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Zach Fucale

Zachary Fucale Eyeing NHL Comeback

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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.

Minor Transactions: 07/06/23

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The music is slowing down in this year’s game of free agent musical chairs, and fewer and fewer players remain without a seat for next season. Some top names such as Vladimir Tarasenko and Matt Dumba linger on the market, but by and large, teams have shifted towards making signings more geared to depth roles in their lineup.

Free agents of that general caliber are also the players minor-league teams and teams in foreign leagues are targeting, meaning there’s been quite a bit of player movement today across the hockey world. As always, we’ll log those transactions and provide some context to them here.

  •  Zachary Fucale, once a top goalie prospect earlier in his career, will likely play in Europe for the first time as a pro hockey player in a few months. The 28-year-old former Washington Capitals farmhand signed a two-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL. Fucale posted a .902 save percentage in 38 games for the AHL’s Hershey Bears this past season and won the Calder Cup. As a two-time Spengler Cup winner, Fucale has had some success playing against European club competition, and he’ll say goodbye (for now) to North American pro hockey having appeared in four NHL games and registered a memorable shutout in his NHL debut.
  • 2018-19 AHL Defenseman of the Year and three-time AHL All-Star Zach Redmond has agreed on a mutual contract termination with his club, DEL champions EHC Red Bull Munich. The soon-to-be-35-year-old rearguard had spent the last three seasons in the Bavarian capital, leading the DEL in points by a defenseman in his first year and goals by a blueliner in his second. His seven points in 12 playoff games helped propel Munich to a DEL title over ERC Ingolstadt, and now Redmond could be eyeing a return to North American pro hockey with this contract termination.
  • The New York Islanders’ AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, announced the signings of three forwards to AHL contracts: Cole Bardreau, Jeff Kubiak, and Joey Cipollone. Bardreau, 29, scored 15 goals and 31 points in 67 AHL games last season and has been a top-nine staple in Bridgeport since 2019. Kubiak, also 29, is a defensive specialist at the AHL level who routinely features on Bridgeport’s penalty kill. He’s been with the Islanders organization since he turned pro out of Cornell University in 2017. Finally, Cipollone, 23, is a winger who won the NCAA Men’s Hockey National Championship last season with Quinnipiac University and is now set to make his pro debut.
  • Former Minnesota-Duluth captain and two-time NCAA Men’s Hockey National Champion Nick Wolff has signed a one-year contract with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, confirming his exit from the Providence Bruins after three seasons in Rhode Island. Wolff is a 26-year-old left-shot blueliner who stands six-foot-five, 223 pounds. He’s brought physicality to a reserve role with Providence so far in his pro career, and now heads out west to a revamped San Diego Gulls squad, where he could end up playing along the right side next to one of the Ducks’ high-end young defenders, such as Olen Zellweger or former Minnesota Golden Gopher Jackson LaCombe.
  • The AHL’s Utica Comets have signed rugged defenseman Colin Felix, an NCAA Men’s Hockey National Champion at UMass Amherst, to a one-year, one-way AHL contract. The 24-year-old turned pro last fall and skated in 72 games with the ECHL’s Reading Royals. He scored eight goals and 27 points and collected 139 penalty minutes, bringing physical two-way ability to the Royals’ blueline. Now, the Comets are hoping Felix can do the same for their back end, a defense that needed to replace a right-shot blueliner after the trade of Reilly Walsh to the Boston Bruins. The Comets have also signed Jeremy Brodeur, son of legendary Devils netminder Martin Brodeur, to a two-way NHL/ECHL contract, bringing him over from the EIHL where he was the starter for the Manchester Storm.
  • Alex-Olivier Voyer, a former QMJHL star with the Sherbrooke Phoenix, has signed a one-year, one-way AHL contract with the Laval Rocket. Getting a one-way deal in the AHL is a victory for Voyer, who dropped from playing mostly in the AHL in 2021-22 to the ECHL in 2022-23. Voyer had scored only eight points in 41 games with the Providence Bruins in 21-22, but managed 23 goals and 43 points in 48 ECHL games this season, not only securing himself a spot back in North America’s second-tier pro league but also a spot in his home province.
  • Former Hobey Baker Award finalist Dylan McLaughlin has signed a contract with Vaxjo Lakers HC, the reigning champions of Sweden’s SHL. The deal is McLaughlin’s first foray into European pro hockey. The 28-year-old had a difficult 2022-23 campaign, playing just nine games total. The year before, though, McLaughlin broke out, scoring 42 points in 55 games for the Rockford IceHogs. Now McLaughlin will compete for a role in Sweden and potentially help Vaxjo secure a second consecutive title.
  • Undersized 25-year-old blueliner Joseph Duszak has climbed the pro hockey ladder since concluding an exceptional three-year NCAA career, but hasn’t yet received any NHL call-ups. He began in the ECHL with the Newfoundland Growlers, and scored 35 points in 34 games from the blueline. He was named an ECHL All-Star and ended up earning a job in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies. Duszak excelled in Toronto, scoring 52 points in 61 games in 2021-22 and earning AHL Second-Team All-Star honors. After that strong AHL campaign, Duszak likely viewed excelling overseas as his next step towards earning NHL consideration, so he signed in the KHL with Dynamo Minsk. Duszak was exceptional in Belarus, finishing behind former Boston Bruin Ryan Spooner for the team lead in points with 45 in 68 games played. Now, he’s signed a one-year AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds likey with the hope of producing well once again and finally earning an NHL shot.
  • Former Buffalo Sabres prospect Jordon Southorn, one of the top blueliners in Slovakia’s Tipos Extraliga, has signed a one-year deal with the Augsburg Panthers of the DEL. The 33-year-old Canadian moved to Slovakia in 2018-19 mid-season, and made an instant impact with Banska Bystrica HC 05, winning a championship there. He led the Slovak league in points by a defenseman with 51 in 2019-20, and took home another league championship a few months ago with HC Kosice. Now, he’ll head to Germany to bolster the blueline of a club that only narrowly avoided relegation to the DEL2 in 2022-23.
  • Austrian national team defenseman Dominique Heinrich is returning to his hometown of Vienna after playing over 600 games at Austria’s top level of pro hockey with EHC Red Bull Salzburg. The five-foot-eight 32-year-old won a sixth title with Salzburg this past season, though he skated in a career-low 26 regular-season games. Now both Heinrich and Salzburg are moving in a different direction, as Heinrich has signed a contract with the Vienna Capitals, a rival ICEHL club. It’s a major signing for a Vienna team looking to finally push themselves across the finish line next season, as their many deep playoff runs since their 2016-17 title have ended in failure.

