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Chris Driedger

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Chris Driedger
Dreidger with the Seattle Kraken in 2023
Born (1994-05-18) May 18, 1994 (age 30)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 Florida Panthers
Charlotte Checkers (AHL)
Ottawa Senators
Seattle Kraken
National team  Canada
NHL draft 76th overall, 2012
Ottawa Senators
Playing career 2014–present

Chris Driedger (born May 18, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Driedger was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the third round (76th overall) of the 2012 NHL entry draft.

Early life

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Driedger was born on May 18, 1994, in Winnipeg, Manitoba,[1] to parents Cindy and Kelly.[2]

Playing career

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Growing up in Manitoba, Driedger played AAA Bantam and Midget ice hockey for the Winnipeg Monarchs organization.[3] As a result of his Bantam and Midget play, Driedger was drafted 80th overall by the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 2009.[4] He returned to the Monarchs for the 2009–10 season where he totaled a 13-6-0 record with a 2.14 goals against average and five shutouts. Driedger then began his major junior hockey career with the Americans during the 2010–11 season.[3] While playing at the major junior level, Driedger was also enrolled at St. Paul's High School and competed in track.[5] In his rookie season with the Americans, Driedger was named to Team West for the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge after he compiled a 1–1 record along with a 3.73 goals against average and a 0.876 save percentage through four games.[3] He finished the season amassing a 6–6–0–1 record through 22 games while also accumulating a 3.50 goals against average and a 0.881 save percentage. As such, Driedger was invited to participate in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence Goaltending Camp.[6]

Following the 2010–11 season, Driedger was acquired by the Calgary Hitmen in an off-season trade in exchange for a 3rd round pick in the 2012 Bantam Draft.[7] His first season with the Hitmen began with a slow start due to a high ankle sprain and a loss in his first start.[8] His performance continued to decline and his 2.03 goals-against average and a 4–2–0–1 record dropped to a 3–3–1–0 record and 3.79 GAA in November. As he continued to drop in December, he was encouraged to seek the help of a sports psychologist.[9] The Hitmen eventually established a tandem goaltending system with Driedger and Brandon Glover who split the starting position throughout the season. By April, Driedger doubled the number of games from his previous season with the American and established a 24-12-2-1 record with a 2.80 goals against average and 0.896 save percentage.[10] Driedger's outstanding play was recognized when he was invited to compete at the 2012 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game for Team Orr.[11]

As the season concluded, Driedger was ranked 13th among North American goaltending prospects eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.[12] He was eventually drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the third round, 76th overall, to make him the only WHL goaltender claimed in 2012.[2] Prior to the draft, the Hitmen dealt Glover making Driedger the de facto starter for the 2012–13 season.[12] As a result of this responsibility, Driedger prepared himself physically and mentally during the offseason to ready himself for the next season.[13] Once the season began, Driedger earned a 10–3–1–1 record, a 2.37 GAA, and .920 save percentage by mid-November. The Hitmen also relied on rookie netminder Mack Shields who yielded a 3–2–0–1 record.[14] By the end of the month, Driedger improved to a 19–6–1–2 record to lead the Hitmen to the top of the Eastern Conference. As such, he was recognized as the WHL's Goaltender of the Month for November.[15] His play continued to improve as the season progressed and he helped the Hitmen qualify for the 2013 WHL Playoffs as their starting goaltender.[16]

Dreidger with the Ottawa Senators in 2016.

Driedger continued to play with the Calgary Hitmen through to the end of the 2013–14 season. During his final season in the WHL, on February 1, 2014, Driedger was the last member of the Calgary Hitmen to play the puck before it was inadvertently put into the empty net of the Kootenay Ice, becoming the sixth goaltender in WHL history, and the first in the Hitmen franchise history, to be credited with scoring a goal.[17] He also became the Hitmen's all-time saves leader, surpassing Martin Jones mark of 3,374 saves.[18] Driedger completed his major junior career with 170 regular-season WHL games played and a win-loss-tie record of 94–46–15 including eight shutouts.

Professional

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Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers

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On April 1, 2014, the Ottawa Senators signed Driedger to a three-year entry-level contract.[19] On March 26, 2015, Driedger made his NHL debut with Ottawa, entering a game against the New York Rangers. After five seasons within the Senators organization, Driedger was released as a free agent. On July 3, 2018, he agreed to a one-year AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds, the primary affiliate to the Florida Panthers.[20] In the 2018–19 season, Driedger initially split his time between the Thunderbirds and Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL, before solidifying his role in the AHL. He made 16 appearances with Springfield before he was signed to a two-way NHL contract with the Florida Panthers for the remainder of the season on February 24, 2019.[21] On April 30, 2019, Driedger signed a two-year contract extension with the Panthers.[22] Towards the beginning of the 2019–20 season, on November 30, 2019, Driedger made his first career start against the Nashville Predators, in which he recorded a 27 save, 3–0 shutout win.[23]

Driedger during warmup with the Kraken in 2023.

