The Red Wings announced Monday via their Twitter page that they have signed veteran goaltender Joey MacDonald to a two-year contract.
MacDonald served primarily as a backup on the NHL level with the Wings last season after sports hernia surgery sidelined Chris Osgood for the majority of the second half of the season. In 15 games for Detroit last season, MacDonald posted a 5-5-3 record with a career-best 2.58 GAA and a .917 SV%. He was able to get his second career shutout with an impressive 37-save performance in a 2-0 win at Columbus on March 17. As a backup to both Jimmy Howard and Chris Osgood in 2010-11, MacDonald made 74 saves on 76 shots (.974 SV%) in six relief appearances for the Red Wings. He also played in 20 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) last season, finishing with a 10-9-1 record, 2.78 GAA and .894 SV% (HockeyTownBlog.com).
According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press the contract will reportedly give the Wings a cap hit of $550,000 but since he is on a two-way contract for 2011-12 he’ll only make $105,000 in the minors.
“He’s going to be our third guy,” general manager Ken Holland said. “He had some options in Europe but he wanted to stay in North America. He did a nice job for us when called up.
“He understands that he’ll open the season at the American league level. He’s a good veteran.”
This means that the Wings are still in the market for a goaltender to back up starter Jimmy Howard. James believes that the back up job will eventually be given to Chris Osgood once Holland has a sit down with him presumably on Tuesday. Furthermore James says that if Osgood is optimistic about next season that Holland could offer him a one-year deal.
Source: Detroit Free Press, Twitter, HockeyTownBlog.com