This page may be updated throughout the day. 

Washington Capitals Recall Zachary Fucale

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5:31 pm: According to Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic, Shephard has been ruled out of tonight’s game with an upper-body injury, necessitating the Fucale recall.

4:25 pm: The Washington Capitals announced late this afternoon that they’ve recalled goaltender Zachary Fucale from the Hershey
Bears, their AHL affiliate. Fucale will join the pairing of Charlie Lindgren and Hunter Shepard in net for Washington. Shepard had been recalled on an emergency basis in the wake of Darcy Kuemper’s injury and subsequent placement on IR back on December 3rd. No corresponding moves were announced.

Despite bringing Shepard up nearly two weeks ago, the Capitals haven’t played the netminder just yet, opting to have Lindgren shoulder the load. Lindgren, who Washington signed to a three-year deal this offseason to back up Kuemper, has had a solid start to the season, recording a .910 save-percentage and 2.76 goals-against average in 14 games, but has really stepped things up since Kuemper went down, posting five of his seven wins along with a .936 save-percentage, surrendering just 11 goals over the six games.

Shepard, 27, was off to a dominant start in the AHL with a .932 save-percentage and 1.83 goals-against in his first eight games, but along with Lindgren’s superb performance, Shepard simply has never played in the NHL and has spent the bulk of his professional career in the ECHL.

It’s unclear what Washington’s plan is with Fucale now that he’s been called up as well. Unlike Shepard, Fucale has struggled this season with Hershey, however he does have longer track record of professional hockey, dating back to 2015-16. At one point considered one of the more exciting goaltending prospects in the NHL, the former Montreal Canadiens draft pick has only recently made his NHL debut, getting into four games for the Capitals last season.

