Kraken goaltender Chris Driedger enters COVID protocol

Seattle Kraken goaltender Chris Driedger entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol on Sunday, according the Seattle Kraken's public relations team, continuing what’s been a rocky season in net for Seattle.

The Kraken had no players in COVID protocol prior to Driedger’s placement. In response, per the ECHL’s transactions page, the Kraken recalled goalie Antoine Bibeau from the Allen Americans.

Driedger is the less porous of Seattle’s two main goaltenders this season, and he’d had a save percentage above .900 in three of his past four decisions. On the year, Driedger has a 3-6-0 record through nine starts, a .896 save percentage and 3.18 goals-against average. The save percentage and goals-against average marks are career-worsts for Driedger in seasons in which he’s played in more than one NHL game.

The 27-year-old goalie’s first season with the Kraken hasn’t been smooth. He’s been limited to just 11 games played overall, sitting out of the lineup three separate times with a lower-body injury. Driedger signed a three-year, $10.5M contract this offseason with trade protection to join the team as an unrestricted free agent, counting as their selection from the Florida Panthers in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.

If only a five-day quarantine is required for Driedger, he’ll miss the team’s next three games, paving the way for a return to the lineup against Florida on January 22.