The Blackhawks have signed goaltender Dylan Wells to an NHL contract, the team announced Wednesday. It's a one-year, two-way deal that carries a cap hit of $750,000.
The move comes the day after Alex Stalock was placed in concussion protocol after he left Tuesday's game because of a violent collision with New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas, who was given a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct. Cizikas was also fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
With Stalock out and Petr Mrazek (groin) still about a week away from returning, Arvid Soderblom was the only healthy goaltender under an NHL contract prior to Wednesday. The Blackhawks needed another one to help them bridge the gap between now and next week when Mrazek is presumably cleared to return.
Wells, 24, is 1-1-0 with a 4.27 goals-against average and .862 save percentage in three appearances this season with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League. He was previously on an AHL contract with the organization.
The IceHogs signed goaltender Owen Savory to a professional tryout on Wednesday morning to back up Mitchell Weeks, who was recalled from the ECHL's Indy Fuel to be the starter because Soderblom is with the Blackhawks and Jaxson Stauber was injured over the weekend.
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