San Jose Sharks officially cut ties with veteran goaltender
An NHL insider just reported that the San Jose Sharks have parted ways with their goaltender Aaron Dell today.
Dell, who previously played for the Buffalo Sabres, had signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the Sharks only a few days ago. The 35-year-old goalie was familiar with the Sharks, having played five seasons with the team during two different stints. He came to training camp hoping to earn a new contract and continue his career in San Jose, but that won't happen as NHL insider Renaud Lavoie announced that Dell has been released from his PTO.
Last season, Dell played entirely in the AHL with the Ontario Reign. In 12 games, he had a solid 7-4-1 record, posting a .914 save percentage and a 2.57 goals-against average, showing he could still perform at a high level. Despite this, the Sharks decided to move on. Dell also had some controversy in his past, as shown in this video.
The Sharks currently have a crowded goalie situation, with Yaroslav Askarov, Mackenzie Blackwood, and Vitek Vanecek on their roster, so Dell's chances of making the NHL team were slim from the beginning. He might now look for a PTO with another team before the regular season starts in a couple of weeks.
In his NHL career, Dell has played 130 games with the Sharks, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres, with a 50-50-13 record, a .905 save percentage, and a 2.92 goals-against average. Last season with the Sabres, however, he struggled, managing a 1-8-1 record and a 4.03 GAA, which led to him spending most of the season in the AHL, where his performance improved.
Given his experience and recent AHL success, Dell could still serve as a reliable backup for an NHL or AHL team this season. We'll see if another opportunity arises for him after leaving San Jose.
| POLL | ||
23 SEPTEMBRE | 63 ANSWERS San Jose Sharks officially cut ties with veteran goaltender Will Aaron Dell ever play again in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 11 | 17.5 % |
| No | 52 | 82.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
