The Sharks announced they’ve recalled goaltender Gabriel Carriere from AHL San Jose. He’ll back up Georgi Romanov tonight against the Oilers while starter Alexandar Georgiev is scratched due to an upper-body injury, head coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters (including Max Miller of The Hockey News).
Carriere’s first NHL recall comes weeks after his first NHL contract. The 24-year-old Ottawa native got a two-way deal from the Sharks on deadline day to make him recall-eligible for the remainder of 2024-25. He’s been in their system on an AHL contract since the end of last season, when he signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Vermont.
The Sharks needed another goaltender under contract after trading backup Vítek Vaněček to the Panthers last month, and top prospect Yaroslav Askarov remains unavailable due to the lower-body injury he suffered while on an AHL assignment in mid-February. His absence is drawing to a close soon, though. Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News confirmed today that Askarov traveled with the Sharks’ farm team on their road trip and should make his return in the coming days.
That paves the way for Carriere to see his name on an NHL roster and earn a big-league paycheck for the day, although he’s unlikely to see game action. It’s still been a promising season for Carriere, who was quite good while on assignment to ECHL Wichita to begin the season until his services were needed in the AHL following Askarov’s injury. He posted a 2.60 GAA, .922 SV%, three shutouts, and a 14-9-2 record in 25 appearances for Wichita. Things haven’t gone as well in the AHL with the Barracuda, where Carriere has a .893 SV% and 3.13 GAA in 19 showings with an 8-8-3 record.
Carriere will be a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights. He’s likely done well enough in the ECHL to earn a qualifying offer from San Jose, but that remains to be seen. Askarov, who signed a two-year, $4MM extension when the Sharks acquired him from the Predators last August, is the only goaltender under contract with San Jose for next season. He’s a virtual lock for their opening night roster after again excelling in the AHL and looking strong in his NHL viewings this year (.896 SV%, 1.7 GSAx, 3.10 GAA in 13 GP).