One day after trying to waive goaltender Calvin Pickard, the Vegas Golden Knights have traded their former backup netminder to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team announced Friday.
Vegas acquires forward Tobias Lindberg and a 2018 sixth-round draft pick in the deal. Lindberg has been assigned to the Chicago Wolves.
It’s been an eventful 72 hours for Pickard, who was selected from the Colorado Avalanche in the June 21 expansion draft. Vegas claimed goaltender Malcolm Subban off waivers from the Boston Bruins on Oct. 3, supposedly signaling the Golden Knights were taking three goalies into opening night.
On Thursday, Pickard was placed on waivers, meaning the younger Subban brother was now the backup goalie to Marc-Andre Fleury. With no team wanting the 25-year-old Pickard, Vegas decides to ship the Winnipeg native to Toronto for some value.
Lindberg totaled 16 points in 44 games last season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Two years ago, the 22-year-old forward played six games with the Maple Leafs and had two assists. He was a fourth-round pick in 2013 by the Ottawa Senators.
This weird period of Vegas’ goaltending situation has come to an end for now. Pickard went 0-1-1 in the preseason with a 4.00 GAA. Pickard gave up five goals in the Sept. 21 defeat to the San Jose Sharks but looked solid at home in a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 26.