The Anaheim Ducks announced today that young starting netminder Lukáš Dostál will be day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
The 25-year-old is a major key for the Ducks this season, fresh off signing a five-year contract in July. Having made additional offseason moves that affirm the team is pushing for a step forward, much will ride on Dostál and his ability to fill the void left by stalwart John Gibson, who was finally dealt over the summer. Anaheim has steadily developed the talented goaltender, with a workload that has gradually increased year by year.
Now, with Gibson moving on, Dostal is the undisputed #1, with a fellow Czech, veteran Petr Mrázek in waiting. The Ducks have another notable former Red Wing in their goaltender room as well, in Ville Husso. Yet the 30-year-old, who once flashed serious potential, is likely set to hold things down for AHL San Diego, barring any setbacks from Dostál.
Additional goaltender notes:
- Elsewhere, Tampa Bay Head Coach Jon Cooper told Beat Writer Benjamin Pierce that star Andrei Vasilevskiy returned to the ice today and is expected to be with the main group tomorrow. Bleacher Report Open Ice added that the Russian netminder will likely be ready for the Lightning’s season opener on October 9th. As previously noted, the team has been mostly silent on Vasilevskiy’s status, calling it “player management”.
- Vasilevskiy is not the only superstar goaltender fighting to be ready for the season to begin. As reported by Murat Ates of The Athletic, Connor Hellebuyck left practice “not feeling right”. According to Head Coach Scott Arniel, there is uncertainty whether the two-time reigning Vezina winner plays tomorrow. With rosters being finalized, eyes will be on the status of each starter, as well as Husso, Eric Comrie, and Brandon Halverson, who each remain on their team’s respective rosters as third options in net.