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Thomas Greiss

Thomas Greiss Announces Retirement From NHL

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Veteran goaltender Thomas Greiss has officially announced his retirement from the NHL after a 14-season career, per the league. The 37-year-old, who last played for the St. Louis Blues and was an unrestricted free agent, ends his career as one of Germany’s most accomplished goaltenders.

During the 2022-23 season, Greiss appeared in just 21 games for the St. Louis Blues in a backup role, finishing with a 7-10-0 record, a 3.64 goals-against average, a .896 save percentage, and one shutout. However, as offers for the upcoming season failed to entice him, Greiss said he ultimately decided to hang up his skates and embark on new ventures outside the sport.

After being drafted in the third round (94th overall) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2004 NHL Draft, Greiss embarked on a journey that saw him suit up for six teams throughout his career. In 368 regular-season games, including stints with the Blues, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Phoenix Coyotes, and Sharks, he accumulated a record of 162-130-37. Greiss posted solid numbers across the board with a 2.77 GAA, a .911 save percentage, and 16 shutouts.

His most notable tenure came with the New York Islanders, where he enjoyed his best statistical seasons. From 2015 to 2020, he compiled a regular-season record of 101-60-17, accompanied by a 2.70 GAA, a .915 save percentage, and ten shutouts. In the playoffs, Greiss wasn’t a member of some recent teams that made it into the Conference Finals, but he did post quite strong numbers on the island in the postseason – recording a 7-8 record, a 2.41 GAA, a .921 save percentage, and one shutout. He did notably play a pivotal part in the Islanders’ first playoff series victory since 1993, helping the team secure a six-game triumph against the Florida Panthers in the 2016 Eastern Conference First Round.

The 2019 Jennings Trophy winner sits only behind Washington Capitals legend Olaf Kolzig among tenure-related statistical categories for German goalies in the NHL. While Kolzig represented Germany internationally, he was actually born in South Africa – making Greiss the first Germany-born goalie to surpass the 100-game milestone. Leading his fellow countrymen in games played, he ranks second only to Philipp Grubauer of the Seattle Kraken in GAA, save percentage, and shutouts. Internationally, Greiss also represented Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and Germany at the 2006 Turin Olympics and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, also playing three seasons with the DEL’s Kolner Haie before coming to the NHL with San Jose.

It’s worth noting, however, that Greiss was banned from representing Germany internationally in 2021 after social media activity that put into doubt “his attitude towards [the national team’s] values.”

It was fair to wonder whether Greiss would play at least another season at home if no NHL offers came, as the national team ban didn’t bar him from competing professionally in the DEL, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. His departure from St. Louis has officially left the door open for youngster Joel Hofer to take a full-time backup spot behind Jordan Binnington next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Goalie Notes: Hill/Brossoit, Reimer, Greiss

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The Vegas Golden Knights’ key bit of business this offseason revolves around the two netminders who helped guide them to the team’s first Stanley Cup: journeymen Adin Hill and Laurent Brossoit. In a massive piece detailing this summer’s goalie market from The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, both Hill’s and Brossoit’s agents expressed interest in returning to the team on behalf of their clients. Both pending unrestricted free agents, Hill and Brossoit filled in for the injured Logan Thompson down the stretch and in the playoffs, with Hill ultimately going on a miracle run for the last two-and-a-half rounds of the playoffs after Brossoit sustained a lower-body injury. Hill is obviously due a significant raise from his previous $2.175MM cap hit, but LeBrun surmises that Hill knows “they’ve got a good thing going in Vegas” and may not completely maximize the leverage coming from his spectacular playoff performance. Meanwhile, Brossoit’s agent, Ray Petkau, acknowledged it may be tough for the team to retain Brossoit given their crunch at the position, but will continue to remain in contact with Vegas and explore their options.

