The NY Islanders make a puzzling signing in goaltender David Rittich

After signing Tony DeAngelo to a one-year extension, the NY Islanders have inked goaltender David Rittich to a one-year deal worth $1M.

Rittich, 32, is a nine year, undrafted, NHL veteran, spending the last two seasons with the LA Kings. 

A career backup, Rittich has started 204 games in his career, winning 108, posting a 2.79 GAA and .904 SV%.

A Jihlava, CZE native, Rittich developed his game in Czechia before signing his first NHL contract with the Calgary Flames at the age of 23. 

Rittich’s best NHL season came during his first with the Kings in 2023-24, allowing just 2.15 goals-per-game while putting up a .921 SV%.

It comes as a surprise that the Islanders would sign a backup netminder, having Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov locked up for the next two seasons. 

Varlamov sustained a season-ending injury in November last season, but according to Stefan Roser of The Hockey News, Mathieu Darche stated that Varlamov has been rehabbing without any setbacks. 

Rittich’s signing says otherwise, as Rittich likely wouldn’t sign a deal to come to Long Island with the expectation of being the third goaltender on the roster. 

If this is the case and Varlamov won’t be returning this season, Darche and his team see Rittich as an upgrade over Marcus Hogberg, who spelled Sorokin last season after Varly’s injury. 

Varlamov inked a four-year extension in 2023, with two years remaining at an AAV of $2.75M.

We’ll hopefully have some clarity from Darche regarding Varlamov’s status, but this doesn’t bode well for the health of the 37-year-old netminder who led the Islanders to back-to-back Conference/Semi-Finals appearances.