Goaltender Joey MacDonald, whom the Ducks acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs last season for a 2011 draft pick, has signed with his former employer, the Detroit Red Wings.
MacDonald, 30, did not make an appearance in Anaheim after the Ducks obtained his rights prior to the trade deadline in February. He became an unrestricted free agent Thursday.
The Ducks have sent goaltender Mattias Modig, a 2007 fourth-round draft pick, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the upcoming entry draft. The Penguins had originally acquired the pick from the Montreal Canadiens, so this will be the 27th pick of the sixth round and the 177th pick overall.
Modig, 23, has spent his entire career with Lulea of the Swedish Elite League. In 34 games, he posted a 2.49 goals-against average and .899 save percentage for Lulea in 2009-10. Modig has already signed a two-year entry-level contract with Pittsburgh.
The Ducks have several goaltenders already in the system, which likely made Modig expendable. Marco Cousineau and Timo Pielmeier are already signed, and soon-to-be free agents Jean-Phillippe Levasseur and Joey MacDonald could be brought back. Russian prospect Igor Bobkov was a fairly high draft pick (third round, 76th overall) in last year’s draft.
The Ducks have recalled defenseman Brendan Mikkelson from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League and reassigned goaltender Joey MacDonald to the Marlies.
Jonas Hiller, who has missed five games with back spasms, is making the trip to Dallas for tomorrow’s game against the Stars and could turn Curtis McElhinney into a backup again. Center Ryan Getzlaf (sprained ankle) did not make the Ducks’ road trip.
The 22-year-old Mikkelson has two assists in 25 games spanning three stints with the Ducks this season. He was originally recalled from Toronto on Oct. 11 and again on Feb. 25 and Mar. 23. MacDonald, 30, did not appear in a game for the Ducks during his only time with the team. He was originally acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a seventh-round pick in the June draft.
Joey MacDonald has been recalled from the AHL and Jean-Phillippe Levasseur has been sent back. The goalie swap occurs in the midst of three consecutive wins by erstwhile backup Curtis McElhinney, who has played every minute since Jonas Hiller came down with back spasms prior to Monday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.
MacDonald was 14-19-7 with a 3.18 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage in 36 games with the Toronto Marlies this season. He also appeared in six games for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1-4-0, 3.20, .892), who received a seventh-round draft pick in 2011 from the Ducks in exchange for the 30-year-old goalie.
Levasseur returns to the San Antonio Rampage after not making an appearance as McElhinney’s backup the last two games.
If the Ducks decide they are playing for next season, they might consider giving goaltender Joey MacDonald a look with the NHL club.
MacDonald, who was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a seventh-round pick in the 2011 entry draft at the trade deadline, recorded his second shutout of the season Friday night for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. The 30-year-old has allowed just one goal in his last two starts, both for the Marlies – MacDonald didn’t switch AHL teams after the Leafs and Ducks made the trade.
In 33 games at the AHL level this season, MacDonald is 12-18-3 with a 3.11 goals-against average. MacDonald is no prospect, having started six games for the Maple Leafs this season and 72 in his NHL career, but none since Dec. 5. He’s gone 18-38-9 with a 3.30 GAA for four NHL teams since breaking in with Boston during the 2006-07 season.
MacDonald is in the final year of his contract and becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1.
In their second move for a depth goaltender, the Ducks have acquired Toronto netminder Joey MacDonald for a seventh-round pick in 2011.
With the noon deadline just passed – but more trades still possible – the Ducks have received Curtis McElhinney, Joey MacDonald and Aaron Ward, and given up Justin
Pogge, Vesa Toskala, a fourth-round draft pick in 2010, and a seventh-round choice in 2011.