Penguins/NHL
Goaltender Brad Thiessen won’t hit the open market and has agreed to a one year deal with the Penguins. The deal is a two-way contract that would pay Thiessen $525,000 at the NHL level, the team announced.
Thiessen who had hoped to land a one-way contract and go into the season as the No. 2 goaltender, returns as the likely starting goaltender in Wilkes Barre as Pittsburgh earlier this off-season boosted their goaltending depth at the NHL level with the signing of Tomas Vokoun to a two year deal who will serve as the Penguins primary option behind Marc Andre Fleury.
Thiessen had an up and down season in Wilkes Barre last season, going 23-15-2 with a 2.82 goals against average. Thiessen went 6-6 in the post-season with a 2.14 goals against average and .908 save percentage. Thiessen in 2010-2011 was the AHL’s top goaltender but he hasn’t developed to the point where the Penguins have felt comfortable moving to him as their No. 2 goaltender.
The chances of Thiessen being able to land an NHL opportunity were going to be slim on July 1 so he made a smart decision to return to a good organization where he’s in a good situation at the AHL level.