More from LeBrun on the goalie market this evening:

  • Petkau confirmed to LeBrun another one of his clients, San Jose Sharks netminder James Reimer, will hit unrestricted free agency on July 1. The 35-year-old veteran of nearly 500 games posted career-worst numbers behind a struggling Sharks team, notching just 12 wins in 41 starts and recording a .890 save percentage. While it’s hard to blame him for the team’s shortcomings, it’s also clear his days as a high-end tandem netminder are over, and he’ll likely need to settle for a strict backup role if he wants to stay in the league next season. He’ll also likely take a marginal pay cut from the two-year, $4.5MM deal he signed with San Jose in 2021.
  • Another Petkau client, Thomas Greiss, will also be hitting the open market. The 37-year-old is in a similar situation to Reimer, although he’s now gone two consecutive seasons without clearing the .900 save percentage mark. The St. Louis Blues’ backup job to starter Jordan Binnington is likely going to rising prospect Joel Hofer, so it makes sense the team wouldn’t be interested in a reunion. The one-time Jennings Trophy winner could also draw interest from teams looking for an inexpensive, experienced backup netminder to start between 15 and 25 games.

Thomas Greiss Out For The Rest Of The Season

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The St. Louis Blues have announced that goaltender Thomas Greiss will be out for the remainder of the season with a lower body injury. Greiss played in 21 games for the Blues and will finish the season with a 7-10-0 record to go with a .895 save percentage and a 3.64 GAA. He underwent a procedure this past Monday and it was being speculated that it would sideline him until the end of the year.

Greiss was signed in the offseason as a backup to Jordan Binnington and struggled in his first season with the Blues. It was his 14th season in the NHL and his second season in a row where he put up a save percentage under .900.

Greiss had a tremendous five year run with the New York Islanders from 2015-2020 which saw him win 101 games and put-up a save percentage of .915. However, by the time Greiss signed in St. Louis late last summer there was talk that he nearly retired due to a lack of interest in his services.

Now given his struggles the past two seasons it seems possible that the 37-year-old could hang up his skates after this season. It’ll be interesting to see what Greiss does, there remains a possibility that he could still find work as a backup, given how thin the free agent goaltending market will be this summer.

St. Louis Blues Recall Vadim Zherenko Under Emergency Conditions

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The St. Louis Blues recalled netminder Vadim Zherenko under emergency conditions from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds on Monday, the team said in a release. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that backup Thomas Greiss is injured, necessitating the recall of a goalie from the minors.

This is the first recall of Zherenko’s career. Drafted 208th overall in 2019, it’s a rapid rise to relevance for a player picked less than 10 spots away from the end of the draft.

However, the 22-year-old has earned a brief NHL look with his play this season. Zherenko has been a more-than-capable backup in Springfield to Joel Hofer, who earned a long look at the NHL level last month. In 24 games with Springfield, Zherenko has a record of 10-8-3, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.96 goals-against average. This is his first season in North America after a development path through Russia and Finland post-draft.

With Springfield’s season in crunch time on the verge of clinching a Calder Cup playoff berth, the Blues likely opted to leave Hofer in the minors to continue to gain meaningful experience in stretch run games.

St. Louis Blues Expected To Sign Thomas Greiss

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After not being able to retain Ville Husso or Charlie Lindgren, the St. Louis Blues have found a new backup. Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports that the Blues are expected to sign Thomas Greiss when free agency opens.

That essentially means the Blues and Detroit Red Wings swapped netminders, as Husso ended up joining Steve Yzerman’s club as their new potential starter. Greiss comes to St. Louis after two years in Detroit, the first of which was much better than this most recent season.

In 2021-22, the 36-year-old Greiss posted an .891 save percentage in 31 appearances, the lowest number of his entire career. For a .912 career netminder it was a huge fall, one that the Blues obviously hope won’t continue.

For St. Louis though, there wasn’t going to be enough money to keep Husso in place and a veteran backup was always the expected outcome.

More to come…

Red Wings Notes: Gagner, Greiss, Hellberg, Pickard

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Red Wings center Sam Gagner is set to reach unrestricted free agency this summer but the 32-year-old told Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press that he’s hoping to re-sign with Detroit.  Gagner has had a decent season with 12 goals and 16 assists in 73 contests despite averaging just over 13 minutes a game of playing time.  That’s a pretty good return on a one-year, $850K contract, one that GM Steve Yzerman has given Gagner in each of the last two seasons.  If the veteran – who is just 41 games shy of reaching the 1,000 mark for his career – is willing to make it three years in a row at that price tag, keeping him around would certainly make some sense for Detroit as a capable depth veteran.