Seattle Kraken

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On July 21, 2021, Driedger was selected from the Panthers at the 2021 NHL expansion draft by the Seattle Kraken.[24] Driedger was immediately signed to a three-year, $10.5 million contract by the Kraken.[25] In his first season with the Kraken, Driedger was often sidelined due to injury issues. His first injury came after relieving Philipp Grubauer in a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on October 18. He missed numerous games while working out in solo sessions with goalie coach Andrew Allen before rejoining the team on November 2.[26] However, he was reinjured later that month following a 7–4 win on November 29 and missed numerous games to recover.[27]

In the off-season, Driedger joined Team Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Championship. He took over as starter after an injury to the team's original starter, Logan Thompson.[28] He was himself injured midway through the final against Team Finland, where Canada ultimately won the silver medal. It was subsequently announced that Driedger had suffered a torn ACL, and that as a result he would miss 7 to 9 months of playing time into the 2022–23 season.[29] In his first game back with the team on December 27, 2023, Driedger made 37 saves to lead the Kraken to a win over the Calgary Flames.[30]

Return to Florida

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As a free agent at the conclusion of his contract with the Kraken, Driedger opted to return to the Florida Panthers. Driedger signed a one-year, US$795,000 contract on July 1, 2024.[31] At the end of training camp, Driedger was part of the opening day roster.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L OTL MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2010–11 Tri-City Americans WHL 22 6 6 1 977 57 0 3.50 .881 — — — — — — — —
2011–12 Calgary Hitmen WHL 44 24 12 3 2294 107 3 2.80 .896 2 0 2 82 9 0 6.59 .812
2012–13 Calgary Hitmen WHL 54 36 14 4 3199 134 2 2.51 .915 17 11 6 1006 40 1 2.39 .931
2013–14 Calgary Hitmen WHL 50 28 14 7 2892 127 3 2.64 .918 6 2 3 328 24 1 4.39 .870
2013–14 Elmira Jackals ECHL 4 1 2 0 199 13 0 3.92 .893 — — — — — — — —
2013–14 Binghamton Senators AHL 1 0 0 0 26 2 0 4.58 .909 — — — — — — — —
2014–15 Evansville IceMen ECHL 40 8 27 4 2253 142 2 3.78 .885 — — — — — — — —
2014–15 Binghamton Senators AHL 8 6 0 0 401 17 0 2.55 .923 — — — — — — — —
2014–15 Ottawa Senators NHL 1 0 0 0 23 0 0 0.00 1.000 — — — — — — — —
2015–16 Binghamton Senators AHL 39 18 15 4 2228 105 1 2.83 .912 — — — — — — — —
2015–16 Ottawa Senators NHL 1 0 0 0 32 0 0 0.00 1.000 — — — — — — — —
2016–17 Binghamton Senators AHL 34 12 19 2 1918 103 1 3.22 .900 — — — — — — — —
2016–17 Ottawa Senators NHL 1 0 1 0 40 4 0 6.00 .733 — — — — — — — —
2016–17 Wichita Thunder ECHL 2 0 2 0 120 9 0 4.51 .877 — — — — — — — —
2017–18 Belleville Senators AHL 10 2 5 0 490 33 0 4.04 .885 — — — — — — — —
2017–18 Brampton Beast ECHL 17 9 7 1 1014 43 0 2.55 .922 — — — — — — — —
2018–19 Springfield Thunderbirds AHL 32 18 10 2 1835 75 1 2.45 .924 — — — — — — — —
2018–19 Manchester Monarchs ECHL 12 6 5 0 676 31 0 2.75 .911 — — — — — — — —
2019–20 Springfield Thunderbirds AHL 15 6 9 0 891 34 0 2.29 .932 — — — — — — — —
2019–20 Florida Panthers NHL 12 7 2 1 643 22 1 2.05 .938 — — — — — — — —
2020–21 Florida Panthers NHL 23 14 6 3 1362 47 3 2.07 .927 3 0 1 130 8 0 3.70 .871
2021–22 Seattle Kraken NHL 27 9 14 1 1479 73 1 2.96 .899 — — — — — — — —
2022–23 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL 14 9 4 0 805 35 1 2.61 .908 — — — — — — — —
2023–24 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL 39 24 7 7 2283 86 4 2.26 .917 18 12 6 1081 48 1 2.67 .906
2023–24 Seattle Kraken NHL 2 1 1 0 119 5 0 2.51 .917 — — — — — — — —
NHL totals 67 31 24 5 3,697 151 5 2.45 .917 3 0 1 130 8 0 3.70 .871

