Three goalie options after Detroit GM Steve Yzerman notes third goalie as a position of need.
During his press conference following free agency, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman noted the team is still open to bringing in another goaltender as the third goalie.
This is because the AHL Griffins have a lot of young talent and not many NHL-ready goaltenders that could step up when John Gibson or backup Cam Talbot go down with injury. Goaltenders in Carter Gylander and Michal Postava both haven't seen enough starts at the AHL level. This leaves high-end prospect Sebastian Cossa as the teams current-best option but reports indicate they don't want to push him into the next level too quickly and they want Cossa to continue developing as Yzerman didn't mention him when discussing the third goalie spot.
The position is an important one as injuries will almost certainly happen and when every games count towards the end of the season, Detroit will want a reliable option. Here are three potential options for depth goaltenders that the Wings could go out and add.
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Louis Domingue
The former Arizona Coyotes starter has found his way to be a solid third goalie option as he's played 12 NHL games over the last four seasons and has put together some solid numbers like a 6-5-0 record with a 2.86 goals against average of 2.86 and a .916 save percentage.
The recent stint includes six playoff appearances with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in the 2021-22 season and he managed to win half his starts but finished with a 3.65 goals against average. The 33-year-old Quebec native currently doesn't have an NHL contract and could work in as decent third goalie option that could also coach up the younger goalie talent in Grand Rapids.
Semyon Varlamov
Health is a concern as Varlamov was downed with an undisclosed injury but recent reports suggest he should be ready for training camp. The Islanders have seen Varlamov be a steady netminder over seven seasons and but the Russian has started to slowly lose his role.
New York has brought in more goalie depth this offseason by adding David Rittich and still have Marcus Hogberg as options behind regular starter Ilya Sorokin. This leaves Varlamov as the odd man out and the Islanders would like to clear Varlamov's $2.75 million cap hit off their books.
In a salary dump, the Red Wings could look to take on some of the contract with the Islanders hopefully able to retain some and could give Detroit another solid backup option. At 37 years old, Varlamov has proven to still be useful with a 28-21-9 record along with a 2.68 goals against average and a .912 save percentage over 59 appearances since taking on the role as the Islanders backup over the past three seasons.
Dustin Tokarski
The best potential one year rental available as the now 35-year-old Tokarski has a wealth of NHL experience that he can use to help the Red Wings win less than a handful of games if needed while also deploying wisdom on the younger goalie prospects. While reportedly working as a positive presence in the locker room, the Humboldt native started six games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season and was solid with a 4-2-0 record along with a 2.18 goals against average and a .918 save percentage.
He has spent a majority of his career at the AHL level but this could also work in their favor as their younger prospects that could be experiencing struggles like Cossa with his end to the season last year with the Griffins. Tokarski could be used to help build morale at both the AHL and NHL level while playing a meaningful role when called upon and being able to keep the team afloat if they run into bumps in the road.
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