The Islanders have recalled goaltender Jaroslav Halak on loan from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Thursday.
Before being waived December 31, Halak was 6-8-5 with a 3.23 goals against average and .904 save percentage in 21 total games. General manager Garth Snow and Allan Walsh, Halak's agent, had an ongoing feud regarding Halak's playing and practice time. The tipping point, Halak's brutal showing in Minnesota, which led to his demotion.
The 31-year-old took the demotion like a man and reported to Bridgeport. He did have almost five million reasons to report. Nevertheless, Halak played 27 games with the Sound Tigers and ranked third in the AHL with a 2.15 goals-against-average. He posted a record of 17-7-3 and added a save percentage and two shutouts. In addition, Halak won a franchise record 12 straight games from Jan. 20–Feb. 19.
Sound Tigers head coach Brent Thompson sang Halak's praises when I spoke to him last month.
"I think Jaro came down with an amazing attitude. He was gonna work hard and he was gonna prove that he was a great goalie and that he should be in the NHL. I think his professionalism was surprising to some. The first day the guys were shock that he was the first to the rink and was active in warmups and one of the hardest workers on the ice. "
Halak is not replacing Jean-Francois Berube on the roster. Berube is ineligible to play in the AHL. Snow did not attempt to pass him through waivers prior to the March deadline. For all intensive purposes, Berube's season and likely his Islanders career are over. Berube failed to play in the minimum required games, making him a Group VI unrestricted free agent.
With the team having back-to-back games starting Friday, Halak will likely start tomorrow night in Pittsburgh and Thomas Greiss should get the nod at home against the Boston Bruins, who lead the Isles by just two points for the final wild card berth.
I would imagine that interim head coach Doug Weight would start the hot hand as the regular season winds down. The team has three back-to-backs including Friday and Saturday.
Now Garth can focus on recalling defenseman Ryan Pulock.
Ryan Strome has a broken wrist and will be sidelined indefinitely. The 23-year-old winger appeared to injure himself in the second period of last night's 3-2 win after getting tangled with Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei. He left the game and did not return.
The fifth overall pick in the 2011 draft has 13 goals and 17 assists in 69 games this season. Ever since Jack Capuano was fired, Strome had turned it around, putting up seven goals and 16 points in the last 25 games.
This is a big blow for the team. Alan Quine will likely take Strome's place in the lineup.