More from Detroit:

  • James suggests in a separate column that the Red Wings aren’t expected to offer Thomas Greiss a contract for next season. The 36-year-old netminder was brought in to be a stable platoon option between the pipes and while he did exactly that last year, that hasn’t been the case in 2021-22 as he has a SV% of just .892 along with a 3.56 GAA in 28 appearances.  Greiss’ track record could still get him a look on a one-year deal this summer but it’ll be considerably lower than the $3.6MM AAV he has on his current contract.
  • The timing of Magnus Hellberg’s one-year deal through the rest of this season seemed curious but fellow goalie Alex Nedeljkovic indicated to Max Bultman of The Athletic (subscription link) that there had been rumors of Hellberg signing for a little while and that visa issues were holding up the announcement. By the time Hellberg gets through the immigration process, he may only be available to dress for the final few games and if they were looking to sign him closer to the trade deadline as Nedeljkovic inferred, they’re likely to give the 31-year-old a few starts.
  • The Red Wings also aren’t likely to bring back veteran goaltender Calvin Pickard next season, notes Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. The 29-year-old (who is currently up with Detroit on emergency recall but is injured) is in his third season with the team and has seen NHL action in each of those years.  This season, he has a 2.58 GAA along with a .918 SV% with AHL Grand Rapids but with top prospect Sebastian Cossa set to turn pro next season, the Red Wings will want to ensure he has ample game action with the Griffins which will likely push them to let Pickard hit the open market.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Thomas Greiss

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Veteran netminder Thomas Greiss waited out the rush of goalie signings yesterday and has been rewarded. With multiple teams in need of help in net but few strong options still available on the open market, Greiss has cashed in on deal with the Detroit Red Wings. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Greiss has agreed to a two-year, $7.2MM contract with Detroit. The Red Wings have confirmed the signing.

Greiss, 34, has been with the New York Islanders for the past five seasons, during which time he has established himself as one of the better backups in the NHL. Greiss has posted a .920 save percentage or better three times in his career, including a 2018-19 campaign in which he shared Jennings Trophy honors with Robin Lehner. While Greiss’ numbers slipped this past season, he was still a reliable backstop with a .913 save percentage and a .571 winning percentage in 28 starts.

He has also shown an ability to carry the load at times in his career and his new contract, a raise from his expired deal with the Islanders, indicates that the Red Wings believe he can challenge for the starting job. Greiss has played 41+ games in three seasons, all of which have come in the past five years with New York. Age is thus not a factor in his ability to take on a heavier load. Jonathan Bernier’s play improved significantly after a dismal start to his Red Wings tenure, but his hold on the starting job is far from secure. Greiss has had superior numbers between the two in each of the past two seasons, so if that translates to Detroit then Bernier could be in trouble. A 50/50 split is very possible, but there will be ongoing competition for even a slight lead share in net.

New York Islanders Sign Ilya Sorokin

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Tuesday: The Islanders and Sorokin have already agreed to terms on his next contract, less than 24 hours after he signed his first one. The Russian netminder will sign a one-year deal for the 2020-21 season worth $2MM according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.  This deal will still leave Sorokin as a restricted free agent in 2021 but gives the two sides a lot more time to work out a long-term deal.

The contract will carry a $1MM signing bonus and $1MM salary.

Monday: KHL star netminder Ilya Sorokin has made his much-anticipated leap to the NHL, albeit with a twist. Per agent Dan Milstein, Sorokin has signed a one-year entry-level contract with the New York Islanders, effective for the 2019-20 season. However, Sorokin is only eligible to join the team for training camp and cannot play in the upcoming postseason; yet, his contract will still be burned. This means that while the Islanders have finally signed Sorokin, he will need another contract this fall as a restricted free agent before he can ever suit up for the team.

Sorokin, 24, should be able to negotiate a pretty considerable deal for himself without any NHL experience, too. Like Igor Shesterkin of the rival New York Rangers, Sorokin has established himself as one the very best goalies outside of the NHL at a very young age. Stunningly, Sorokin made his KHL debut at just 17 years old, an unheard-of accomplishment for a goalie that young in any major pro league. His five games in 2012-13 jumpstarted his success in Russia, where he has a career .930 save percentage and 1.70 GAA in nearly 250 games. This included an unthinkable .953 save percentage and 1.06 GAA in 28 games in 2015-16 and a current streak of three straight seasons with a .930+ save percentage.

