Here’s the Red Wings’ plan for goalie Hellberg
The Detroit Red Wings plan to carry three goaltenders, taking advantage of having the roster and cap space to do so.
They reacquired Magnus Hellberg on Wednesday afternoon, claiming him off waivers shortly before Ville Husso made 26 saves to deliver a 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators.
Hellberg was with the Wings at the end of last season to provide depth, and that apparently is what general manager Steve Yzerman is thinking once again.
“Steve called me today,” coach Derek Lalonde said after Wednesday’s victory at Little Caesars Arena.
“That was news to me. It was not something we talked about as a group.
“His exact words were, we have a lot of hockey coming up. We have a roster spot. I think he gives us another option if one of our two goalies here goes down. I don’t follow GR as closely as I probably should, but I think we would like another option if something goes wrong with our top two guys. Those were literally Steve’s exact words.”
Hellberg, 31, played in the Wings’ season finale, and stopped 20 of 23 shots in a win. He started this season with the Kraken, was waived and claimed by the Ottawa Senators, where he played one game (2.00 goalsagainst average, .935 save percentage) before being put back on waivers, where the Kraken claimed him.
While Husso has been outstanding (2.36
goals-against average, .922 save percentage), Alex Nedeljkovic has struggled (4.33, .873). The goalies the Wings have with the Grand Rapids Griffins have gone through tough times,
too, with Victor Brattstrom posting a 4.05 GAA and .874 save percentage in eight games and Jussi Olkinuora a 4.21 GAA and .858 save percentage, also in eight games.