Ducks shore up goaltending depth with Alex Stalock signing

The Anaheim Ducks have signed Alex Stalock to a one-year contract worth $800K. Stalock is a veteran goalie who has spent the better part of the last decade as a backup for various teams. He played the 2022-23 with the Chicago Blackhawks in a 1A/1B tandem with Petr Mrazek. Stalock posted a 9-15-2 record with a 3.01 GAA and .908 SV%.

The Ducks seemed set to go into the 2023-24 season with a goalie tandem of John Gibson and Lukas Dostal. Gibson has been the franchise goalie for many years now and Dostal is likely their long-term future goalie. However, it makes sense that they decided to pump the brakes a bit on Dostal’s NHL career. Stalock provides a great option as a stop-gap to be in the organization and ensure that Dostal isn’t rushed into anything he isn’t ready for.

Among 52 goalies who played over 25 games in the 2022-23 season, Stalock ranked 34th in goals saved above expected. He is 36 and coming off of a decent season on a rebuilding team in Chicago, but he’s nothing more than a stop-gap backup goalie.

Stalock was originally selected in the fourth-round of the 2005 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks. However, he didn’t make his NHL debut until the 2010-11 season and didn’t become a full-time NHLer until 2013-14, almost a decade after he was drafted into the league.

Stalock missed the entire 2020-21 season with myocarditis as a result of catching COVID-19. He was one of three players nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy that season.