Kraken's Driedger signed without knowing who goalie partner would be
Chris Driedger took a leap of faith by signing with the Seattle Kraken.
Driedger agreed to a reported three-year deal worth $3.5 million annually. He admitted he wasn't aware which other goalies would end up on the roster when he chose to sign with the NHL's newest team, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.
"I'm kind of just betting on myself in that situation," Driedger said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
The Kraken had an exclusive window from July 18-21 to negotiate with all pending free agents whom teams left exposed. It was during that period when Driedger and the club came to an agreement.
A number of quality goaltenders around the league were left exposed. The Montreal Canadiens surprised many by making former MVP Carey Price available. Beyond Price, there were a number of potential starting options including Ben Bishop, Braden Holtby, and Kaapo Kahkonen.
The Kraken ended up selecting Washington Capitals netminder Vitek Vanecek and Ottawa Senators goalie Joey Daccord to round out their depth chart.
Driedger, 27, put together an impressive season with the Florida Panthers this year, posting a .927 save percentage and a 2.07 goals-against average in 23 games.