Golden Knights’ Calvin Pickard traded to Maple Leafs
DALLAS — Calvin Pickard first left Las Vegas and now has left the country.
The 25-year-old goaltender, acquired by the Golden Knights in the expansion draft from the Colorado Avalanche, cleared waivers Friday and was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Knights received forward Tobias Lindberg, who will be assigned to the Chicago Wolves, the Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate.
Lindberg spent last season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, recording 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 44 games. During the 2015-16 season, he appeared in six games for the Maple Leafs and had two assists. He was taken in the fourth round (102nd overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators.
Pickard started two games for the Knights in the preseason, going 0-1-1 with a 4.00 goals-against average.
No Shipachyov sighting
As expected, Vadim Shipachyov was in Texas on Friday. But instead of being in Dallas with the Knights, the 30-year-old center from Russia was in Cedar Park, some 190 miles to the south, playing for the Chicago Wolves against the Texas Stars in the Wolves’ AHL season opener.
Oscar Lindberg took Shipachyov’s place on the line with Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault.
Eakin returns to Dallas
Knights center Cody Eakin spent five years with the Stars and has fond memories. His best season came in 2014-15 when he scored 19 goals and had 40 points.
“It was a great atmosphere in this place. I met a lot of good people, made a lot of good friends,” Eakin said before the Knights’ NHL debut.
Eakin is looking to bounce back from the worst year of his NHL career — three goals and nine assists in 60 games.
Golden Knights forwards Reilly Smith (2012, 2013) and James Neal (2008 to 2011) also played for the Stars.
Methot knew trade was coming
Veteran defenseman Marc Methot was selected by the Knights in the expansion draft from the Ottawa Senators only to be traded to Dallas five days later for goaltender Dylan Ferguson and a second-round draft pick in 2020.
“I knew right away it was coming,” Methot said. “That was the word on the street.
“It would have been cool to be part of an expansion team. But no slight against Vegas, but I’m glad to be on an established team. There’s a lot of firepower and talent here.”
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Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.
