The Vancouver Canucks’ goalie plans have shifted again as Patera is now a Boston Bruin
Jiri, we hardly knew ye.
The latest wrinkle: Jiri Patera, originally signed to be the Canucks’ No. 3 goalie but who dropped down the depth chart after the signing of Kevin Lankinen last week, is now not even on the Canucks’ depth chart.
Instead, he may be the Boston Bruins’ backup, unless they suddenly re-sign holdout Jeremy Swayman.
Patera was placed on waivers Tuesday with the intention of being assigned to AHL Abbotsford, where he was likely to split crease duties with prospect Nikita Tolopilo.
Once Demko returns, the plan has been for the Canucks to roll with three goalies in the NHL — but now you wonder if the waivers-exempt Silovs will see AHL action as well, with the obvious hole in the depth chart.
Also in the AHL for now is prospect Ty Young, who could yet be reassigned to the Western Hockey League, though his rights are held by the Prince George Cougars and he would be just the backup there, at best. It seemed more likely that Young would end up being assigned to the ECHL, along with Lemieux.
But with Patera now out of the picture, perhaps both Lemieux and Young will remain in Abbotsford for the time being; the AHL Canucks’ training camp begins today at the Abbotsford Centre.