The Dallas Stars have signed emergency backup goalie Joe O'Brien for Saturday's game against the St. Louis Blues because of salary cap space, according to Bally Sports Midwest reporter Andy Strickland.
O’Brien will back up Stars goalie Scott Wedgewood.
Stars No. 1 goalie Jake Oettinger left the Stars’ 5-4 win over Ottawa on Friday with a lower-body injury in the first period and didn't travel with the team to St. Louis.
O’Brien, 28, is from suburban St. Louis and played 26 career games for the Niagara University Purple Eagles from 2015-19. During minor hockey, O’Brien played for the AAA Blues, counting Blues legend Al MacInnis among his coaches.
O’Brien currently helps his father and uncle run OB Clark’s, a sports bar and restaurant in the area.
“I was setting the games at the restaurant last night and I put the Stars game on and it was right when Oettinger was going off the ice with something,” O’Brien told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I really didn’t even put two and two together with them coming to St. Louis the next night.
“I was downstairs changing kegs, and I got a text from the Blues assistant GM, Ryan Miller, saying ‘Hey, here’s the situation, we’ll keep you updated. They’ll probably need you for morning skate, and then from there, we’ll see.’”
O'Brien has been the EBUG on call in St. Louis for three seasons, but has yet to strap on the pads before this game vs. the Blues.