International

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Chris Driedger
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2022 Finland
Year Team Event Result GP W L OT MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2011 Canada Western U17 6th 4 1 3 0 — — 0 3.26 .880
2022 Canada WC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 6 4 2 0 342 10 0 1.76 .915
Junior totals 4 1 3 0 — — 0 3.26 .880
Senior totals 6 4 2 0 342 10 0 1.76 .915

Awards and honours

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Award Year
CHL
CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2012 [32]
AHL
All-Star Game 2020

References

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  1. ^ "Chris Driedger". Elite Prospects. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Hall, Vicki (June 24, 2012). "Sens make Hitmen goalie Driedger a third-rounder". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Hockey Manitoba Selects Americans for Elite Tournaments". Tri-City Americans. November 15, 2010. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  4. ^ "WHL Bantam Draft Round 4". Red Deer Advocate. May 1, 2009. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Crusaders Finish Strong at The Winnipeg High School Track and Field Series Finale!". St. Paul's High School. March 24, 2010. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  6. ^ "Driedger Invited to Hockey Canada Goaltending Camp". Tri-City Americans. June 2, 2011. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  7. ^ "Americans Deal Driedger to Hitmen". Tri-City Americans. July 20, 2011. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  8. ^ Odland, Kristen (October 13, 2011). "Hitmen fail to close, settle for a point". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Odland, Kristen (February 1, 2012). "Driedger eager to keep improving". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Future is bright for Driedger". Calgary Herald. April 2, 2012. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Heinen, Lawrence (January 13, 2014). "Hitmen players heed advice from veteran teammate ahead of CHL/NHL Top Prospects game". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on May 1, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Odland, Kristen (May 9, 2012). "Driedger is the man as Hitmen deal Glover". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Robinson, Megan (August 30, 2012). "Robinson on WHL: Driedger embracing role". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  14. ^ Odland, Kristen (November 16, 2012). "Driedger working on consistency". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Robinson, Megan (December 7, 2012). "Robinson on CHL: Hitmen hitting their stride". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  16. ^ "Hitmen: Driedger stays focused". Calgary Herald. April 18, 2013. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Hitmen goaltender Chris Driedger becomes sixth goalie in WHL history to score a goal". Our Sports Central. February 2, 2014. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  18. ^ "Chris Driedger owns franchise record for most career saves at 3,390". Our Sports Central. February 1, 2014. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  19. ^ "Garrett Thompson, Chris Driedger sign with Senators – NHL on CBC Sports – Hockey news, opinion, scores, stats, standings". Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  20. ^ "T-Birds sign 5 players to AHL contracts". Springfield Thunderbirds. July 3, 2018. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  21. ^ "Florida Panthers agree to terms with Chris Driedger". Florida Panthers. February 24, 2019. Archived from the original on February 24, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  22. ^ "Panthers Agree to Terms with Chris Driedger on 2-Year Contract Extension". NHL.com. April 30, 2019. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  23. ^ "Driedger posts shutout in first NHL start, Panthers beat Preds". TSN. Associated Press. November 30, 2019. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  24. ^ Condor, Bob (July 22, 2021). "Seattle Kraken make their picks". Seattle Kraken. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  25. ^ Condor, Bob (July 22, 2021). "In Driedger We Trust". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  26. ^ Condor, Bob (November 2, 2021). "Driedger Re-Joins Kraken Roster". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  27. ^ Condor, Bob (December 11, 2021). "Driedger Back on Kraken Roster". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  28. ^ Bukala, Jason (May 30, 2022). "World Championship Takeaways: Shining draft eligibles and Pierre-Luc Dubois' performance". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  29. ^ "Kraken's Driedger out 7-9 months after injuring knee at World Championship". Sportsnet. June 7, 2022. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  30. ^ "Driedger stimies Flames in NHL return, lifts Kraken to victory with 37-save effort". Sportsnet. December 28, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  31. ^ "Panthers agree to terms on one-year contract with Chris Driedger". Florida Panthers. July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  32. ^ "Chris Driedger named to CHL Top Prospects Game". The Hitmen Informant. January 2, 2012. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
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