Goaltender Alex Stalock will likely miss the season due to a possible heart condition, Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland said Wednesday.
Speaking on the opening day of Oilers training camp, Holland said the possible condition was detected when he returned home for more tests after the team’s physical exam at the end of the 2020-21 season.
“At the end of the year we did a physical. Then he went home, he went in to have additional tests. And through these additional tests he found out that he maybe has some kind of a heart condition,” Holland said.
Holland said Stalock contracted COVID-19 before the start of the 56-game shortened season, but was later cleared to play and spent time on the Oilers’ taxi squad after the team claimed him off waivers from the Minnesota Wild in March.
He did not appear in a game with either Minnesota or Edmonton last season.
“He’s seen a couple of cardiologists,” Holland said. “He’s looking to get additional opinions.
“I would say to you right now that based upon where we’re at today I don’t anticipate that he’ll play hockey this year. But if he does get further opinions it might change his decision.”
Holland said Stalock was “excited about coming to camp and pushing for a job” before getting the troubling results from the tests.
Stalock, a 34-year-old from St. Paul, Minn., has a 61-49-18 record with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage in 151 career NHL games with San Jose and Minnesota.
—The Canadian Press
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