The Minnesota Wild announced Thursday afternoon that the organization and goaltender Alex Stalock have agreed to terms on a new contract extension. The deal is a two year contract, locking Stalock in until the 2019-20 National Hockey League season and is worth a total of $1.3 million. The contract is one-way the first year and two-way the second, allowing Stalock to continue playing in the American Hockey League like he has been, or to return back up to the NHL.
#mnwild signs goalie Alex Stalock to a two-year, $1.3 million extension. Year 1 is one-way, Year 2 is two-way. Dubnyk is expansion protected
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 2, 2017
This news also ensures that starting Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk will be safe during the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. However, it makes Stalock eligible to exposure. Backup goalie Darcy Kuemper cannot be moved due to an expiring contract, so Stalock is left in the open. When it comes to the money, Stalock will make $650,000 next season, and then another $650,000 (NHL) or $300,000 (AHL) regardless of his location the next year.
Either way, Stalock has proved himself to be a decent goaltender. In his career, Stalock has played in 62 NHL games, all with his previous club- the San Jose Sharks. Upon arriving in Minnesota, Stalock was sent right down to the minors, minding the net for the Iowa Wild of the AHL. This season, Stalock has gone 14-10-4 with 2.56 goals average against and a .916 save percentage. As for his NHL totals, Stalock is 24-19-7, with a GAA of 2.37 and a save percentage of .911 percent. With Kuemper’s contract expiring after this season, it is likely that Stalock will get called up to back-up Dubnyk. However, his future with the Wild is foggy, with him now exposed in the upcoming expansion draft.
Stalock was selected 112th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and would end up remaining with the Sharks for five seasons before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the beginning of 2016. He was sent to the Toronto Marlies after being placed on and then clearing waivers. In the summer of 2016, Stalock became a free-agent and signed with the Wild.
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