Kraken recall goaltender Chris Driedger from AHL Coachella Valley with Philipp Grubauer likely unavailable
CALGARY, AB - SEPTEMBER 25: Seattle Kraken Goaltender Chris Driedger (60) looks on during the first period of an NHL preseason game between the Calgary Flames and the Seattle Kraken on September 25, 2023, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB.
The Seattle Kraken have recalled goaltender Chris Driedger from AHL Coachella Valley with Philipp Grubauer unlikely to be available for Wednesday night's game against the San Jose Sharks.
Grubauer did not skate with the team on Tuesday after exiting Monday night's loss to the Calgary Flames after the first period. Grubauer endured an early collision with Flames forward Martin Pospisil on a play that resulted in a potential goal being disallowed for goaltender interference.
Head coach Dave Hakstol said after the game that there wasn't a single play that led to Grubauer being unable to continue, but he was replaced for the start of the second period by Joey Daccord.
"I don't have a timeline right now," Hakstol said on Tuesday. "I'd evaluate him as day-to-day, and he's being evaluated today."
When asked if he expected Grubauer to be available for Wednesday night's game, Hakstol said "I don't know that. Right now, I don't expect him to be, but also I don't know that so we're just going to wait and go through the entire evaluation process."
Hakstol said there was "a good possibility" that they would need to make a call-up from Coachella Valley with the uncertainty surrounding Grubauer and Driedger was the goalie to get the call.
Driedger has appeared in 10 games so far this season for the Firebirds, where he has posted a 2.20 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. Driedger didn't play in any games for the Kraken last season as he missed most of the year recovering from a torn ACL sustained in the World Championships for Team Canada in June 2022. In 2021-22, Driedger played in 27 games for the Kraken with a 2.96 goals against average and .899 save percentage.
Seattle signed Martin Jones to be their No. 2 goaltender last season with Driedger expected to miss most of the season. Daccord then beat out Driedger for the backup job to Grubauer for the start of this season.
Driedger played in two preseason games for the Kraken before being sent down to Coachella Valley. He made 17 saves on 19 shots in 40 minutes played on the road against the Calgary Flames, and then stopped all seven shots he faced in one period of action in a game in Abbotsford, B.C. against the Vancovuer Canucks. That's a 2.00 goals against average and .923 save percentage in limited action.