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Minnesota Wild: Stalock Adds Strong Depth to Goaltending

By Danny Lambert

Jan 2, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Stalock (32) makes a save against Winnipeg Jets in the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. The Winnipeg Jets defeat the San Jose Sharks 4 to 1. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Stalock (32) makes a save against Winnipeg Jets in the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. The Winnipeg Jets defeat the San Jose Sharks 4 to 1. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former UMD standout goaltender Alex Stalock signed a two-way deal with the Minnesota Wild Friday to add much-needed depth and stability to the goaltending roster.  His signing is key to allowing the development of the Wild’s young goaltenders and he will help in Iowa’s quest to climb out of the AHL cellar.

The goaltending depth of the Minnesota Wild added a very big piece on Friday with the signing of Alex Stalock to a one-year two-way contract.  The South St. Paul native and former UMD standout was excited to hear the news that he would be a part of the home town Wild.  He’s a NHL tested talent who will add more solid depth to the Wild goaltending corps that is a little thin after the top two netminders Devan Dubnyk and Darcy Kuemper.

Stalock has been a career backup in 5 total NHL seasons all with the Sharks.  He saw his best season in his first full season of NHL duty in 2013-14 when he posted a 12-5-2 record with a 1.87 GAA and a .932 save percentage.  His excellent season would be overshadowed by a rough playoff exit against the Kings.  Stalock was asked to try to stop the Kings’ comeback from a 3-0 defect and got the starting nod in Game 6.  The Kings would win that contest 4-1 and go on to win the series, eliminating the Sharks.

Stalock fell on hard times after that season, and he would see his decline hit its low point last season in his 13 appearances where he posted career lows with a record of 3-5-2, a 2.94 GAA, and a dismal .884 save percentage.  That low production would make him expendable as the Sharks would deal Stalock, Ben Smith, and a 2018 fourth round conditional pick to the Maple Leafs for James Reimer and Jeremy Morin.  As soon as Stalock arrived to Toronto he was put on waivers and assigned to AHL Marlies where he would finish the season.

Related Story: Who’s the Backup Goaltender if Kuemper is Traded?

“To have (Devan) Dubnyk, (Darcy) Kuemper and Stalock, that’s the best depth we’ve had since I’ve been here.” -Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, via The Pioneer Press

What Stalock brings to the Wild is depth and a good starter in Iowa.  The probability of him starting the season in Minnesota is slim to non-existent if Kuemper is still with the team.  With him being on a two-way contract the door is open for him to be up in Minnesota if an injury were to occur.  That was something that Wild needed to get straight this season, because last season’s three goaltender situation with Niklas Backstrom did not require a two-way NHL ready goaltender to be in Iowa.  Chuck Fletcher explains the depth addition of Stalock best when he told the Pioneer Press’s Chad Graff “To have (Devan) Dubnyk, (Darcy) Kuemper and Stalock, that’s the best depth we’ve had since I’ve been here.”

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Stalock was also brought to Iowa to work on his game and possibly find some of the form that he once had.  Bob Mason and the other goaltending coaches in the organization will work hard with him in training camp to get him ready to start in Iowa and back-up if needed in Minnesota.

Even more so he offers some veteran stability for the young team in Iowa to grow around.  Stephen Michalek and Adam Vay look like great prospects, but are not even really ready to start at the AHL level.  So having Stalock as the starter will allow those two players to develop a bit more and for the Wild to see what they are made of without having to mortgage the success of the Iowa season.

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The Stalock signing might not be monumentally huge, but it is an essential move that needed to be made to insure the successful development and a successful season takes place in Iowa next season.  The Wild goaltending corps is now better for sure and more stable than it has been.  Stalock will be working hard in Iowa for sure, as he explains to Graff “It’s a way to get my game back on track, feel good about my game, and also improve on things that need to be improved.”

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