DALLAS, TEXAS - APRIL 23: Chris Driedger #60 of the Seattle Kraken blocks a shot on goal against Roope Hintz #24 of the Dallas Stars as Jamie Oleksiak #24 of the Seattle Kraken defends in the first period at American Airlines Center on April 23, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)Photo: Tom Pennington / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
As expected, the Seattle Kraken recalled goaltender Chris Driedger from the AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds on Tuesday, hours after practice which did not include Philipp Grubauer, sitting out following his early exit from Monday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Calgary due to injury.
What we know:
· Grubauer, termed day-to-day with an unspecified injury, appeared banged up during the first period, in a stretch that Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol declined to name from “one particular play.” His most physical stress came during a collision with Martin Pospisil over two minutes into the game and was spun around to the glove side post.
· Grubauer surrendered a pair of goals in seven shots and was pulled in place of Joey Daccord starting in the second period. Joey Daccord played for the rest of the night and was in line for the win during a Kraken rally deep into period three, before taking an overtime loss on 22 stops.
· Driedger is 6-4 in 10 games with Coachella Valley this year with one shutout and a .915 save percentage.
Instant analysis from 93.3 KJR-FM:
What Grubauer’s loss means for the Kraken:
The Kraken are without their suggested primary starting goaltender for an indefinite period of time, presumably shifting the workload to Joey Daccord. Grubauer started the season with incremental improvements this season, carrying over from a playoff run where he was one of the best players on the ice during the seven-game upset of the Colorado Avalanche.
But in the third year of his six-year deal worth $5.9 million annually, the numbers were trending on the decline again before his injury, and he is 5-6-0 with a 3.36 goals-against-average and .885 save percentage – the latter two totals behind the pace of his previous two seasons, including an expansion year where he struggled with a career-low .889 save percentage. In addition, his absence is another frustrating early halt to his season due to injury, for the second time in as many years. It’s unknown if he’ll miss as much time as last year – he missed a month with a lower body ailment, and Martin Jones righted the ship in his place.
The workload in net is expected to give Daccord first rights, who has an opportunity to seize more playing time with a .901 save percentage and just two losses in regulation across ten appearances. While his growth as a goaltender is undergoing a transformation where Dave Hakstol said he is “learning how to close out games,” he plays an athletic, active, and dynamic style in net which includes a luxury of puck movement, enable the Kraken to move up ice quicker.
When needed, the Kraken are hoping Driedger’s solid and healthy return at the AHL can translate to the NHL, spelling Daccord’s time before Grubauer is healthy. Driedger, who is a tall and rangy goaltender who thrives on mobility, is looking to recapture the form that put him into a “goalie 1B” situation three years ago in Florida with Sergei Bobrovsky but made him expendable at the expansion draft with youngster Spencer Knight waiting in the wings. His best season, though a small sample size, was a 23-game run during the pandemic shortened season with the Panthers when he earned a 14-6-3 record, a .927 save percentage, and three shutouts.
Driedger will get another big shot at reclaiming an NHL role, in the final season of this three-year contract, and will be looking to make his first regular season appearance since the regular season finale of the 2021-22 expansion season in a loss at Winnipeg.