There's a new goalie in town and his name is Dustin Tokarski. For longtime hockey fans, this name is likely vaguely familiar. For fans newer to the game, you've probably never heard his name before. The 35-year-old is the definition of a journeyman, but Tokarski is the next man up for a team trying to find a solid backup.
Drafted by the Lightning in the fifth round in 2008, Tokarski has rarely been an NHL regular during his career. He made sporadic appearances early on before serving as Carey Price's backup in Montreal for the 2014-15 season. This was the same season Price won the Hart and Vezina after starting 66 of their 82 games. During the other 16 games, Tokarski went 6-6-4 with a .910 save percentage.
The most Tokarski has ever played in a season was 28 games, doing so with the Sabres in 2021-22 as Craig Anderson's backup. His numbers weren't great, going 10-12-5 with a 3.27 GAA and a sub-.900 save percentage. He hasn't played in an NHL game since 2023 with the Penguins.
Tokarski will be taking Spencer Martin's place after Martin was sent to the AHL on Thursday. Martin struggled this season, posting disappointing numbers after a good stint in 2023-24. The lone bright spot was his first shutout victory against Ottawa, but he allowed a few too many soft goals. I'll give him his props for backstopping the Canes to tight victories over Dallas and New York last week, too.
If you're a Hurricanes fan expecting Tokarski to be the answer to the team's prayers, pump the brakes a little. He's shown flashes of good in the NHL, but most of his career has been as a minor leaguer. His performance this season with Chicago is the reason he earned his contract. He signed a PTO with the Wolves in November and pitched back-to-back shutouts in his first two starts.
Pyotr Kochetkov's return to the lineup on Tuesday against Seattle should be enough to help the Canes, but he can't start every game. The search for a serviceable backup goalie has reached its second test subject. Tokarski's NHL experience should come as a major plus. The early portion of December's schedule is light enough and spaced out, so fatigue shouldn't come into play. Once the back-to-backs start coming at the end of the month, Tokarski should get a good look.
This is a low-risk, high-reward signing and call-up for the Hurricanes. Kochetkov will get the lion's share of the starts, but injuries will happen. If Tokarski doesn't hold the fort down when he plays, it won't be the end of the world. If he tears it up and is able to win when the Canes call on him, it'll be a bonus.