Sorokin will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Shesterkin in his rookie season in 2020-21, as the two bring their KHL duel to the Big Apple. While Shersterkin’s career KHL numbers are a tad better than Sorokin’s, they came in less than half as many games despite the two being the same age. Sorokin has a major experience advantage, so he should fair even better than Shesterkin with adjusting to the NHL. His Rangers counterpart recorded a .932 save percentage and 2.52 GAA in 12 games this season and seems to have won the starting role for his team. Expect Sorokin to aim for the same result and likely with more starts and better stats. Especially in an Islanders system that has elevated the play of keepers like Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss – who is now also likely to depart as a UFA – in recent years, it would not be shocking to see Sorokin with numbers among the league’s best next season as he splits time with Semyon Varlamov. In fact, Sorokin could have a strong case for the Calder Trophy in 2020-21.

So, while Islanders fans may be disappointed that they cannot see Sorokin sooner and that he cannot help out with a hopeful playoff run, they should still be excited for what is to come from the young Russian goaltender. With a deep, defensive-minded roster in front of him, Sorokin has the makings of a long-term, cornerstone keeper.

Snapshots: Kovalchuk, Sorokin, Backes

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How the tables have turned already for Ilya Kovalchuk. The veteran forward was unemployed entering the new year after having his contract terminated by the Los Angeles Kings. Despite his decorated history in pro hockey, he was left scouting the market for a minimum contract with a team that maybe had a chance at the postseason in 2019-20. He landed in Montreal, signing a one-year, pro-rated $700K contract with a team heading in the wrong direction for playoff contention because that was his best option at the time. Just two weeks later, Kovalchuk’s stock has skyrocketed. The 36-year-old has eight points in eight games with the Canadiens and has looked phenomenal, especially compared to his play in L.A. When he first started scoring, many Habs fans were excited at the prospect of the team flipping him for assets at the trade deadline.

While this remains a distinct possibility, as Kovalchuk continues to produce many other are asking whether Montreal should instead look to re-sign the winger. Not only has Kovalchuk been an impressive offensive contributor, but he provides the veteran presence and star power that the team is lacking in its forward corps, which plays a part in why Kovalchuk has been such a hit with fans so early in his tenure. Yet, Kovalchuk has been so successful in such a short time with the Canadiens, that his camp is already thinking about cashing in, mere weeks after settling for the smallest NHL contract possible. When asked about the prospect of Kovalchuk re-signing in Montreal, agent Pat Brisson told TVA Sports that it is too early to talk extension. While he admits that Kovalchuk is enjoying his time with the team, Brisson states that the focus is only on making the playoffs, which – when spoken by an agent – is a strong indication that Kovlachuk will be looking to test the market or at least continue to drive up his price before talking contract with Montreal.  A trade would also change the status quo and could afford Kovalchuk the opportunity to improve his stock even more with a postseason appearance, which seems unlikely in Montreal this season. While the veteran star is not going to land a long-term contract this season, his sudden resurgence all but guarantees that he will be back in the NHL next season and making significantly more than his current $700K cap hit.

  • Ilya Sorokin is a name that has long been tied to the NHL, despite the player never having set foot on pro ice in North America. The New York Islanders prospect has long been one of the best goalies in the KHL, even at just 24 years old, yet he has been reluctant to sign with the team and commit to coming overseas. Reports earlier this season were that Sorokin wanted a clear shot to a guaranteed NHL job and has not been happy with the situation in New York, first with Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner last year, now Greiss and Semyon Varlamov this year, and at least Varlamov signed for several more years. Those reports indicated that Sorokin intended to stay in Russia unless traded by the Islanders. Some subsequent rumors believed that the team was considering moving Sorokin’s rights as a result. However, when KHL insider Igor Eronko approached Sorokin about the topic, a different sentiment came from the horse’s mouth. Sorokin expressed that he was surprised to read the stories about his trade demands and that the team was looking into moving him. He stated that he and the Islanders have a different understanding and he has not been told that the status quo has changed. Don’t be surprised if the Russian star remains Islanders’ property through the trade deadline after all.
  • The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa writes that David Backes has five choices after being waived and demoted by the Boston Bruins. One option that might come as a surprise, not as a suggestion but as a concrete theory, is that Backes could retire rather than accept his assignment. Shinzawa reports that Backes seriously considered retirement after his concussion earlier this season, but was assured by a concussion expert that it was safe for him to return to action. Yet, after Backes failed to return to an NHL-caliber level of play, could he decide to play it safe and call it quits? He would forego the remaining salary on his contract, but would protect himself from the risk of long-term harm with another injury, one that would especially be a shame while merely competing at the AHL level. Shinzawa suggests that Backes could instead decline his assignment and see his contract terminated, which would make him a free agent where he could at least try to find a worthwhile job elsewhere in the NHL. The other option is that he simply accepts his assignment to AHL Providence, which could also lead to a trade request down the road or further consideration of retirement or contract termination before the end of next season.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: New York Islanders

