Calvin Pickard filled another page of his hockey passport book last weekend, making his first two starts in goal for the Tucson Roadrunners.
Picked up in November by the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, Pickard gave up five goals on 27 shots in his first outing — although Tucson won 7-5. He was on his ‘A’ game the next night, though, letting just one by on 35 shots in a 2-1 overtime win over Bakersfield.
Pickard is in Tucson on a conditioning assignment, meaning he’ll be with the Roadrunners up to 14 days before the Coyotes have to decide whether to call him back to the NHL or put him on waivers. If Pickard clears waivers after the two-week window, he could return to Tucson.
Friday marked his first game action in six weeks, but that’s only a part of quite the 18-month journey for the 26-year-old netminder with 98 NHL appearances to his credit.
He spent the 2016-17 season appearing in 50 NHL games for the Colorado Avalanche, then was the first player chosen by the Las Vegas Knights in the expansion draft that summer. The Knights, however, went with a goaltending tandem of Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban, so Pickard ended up in Toronto for 2017-18. He played once for the NHL’s Maple Leafs — and the rest contributing to the Toronto Marlies’ AHL Calder Cup championship run.
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Calvin Pickard in action during an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
This season, it was off to Philadelphia. Eleven NHL appearances later, the Coyotes brought him in. Now it’s Tucson, and finally back on the ice.
“I knew I was going to be a little rusty. I had been healthy but hadn’t played in a month and a half,” Pickard said. “When you have that rust and still get a win, you’ll take it. But I wanted to come back with a good effort on Saturday, and I felt sharp all the way through.”
Steenbergen’s day to remember
Rookie forward Tyler Steenbergen‘s fifth goal of the season paid big dividends for the Roadrunners, helping Tucson to that tight Jan. 5 overtime win.
It came a year to the day after Steenbergen, who turned 21 this week, was the toast of the North American (if not global) hockey community. Steenbergen found the back of the net to break a 1-1 tie and ultimately secure Canada’s crown over Sweden in the championship game of the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships.
Tucson’s current roster has deep connections to the WJC over the years.
Roadrunners’ digital manager Alexander Kinkopf noted on social media that assistant coach John Slaney, like Steenbergen, has a WJC “golden goal” of his own — some 27 years and one day before Steenbergen did it. Slaney’s scored the game-winner for Canada at the 1991 event.
Four players who have dressed for Tucson this season played in the 20-and-under event over the years: Hudson Fasching played for Team USA, while David Ullstrom, Jens Looke and Mario Kempe all represented Sweden. Hunter Miska (USA) and Canada’s Pickard, Kyle Capobianco, Robbie Russo and Laurent Dauphin played in the event at younger age levels.
Arizona Coyotes right winger Conor Garland #83 celebrates as he skates past New York Rangers’ Neal Pionk (44) after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Garland shows his stuff with Coyotes
Conor Garland was one of two Roadrunners — alongside Capobianco, Tucson’s leading scorer — who were named to the Pacific Division roster for the upcoming AHL All-Star Classic, slated for Jan. 27-28 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
But it’s the forward’s recent NHL success that might just keep him from traveling east.
Over the last eight games with the Coyotes, Garland has scored five goals. He posted his first two-goal game last weekend.
Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet has heaped praise Garland’s way, but also noted last week the need for up-and-comers like Garland to find consistent ways to contribute.
“We’re happy for him to make the All-Star team and he’s done a nice job up here,” Tocchet told The Athletic’s Craig Morgan. “Consistency is the one thing for young guys for me. Can you play consistently, not the roller coaster ride?
“He played really well down there. The only thing with Gars is he’s got to make sure he continues to do the stuff (to be successful). I thought he got a little too fancy the last game,” Tocchet added, referencing a 3-2 Jan. 2 loss to Edmonton. “It’s the bug of being in the NHL. All of the sudden you think, ‘Oh, I’ve got to do more and more.’ He just got a little too out of his comfort zone.”
If recent results are any indication, Garland may just have found that comfort zone his coach speaks of.
