Report: NHL GM ‘very interested’ in veteran goaltender

Reports that Peter Budaj’s NHL career is over are greatly exaggerated, it seems. The veteran netminder who split the 2016-17 season between the Los Angeles Kings and the Tampa Bay Lightning was rumored to be on his way to the KHL before the season ended, but it appears now an NHL job may still be in his future.

TSN has reported that Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman is very interested in having Budaj return to the crease in Tampa for 2017-18.

"We were very pleased with the finish to the season Peter had, we'd very much be interested in bringing him Peter back," Yzerman told 620 WDAE. "As the offseason winds down here, we get closer to July 1, we'll figure out what we’re going to do for backup and goaltenders in Syracuse."

Budaj started only four games for the Lightning last season, but his 51 games and 2.12 GAA and .917 Sv% in Los Angeles while filling in for an injured Jonathan Quick served notice to the league that the 34 year-old still has some game left in him.