NHL Notebook: Anaheim Ducks sign goaltender Alex Stalock and the top remaining NHL free agents available in August

The Anaheim Ducks have agreed to terms with goaltender Alex Stalock on a one-year contract worth $800,000, the club announced Monday.

Stalock has spent most of his career in the number two role throughout his time with three different teams. Unfortunately, his career has also presented him with a handful of challenges, including a nerve injury in 2012-13 and 2021-22 with a heart condition that developed after contracting COVID-19.

This past year the netminder signed on with the Chicago Blackhawks and was a respectable and steady backup alongside Arvid Soderblom to their number one Petr Mrazek, whom Chicago acquired during the first night of the 2022 NHL draft.

Stalock appeared in 27 games during the 2022-23 campaign with the Blackhawks with a record of 9-15-2. The netminder maintained a .908 save percentage with a 3.01 GAA.

Stalock was originally the San Jose Sharks’ 112th overall draft pick in 2005. He joined the Sharks full-time as the backup goaltender in 2013-14, making 24 appearances with a record of 12-5-2. He remained in that role until 2015-16 when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. From there, he remained with their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, until signing on with the Minnesota Wild in 2016-17. He returned for one game with the San Jose Sharks before being picked up off waivers by the Edmonton Oilers in 2021.

Here’s more on the deal from Daily Faceoff’s Naftali Clinton:

NHL free agency kicked off on July 1st, just days after the 2023 NHL draft, which saw 160 players sign new deals.

There hasn’t been a ton of ground-breaking signings, but rather teams have been opting to add some value and depth on the open market. Ahead of the big day, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli ranked the top the top 75 free agents. Multiple names have slid off the board, including Vladimir Tarasenko, ranked initially at number nine, who inked a deal with the Ottawa Senators on July 28th.

The originally 16th-ranked Patrick Kane has moved into the number one spot as 24-year-old Max Comtois, veterans Thomas Tatar, Johnathan Toews, and goaltender Jaroslav Halak slide in behind him as the top players to keep an eye on.

Here’s a look at the top remaining UFA’s along with Seravalli’s original rank place: