The Vancouver Canucks have been a very busy team this off-season, and after finishing 32nd in the overall NHL standings a year ago, they made it their mission this off-season to get their rebuild heading in the right direction.
That all began by trading captain Quinn Hughes for a haul that included Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium and Liam Ohgren, and this summer, they made several changes by adding Manny Malhotra as their coach along with a re-haul in the front office. They finished things with an impressive 2026 NHL Draft, and now, with training camp just a matter of days away, the team have handed out a PTO to a very intriguing veteran.
Canucks Sign Chris Driedger to a PTO
GettyChris Driedger with the Seattle Kraken.
That veteran would be 32-year-old goaltender Chris Driedger, who was originally a third-round pick of the Ottawa Senators back in the 2012 NHL Draft, and early in his career, he showed genuine potential in the NHL.
Throughout his career, Driedger has appeared in 67 games for the Senators, Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken, posting a GAA of 2.45 and a save percentage of .907 in that time. Those numbers look great for someone that essentially became a backup in the NHL, and now, he’s getting another opportunity, as the Canucks officially announced on Thursday that they have signed Driedger to a professional tryout.
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Currently, the Canucks have both Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen under contract, but with no NHL ready depth piece beyond that, bringing in someone like Driedger to provide depth and challenge either player for a spot on the roster is a smart move for the Canucks brand new front office.
Will Driedger Make his Return to the NHL?
Despite some very good numbers, Driedger has appeared in just two NHL games since the start of the 2023/24 season, and last year, he took his talents to Russia, playing with Chelyabinsk Traktor in the KHL. In that time, Driedger appeared in 23 games, posting a 3.05 GAA and an .897 save percentage, and while those numbers aren’t fantastic on their own, given his experience at every level, to bring him in as a third goaltender certainly isn’t a bad move for the Canucks at all.
This season may now however become one of Driedger’s last opportunities to find a full-time role in the NHL, and while he may never become a first choice starter for a team, as a backup or depth option, he’s proven more than capable in his time.
Only time will now tell if he can push either Demko or Lankinen for a role on the Canucks roster, and while that seems very unlikely, we’ve seen great stretches of play from Driedger before, and with other opportunities out there, this is a chance for him to prove himself once again.
Canucks Sign Six-Year NHL Goaltender to a Professional Tryout