Minor Notes: Seeley, Broberg, Fucale

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If you listed off the things that can help an NHL team become a true Stanley Cup contender, developing late-round picks would be very near the top. The Carolina Hurricanes seem to constantly be squeezing value out of their later picks, and it seems as though they might have done it again with Ronan Seeley. The 19-year-old defenseman was the 208th overall pick in 2020 and signed his entry-level deal with Carolina in September, before breaking out this season. With 44 points in 52 games for the Everett Silvertips, making the Team Canada roster at the World Juniors, and finishing with four points in the Silvertips’ short six-game playoff run, it’s been quite the season for the seventh-round pick.

Now, Seeley is heading to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves to continue his strong year. If he can climb his way into the lineup, he’ll be joining a Wolves team that has real Calder Cup potential and is currently on a first-round bye. More minor moves from around the league:

  • The Edmonton Oilers have recalled Philip Broberg, at least while the Bakersfield Condors await their next playoff opponent. The AHL squad dispatched the Abbotsford Canucks in two games, meaning they will be dormant until they find out who they play next. With the Oilers now headed to Los Angeles to continue their series against the Kings, it makes sense for Broberg to join them for the time being. Whether he gets into the lineup is another story, as the Oilers don’t have an obvious spot for him right now unless they wanted to change the winning lineup from game two, or are dealing with an undisclosed injury.
  • The Washington Capitals, now at home for the next two games, have re-assigned Zach Fucale to the Hershey Bears. The AHL squad kicks off their first-round series this evening, while Washington doesn’t play again until tomorrow afternoon, meaning he could still serve as the emergency backup at that point. Fucale, 26, had a .896 save percentage in 31 appearances for the Bears this season.

Goalie Notes: Bernier, Korpisalo, Fucale

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The New Jersey Devils have placed Jonathan Bernier on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, meaning Akira Schmid is on his way up to the big leagues. Bernier last played on December 3 against the Winnipeg Jets, allowing six goals on 32 shots. Overall this season he hasn’t been very busy, appearing in just ten games and posting a .902 save percentage.

Schmid meanwhile has been outstanding for the Utica Comets, posting a .944 and 8-0-2 record in ten games. The 21-year-old netminder is in his first year of professional hockey after spending the last few seasons in the USHL, but looks like the transition will be no problem for his 6’5″ frame. Should Schmid get a chance to play, it would be his NHL debut.

  • Speaking of goaltenders making debuts, Daniil Tarasov has been sent back to the AHL after playing in his first three NHL games. The young netminder was up while Joonas Korpisalo dealt with a non-COVID illness, which he has now recovered from. Korpisalo was activated from injured reserve and will resume his duties alongside Elvis Merzlikins in the Columbus Blue Jackets net. That is of course unless the team makes a trade at some point, one that looks even more likely now that Tarasov has shown he can handle things at the NHL level. The 22-year-old posted a .936 save percentage in his three appearances.
  • Zach Fucale made his own NHL debut earlier this season with the Washington Capitals, posting a 21-save shutout after a long minor league career. He’s back up with the Capitals again, recalled as a precaution with a back-to-back coming up. The team has been dealing with COVID protocols and injuries all season, so having a third goaltender with the group gives them a little insurance in case the worst happens.

Washington Capitals Sign Zach Fucale To Two-Year Extension

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The Washington Capitals have strengthened their goaltending depth for the next couple of years, as the team announced the signing of Zach Fucale to a two-year, two-way deal. The deal is worth $1.5MM with an AAV of $750K. Fucale will receive $150K in the AHL during his first year and $160K in the second.

Once considered a superstar goaltending prospect, Fucale has struggled significantly since going pro. The 25-year-old has spent much of his playing time in the ECHL and has struggled to get an NHL contract until recently when the Capitals signed him to a one-year deal in August. Fucale was still expected to spend the season in the ECHL with a loaded system that was supposed to include Ilya Samsonov, Henrik Lundqvist, Vitek Vanecek and Pheonix Copley, leaving Fucale as the extra netminder.

Instead, Fucale has spent most of his time in the AHL and has fared well in six games with the Hershey Bears, boasting a 1.93 GAA and a .942 save percentage, potentially suggesting that Fucale might finally be figuring things out in net. Fucale would have been a Group 6 free agent, but will now hopefully find some stability after several years of moving around. He is a likely candidate to share the Hershey net with Copley next season as well before Copley becomes a free agent himself in 2022.