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As the holiday season is upon us, PHR will continue its look at what teams are thankful for as we get closer to the halfway point. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the New York Islanders.

What are the Islanders most thankful for?

Head coach Barry Trotz’ system has held up, even after the departure of Robin Lehner.

Many experts and fans alike were skeptical when the Islanders allowed Lehner to walk this summer, splitting up the Jennings Trophy-winning duo of he and Thomas Greiss that allowed just 2.19 goals against last season. Even more perplexing was handing Semyon Varlamov a long-term contract with an AAV equal to that of the one-year deal signed by Lehner in Chicago. The crucial question for the Isles’ 2019-20 season was whether or not Lehner’s .930 save percentage and 2.13 GAA – both top three among NHL starters last year – were the key to the team’s success or rather a product of Trotz’ system that could be continued by Greiss and replicated by Varlamov.

Midway through this campaign, the front office’s decisions have not backfired. Instead, the Islanders are again one of the stingiest teams in the NHL. Their current 2.57 GAA ranks fifth in the league, helping New York to a .700 points percentage that ranks third in the league. Greiss has continued his roll from last year and Varlamov has fit in seamlessly. The team continues to play an effective shutdown style, protecting their goalies and not allowing the opposition many opportunities to control the pace of the game. So long as the club continues to buy in to this conservative system, the Islanders will continue to win by suffocating their opponent.

Who are the Islanders most thankful for?

Trotz is the answer again. The Islanders made a brilliant move by wooing the veteran head coach away from the 2018 Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals right after they won their title, both strengthening their own team while weakening a top rival (although the Capitals remain the Isles’ biggest roadblock to winning the Metropolitan Division). Trotz’ system has worked perfectly for the personnel in New York and has them again in position to be a Cup contender.

However, for the player on the ice that the team is most thankful for, it would have to be Mathew Barzal, even if only by a slim margin. The Islanders are one of the more balanced teams in the league in terms of offensive distribution, but Barzal still narrowly remains the team’s leader in goals, assists, points, plus/minus, and more. The 22-year-old center has 32 points in 35 games, including six points on the team’s tenth-ranked power play. While Barzal’s two-way game is still a work in progress and his shooting percentage suggests that there could be some goal-scoring regression on the way, most night’s he is the most valuable skater on the ice for the Islanders.

What would the Islanders be even more thankful for?

Faster starts. For a team in third-place in the NHL, the Islanders somehow hold a negative goal differential in the first period. The team is tied for fifth-worst in the league in goals for in the first frame, which often puts them at a disadvantage early on. The team can sit back and shut down an opponent when they have the lead, but are not well-equipped to play from behind, as their defensive abilities far outweigh their offense.

What should be on the Islanders’ Holiday Wish List?

A top-six scoring winger. The Islanders are in the enviable position of being a real contender that also will have relatively limitless salary cap space at the NHL Trade Deadline. The team’s low payroll will allow them to add anyone they like in a deadline deal, assuming they are willing to pay the price in trade capital. The target should be a scoring winger to assist with the Islanders’ 19th-ranked offense, currently scoring under three goals a game. Shutdown defense can win many regular season games, but is no guarantee when facing elite firepower or similarly strong defensive units in the postseason.

The Isles could really hit the jackpot if they can acquire a top-six caliber scoring winger who could also contribute on the penalty kill. Despite the team’s considerable ability to play defensive hockey in Trotz’ system, they have struggled short-handed this year, ranking 21st in the NHL. In a physical playoff series, the team could use all the help they can get with ensuring penalties don’t get the best of them.

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