The New York Islanders placed goaltender Marcus Hogberg on waivers Tuesday, clearing the way for free agent signing David Rittich to begin the season as Ilya Sorokin’s backup. The Swedish netminder then cleared waivers on Wednesday and heads to Bridgeport.
Hogberg, 29, had an up-and-down stint last season, filling in for Semyon Varlamov, who missed significant time with injury. In 15 appearances, he posted a 3.38 goals-against average and .878 save percentage, leaving questions about his long-term future in the crease.
He was exceptional early on, gaining praise from Patrick Roy to the point where fans wondered whether he could be the regular backup this season while Varlamov continued his rehab.