The Montreal Canadiens have traded Brandon Baddock to the Minnesota Wild for goaltender Andrew Hammond.
The Montreal Canadiens have traded Brandon Baddock to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for goaltender Andrew Hammond. #GoHabsGo https://t.co/DWrED4zMNK
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 12, 2022
The goaltending position became a significant need due to a wrist injury that Samuel Montembeault has been playing through, alongside struggles from Cayden Primeau. With Carey Price, Jake Allen, and Michael McNiven already hurt there was no other option to acquire a new goalie via a trade.
Hammond broke through in Ottawa Senators with a playoff performance and was rewarded with a big contract, which he never managed to live up to. After leaving Ottawa he has been part of the Colorado Avalanche, Buffalo Sabres and Minnesota Wild organizations.
This season Hammond has played 11 games in the AHL with the Iowa Wild, he has a .908 save percentage and a 2.44 goals against average. He last played in the NHL with the Avalanche in the 2017-18 season. He has a 2.31 GAA and .923 save percentage in 56 career NHL regular season games.
Hammond’s acquisition likely means that Primeau will return to the American Hockey League and the Laval Rocket where he will help the team’s push towards the playoffs.
Baddock has been a depth forward in the organization and played his first NHL game this season during the team’s COVID-19 outbreak prior to the holidays. The 26-year-old forward has three goals and four assists in 33 AHL games.
