Stalock signs 1-year contract with Ducks

Alex Stalock signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

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The 36-year-old goalie was 9-15-2 with a 3.01 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and two shutouts in 27 games (24 starts) for the Chicago Blackhawks last season. Stalock was a finalist for the Masterton Trophy for perseverance (won by Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang) after he battled back from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, following a bout with COVID-19.

“Yeah, another year. Who would have thought?” Stalock said from Da Beauty League in Edina, Minnesota. “If someone told me I was still playing pro hockey at 36, I’d probably have shaken my head. … To live the dream another year, it’s a ton of fun to play hockey. The family stuff makes it tougher now, but [Anaheim’s] obviously a great place to play hockey, great weather. It’s a good young team that they’re building, and it’s going to be fun.”

A fourth-round pick (No. 112) by the San Jose Sharks at the 2005 NHL Draft, Stalock is 70-65-20 with a 2.70 GAA, .908 save percentage and 11 shutouts in 179 regular-season games (148 starts) with the Sharks, Minnesota Wild and Blackhawks. He is 1-4 with a 2.54 GAA, .910 save percentage and one shutout in eight Stanley Cup Playoff games (five starts).

“Last year you saw the young talent [the Ducks] have, and it’s another year under their belt,” Stalock said. “… They’ve got guys there that have been in Cup Final with [Adam] Henrique, and Cam Fowler’s back, and they’ve got three young defensemen with [Jamie] Drysdale. They got a good roster, and they’re going to work, and that’s where we’ll end up being in the game every night and still have fun with it.”