Zach Fucale Loaned To ECHL

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When the Washington Capitals signed Zach Fucale to a one-year, two-way contract this summer it made for quite the crowded crease in Hershey, the team’s AHL affiliate. With Henrik Lundqvist taking the other spot in the NHL, Pheonix Copley and Vitek Vanecek were penciled into the third and fourth-string spots. Fucale seemed likely to be headed back to the ECHL and today that’s exactly what happened. The Capitals have loaned Fucale to the South Carolina Stingrays.

Fucale, who is still only 25 despite his draft seeming like decades ago, was selected 36th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2013. An elite prospect who dominated at the junior level, winning the Memorial Cup and a gold medal with Canada at the WJC, he was never quite able to replicate that success at the next level.

Still, Fucale is a decorated goaltender on the international stage, winning two Spengler Cups with Canada over the years. For a fifth-string option in Washington, he’s hard to top.

South Carolina starts their season tomorrow with a match against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to kick off the ECHL schedule.

Zach Fucale Signs With Washington Capitals

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The Washington Capitals have shored up their goaltending depth for next season, signing Zach Fucale to a one-year, two-way contract for 2020-21. The deal will see Fucale earn $700K in the NHL and $75K in the AHL.

There was a time when Fucale was one of the top goaltending prospects in the entire world. Selected 36th overall in 2013 (the top goaltender in that entire draft class), the Montreal Canadiens believed they had the next great French-Canadian goalie. Things haven’t gone quite that smoothly since however, as Fucale never did make it to the NHL in Montreal. In fact, the 25-year-old goaltender has spent more time in the ECHL than the AHL over his professional career.

That might be where he is heading in the Capitals organization too, though there will be an opportunity to move up if the team doesn’t bring Braden Holtby back. In any case, it’s unlikely that Fucale will play a role with the NHL team unless injury strikes.

Zach Fucale Released From AHL Contract, Signs In Germany

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The long and winding career of Zach Fucale will now take the goaltender overseas, as today the Syracuse Crunch released him from his AHL contract in order for him to sign with Munich in the DEL. Fucale had spent most of the season in the ECHL with the Orlando Solar Bears, but will now head to Germany to follow a new opportunity.

Fucale, 24, was originally selected 36th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2013, but despite his promising junior career things haven’t gone to plan at the professional level. After his entry-level contract with the Canadiens ended in 2018 with him in the ECHL, the organization decided not to issue him a qualifying offer. The Vegas Golden Knights gave him another chance with a one-year two-way deal in 2018-19, but he once again spent more time in the low minors and actually struggled during his time with the Fort Wayne Komets.

Another non-qualified summer awaited him, and now after posting a .928 save percentage in 24 appearances with the Solar Bears he’ll head overseas. Fucale has been a staple for Team Canada in international competitions for some time, winning a World Junior gold medal in 2015 and two Spengler Cups over the last few years. If the NHL fails to go to the Olympics again in 2022, you can bet he’ll be on Canada’s radar as a potential option in net.

Canada Announces 2019 Spengler Cup Roster

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Dec 23: Canada has added Mathew Maione and Blair Riley to the club, two more players with plenty of international experience.

Dec 19: While most fans of international hockey are paying attention to the upcoming World Junior Championship, there is actually another high-level tournament that starts at the same time. The Spengler Cup, where several club teams from around the world gather to compete is held every year just after Christmas. Canada also submits a team in the tournament, and this year’s edition has quite a few names that should be familiar to NHL fans.

The full roster:

G Brendan Burke
G Zach Fucale
G Matt Tomkins

D Paul Postma
D Ian Mitchell
D Alex Grant
D Patrick Wiercioch
D Andrew MacDonald
D Maxim Noreau

F Adam Tambellini
F Kris Versteeg
F Dustin Jeffrey
F Eric Fehr
F Justin Danforth
F Scottie Upshall
F Cory Emmerton
F Daniel Winnik
F Kevin Clark
F Ben Maxwell
F David Desharnais
F Josh Jooris
F Chris DiDomenico

Mitchell immediately stands out in the group, given that unlike many of the other former NHLers, he hasn’t even had his chance at the highest level so far. The Chicago Blackhawks draft pick is still just 20 years old and in his junior year at the University of Denver.

Obviously the Spengler Cup doesn’t come with a whole lot of name recognition, but some of these players could be considered at the next Olympics should the NHL decide not to attend in 2022.

The tournament kicks off on December 26th in Davos, Switzerland.

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