Alex Stalock gives his doubters the middle finger

It’s less than a month into the 2022-23 NHL season and I’m already convinced that Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock should win the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The award, selected by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, is presented annually “to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”

I can’t think of anyone more deserving than Stalock. He’s been forced to battle back from a potentially career-ending medical condition multiple times during his career. And his play so far this season has propelled Chicago to a 4-2-0 record.

The Blackhawks are third in the Central Division, just behind the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. Stalock has won three times in four starts and boasts a .938 save percentage.

And to think. Just a few months ago I thought Stalock was done. Career over. I didn’t believe there was any chance that the Minnesota-born goaltender was going to play again in the NHL. Even an opportunity in the AHL seemed like a longshot.

Stalock missed the entire 2020-21 season after being diagnosed with myocarditis – an inflammation of the heart muscle that Stalock developed after a bout with COVID-19.

And between Mar. 8, 2020 and Oct. 12, 2022, Stalock played just one NHL game for the San Jose Sharks. He allowed six goals on 28 shots and was pulled after 46 minutes of action.

A poor outing after missing a full season of NHL hockey is excusable. It can happen to any goaltender regardless of age, ability, or health status. Just look at my own career – I had several bad one-off starts for NHL teams.

But it was Stalock’s performance last season in the AHL that really had me worried about the future of his career. In 17 games split between the Bakersfield Condors and San Jose Barracuda, Stalock won just four times and posted an .869 save percentage.

To put it mildly, I was absolutely shocked when Stalock scored a one-year, one-way NHL contract with the Blackhawks this past July. I mean floored. I couldn’t believe it.

Dustin Tokarski played 29 games for the Buffalo Sabres last year. He was more than serviceable in the NHL. Yet the best deal he could get for this season was a two-way offer from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Yet Stalock got a one-way contract. It didn’t make sense.

I had to take a step back to realize what the Blackhawks were likely doing. Chicago is in a full rebuild. There’s no question the team would love to finish last and have the best chance at landing the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Connor Bedard.

My best guess was that Stalock was going to be a sacrificial lamb for the Blackhawks. He’d get paid NHL money for the full season and occupy the No. 2 spot behind Petr Mrazek. I really don’t think Chicago was looking for wins or a resurgent season from Stalock. The Hawks simply needed a warm body.

Well, toss that notion out the window. Stalock’s performance has been a big middle finger to any doubters – myself included. And I love that. Because this isn’t the first time Stalock has faced serious peril during his career.

Back in the spring of 2011, Stalock had just won his first NHL game as a member of the Sharks. But less than 72 hours later, while playing for San Jose’s AHL affiliate in Worcester, Massachusetts, an opponent stepped on the back of Stalock’s leg.

The impact cut a tendon and sliced his peroneal nerve, which controls feeling and movement in the lower leg. The rehab was grueling. Stalock had to retrain his leg to walk. And then how to play goalie. There were whispers around the hockey world that his career might be over.

But Stalock battled back and was able to play by the end of the 2011-12 season, splitting time between the ECHL and AHL. He made the Sharks out of training camp in 2013 and spent the next several years wearing teal and black.

And then, after a tough 2015-16 season that saw his save percentage dip to .884, Stalock found himself in the AHL once again with the Iowa Wild. He allowed an average of 2.28 goals against in 50 games. The following season, in 2016-17, Stalock was back in the NHL full-time with his hometown Minnesota Wild.

It’s not like Stalock has an ace in his pocket. He’s only 5-foot-11. Big goalies get second and third chances. The NHL is littered with netminders that have leveraged their physical size to stay in the league. Stalock doesn’t have that luxury. He has to perform.

And he has to be a great teammate along the way. Everyone I know who has played with Stalock has loved sharing the locker room with him. That intangible goes a long way.

Perseverance is the first word associated with the Masterton Trophy. And it’s the word I would choose to best define Stalock’s career. He’s been displaced from the NHL on multiple occasions. Yet Stalock continues to grind.

I always enjoyed playing against Stalock. I think he’s one of the best puckhandling goaltenders in hockey. But now I see him as one of the great battlers.

Provided that Stalock stays in the NHL and remains healthy this year, he has to win the Masterton Trophy.

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Alex Stalock gives his doubters the middle finger

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