Bill Zito to inquire on Driedger. In fact, LeBrun notes that multiple trade offers have already been made. However, to this point Zito has told all suitors that he has not decided what to do with Driedger just yet. The Panthers are not only in a playoff spot, but have a real chance at a Central Division title, especially if their goaltending holds up. Removing Driedger from the equation means losing the better of Florida’s two goalies this season and replacing him with a prospect who has no pro experience. Keeping Driedger would be better for the Panthers’ Stanley Cup hopes this season, but at the cost of what could be a considerable trade return. At the end of the day, this could all come back to contract talks. If Zito and company can convince Driedger that he has a role in Florida for another year or two even with Knight in the mix, then they have all the more reason to keep him. If the goalie is unconvinced and eyeing opportunity elsewhere this season, the team might opt to move him and lean on their well-paid current starter and highly-regarded future starter.
  • Normally, playing for your country’s national team is an honor. However, given the continued threat of COVID-19 as well as the wear and tear that this condensed 2020-21 season has had on players, recruiting for the 2021 World Championship in Latvia this spring is going to be a major challenge. For Team Canada, that responsibility will fall to Roberto Luongo, who will be named the team’s GM according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. This will be the first time that Luongo has served in such a major role on the international stage, but he very likely will not have the normal assortment of stars to choose from for his Worlds roster. Dreger believes that Canada’s roster – and many others – is likely to skew young, with players still looking to make a name for themselves more willing to go play in Latvia rather than established stars. Luongo may have the tall task of picking through some inexperience and unrealized potential, or else convincing veterans to join the squad, if he wants to build a winner.

Minor Transactions: 02/26/20

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The deadline is over but the season is still far from it. Teams are playing the most important games of the year and tweaking their rosters to find just the right balance. With that, there are always minor moves to be kept track of and right here is where you’ll find them.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled Sam Lafferty from the minor leagues under emergency conditions for their road trip to the west coast, where they’ll face the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks over the next few days.
  • Nicolas Roy and Zach Whitecloud are back up as expected for the Vegas Golden Knights, after being involved in a paper transaction this week. Both players stayed with the team and were involved in the regular lineup at morning skate.
  • Chris Driedger has been sent to the AHL on a conditioning loan, meaning the Florida Panthers goaltender is getting closer to a return. The 25-year old Driedger has actually been the team’s best goaltender this season, though that sample is limited to just nine appearances.
  • Gabriel Vilardi has been recalled once again by the Los Angeles Kings, who welcome in the Penguins later this evening. Vilardi has two points in three games for the Kings this season, finally healthy after such a struggle to get back on the ice.
  • With enough healthy forwards along with their equipment ready for tomorrow’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Ottawa Senators have sent Filip Chlapik back to the AHL. While there may not be much to play for in Ottawa, the Belleville Senators are in first place in their division and rank third in the entire AHL.
  • Lean Bergmann and Maxim Letunov have been returned to the minor leagues as the San Jose Sharks return home for the next several games. Defenseman Dalton Prout has been recalled from his conditioning loan with the Barracuda in a corresponding move.
  • Mitchell Stephens has been recalled again after being sent down just a couple of days ago by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Stephens will be eligible for the AHL playoffs if necessary, but the focus now is on Steven Stamkos who was forced from last night’s game.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have announced the recall of Dennis Cholowski. The young defender has split the season between Detroit and the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, contributing routinely at both levels.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top