Goalie Andrew Hammond unexpectedly leaves the Panthers!

Earlier this summer, it was reported that the Florida Panthers had an agreement in place with goalie Andrew Hammond to a professional tryout contract in an attempt to get some veteran presence as a third option.

However on Wednesday, Hammond reportedly left the Panthers as it was announced in a report by Russia’s Sport-Express, the ‘Hamburglar’ was to sign with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL.

Panthers insider George Richards does mentioned however that Hammond is not listed on the Traktor roster nor has that signing been reported elsewhere.

However, it is no secret that the goaltending tandem in Florida is currently full with Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight.

The Panthers will also have Charlotte goalies Mack Guzda and Alex Lyon in camp. And on top of that, you have to count prospect camp invitees Jari Kykkanen and Kolby Hay, who may start training camp with the Panthers. Sure, they will be headed back to their junior teams fairly quickly, but goalie depth in Florida is full.

The Panthers have yet to announce their camp roster, however, it sure sounds like Hammond has left and won’t attend.
Hammond has never gotten back to the success he first tastes when he broke into the NHL, starting 10-1-1 with the Ottawa Senators as a rookie in 2015.

In the past years, he’s mainly played in the AHL but he did make 30 saves to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a shootout victory over the Islanders back in February, which was his first NHL start in four years and his first win in six.

After going 3-0 with a 2.40 GAA for the Habs last season, Hammond was traded to the New Jersey Devils in March. Hammond might have seen a potential PTO with the Panthers as a way to get back into more NHL action, however, he might have felt the climb to the top was too steep with top goalies already in place in Bobrovsky and Knight.

Maybe a shot in KHL is his best bet now…