Minnesota Wild Surprisingly Place 26-Year-Old Goaltender On Waivers
The Minnesota Wild seem to be doing just fine in their NHL net, as they have decided to waive their 26-year-old goaltender Dylan Ferguson to assign him to the AHL.
The Minnesota Wild inked goaltender Dylan Ferguson to a two-way contract for the rest of the 2024-25 campaign, the team announced Tuesday.
They then placed him on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to AHL affiliate Iowa Wild.
Dylan Ferguson, 26, inked a one-year AHL deal with Iowa off a PTO tryout with the Vancouver Canucks that did not result in an NHL deal.
His new deal includes a prorated $130,000 salary in the AHL, reportedly an increase from his previous minor-league-only agreement.
The two-way contract makes Ferguson eligible for an NHL recall this season, provided he clears waivers. If recalled, he could stay on the NHL roster for up to 30 days or 10 games before needing waivers again to be sent back to Iowa.
In seven games with Iowa this season, Ferguson has a.900 save percentage and a 3-4-0 record, outplaying fellow Wild prospects Jesper Wallstedt and Samuel Hlavaj.
He also posted a shutout in his lone ECHL game with the Iowa Heartlanders earlier this season.
Ferguson has played in three NHL games. He debuted in 2017-18 with the Vegas Golden Knights in their first season when injuries decimated their goalie depth.
Ferguson came in at 19 and entered a game against Edmonton after being called up from junior hockey. His next NHL action came in 2022-23, starting two games for the Ottawa Senators and stopping 78 of 83 shots.
After a stint with Dinamo Minsk in the KHL last season, Ferguson came back to North America, and he's played well enough that he's landed an NHL deal.
Due to his age, he will be an unrestricted free agent this coming summer under Group VI rules, having played fewer than 28 games in the NHL over three professional seasons.
More to come.
