Celebratory hoots and hollers fill the locker room. “It’s been a minute since I’ve had this guy on,” goaltender Chris Driedger quips, alluding to the pirate hat plopped on his head by new teammate Tomáš Tatar.
Indeed, a lot has changed over the six-hundred-and-five days that passed since Driedger’s last start at the NHL level– the faces smiling up at him from locker stalls, the story of the Seattle Kraken now three years in existence, the franchise’s aspirations heightened following a productive first-ever postseason run, a saga he missed in its entirety.
One thing that hasn’t changed is his reliable quality of play. Backing up Philipp Grubauer during the inaugural season, Driedger posted a solid 2.96 GAA and .899 SV% across 27 outings. And Wednesday evening he led the Kraken onto the ice for what became their second win all-time versus the Calgary Flames, posting a .947 SV% and saving a career-best 3.39 goals above expected in the process.
All credit for the win was rightfully handed to Driedger.
“He did amazing. It’s been a while but you can tell how good of a goalie he is,” Alex Wennberg said. “You play games down there [minors] but it’s a different game up here. Making those big saves– he’s obviously winning the game for us.”
Wennberg notched the game-winning goal, a lightning fast shot over the shoulder of fellow Swede Jacob Markstrom, a feat which would’ve been impossible sans Driedger’s dominant performance between the pipes. Calgary rained 38 shots on goal, slipping only one past him off a turnover. Positional strength and succinct movement within the paint allowed him to handle the hefty ‘welcome back’ workload with ease.
Seattle escaped with a late one-goal lead to secure the win, 2-1.
“To come out and finally get back in, it was pretty emotional,” Driedger confessed. Reunions tend to be, especially after so long. Driedger has lived several lifetimes on his way back to the Kraken.
Tearing his ACL in the 2022 IIHF World Championship final prevented him from seeing NHL ice for the entirety of the subsequent season. Since then? Months of rehabilitation, a stint in the minors, being cut from the Kraken’s final roster at training camp this past September, and a promotion from backup to starter with the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
But even before his ACL injury, no matter where he’s been hardship’s had it out for him. Stagnant depth charts, deployment to affiliate teams all over the country, and lost starter’s jobs prevented him from permanently cracking into the league for most of his now 11-year career. He’s played 66 NHL games in that time.
“It’s definitely some of the most adversity I’ve ever faced in my career,” Driedger acknowledged of his journey. There’s a certain weight to his voice as he speaks. “It’s been a long road.”
Records, rejections, and recoveries follow teams and players like a ball and chain in this league. The past can get heavy but, sometimes, it carves out the perfect path forward. Despite every obstacle, Driedger is exactly where he needs to be: supporting his Kraken teammates from the crease.
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