BOSTON — The San Jose Sharks have signed a goalie.
Kyle Chauvette, 24, currently manning the pipes for the University of New Hampshire, has been signed to back up Alex Nedeljkovic.
Nedeljkovic was slated to start on Thursday against the Boston Bruins, and Yaroslav Askarov was supposed to back up. Askarov, however, tweaked something before morning skate. San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky labeled it a “minor” lower-body injury, but it will take Askarov out tonight.
This is reminiscent of Dec. 9, when the Sharks signed Flyers EBUG and hydrogeologist Justin Kowalkoski to a contract to back up Nedeljkovic before a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Askarov had fallen ill before that game.
Kowalkoski was 39, and had last played at a high level with Colgate in the 2000’s. So Chauvette has that on him.
Chauvette has a 13-19-1 record with a .902 Save % at UNH this season. Previously, he backstopped Union College, and also toiled two seasons with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms.
The San Jose Sharks next play on Mar. 14 at the Montreal Canadiens. Will Askarov be ready to go by then, or will the Sharks recall veteran Laurent Brossoit or youngster Gabriel Carriere from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda?