Traktor Chelyabinsk and goaltender Chris Driedger have terminated their contract upon mutual agreement, the KHL club announced on Sunday.

The news came two days after it was announced that Connor Hellebuyck would be out of the Winnipeg Jets’ lineup for four to six weeks. The Jets retained Driedger’s NHL rights when he signed with Chelyabinsk in June.

The Jets called up 22-year-old Thomas Milic from the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and called up Isaac Poulter from the ECHL to Manitoba. The Jets might plan to assign Driedger to the Moose as insurance if the duo of Milic and Eric Comrie falters before Hellebuyck returns. 

In 23 games this season with Traktor, Driedger has a goals-against average of 3.05, a .917 save percentage, one shutout and a record of 8-9-1. Traktor currently sits fifth in the KHL’s 11-team Western Conference with a record of 13-12-5.

Driedger, who was born and raised in Winnipeg, played junior hockey for the WHL’s Tri-City Americans and Calgary Hitmen, was chosen in the third round, 76th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

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Between 2014 and 2024, Driedger played 67 NHL regular-season games for the Senators, Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken, compiling a record of 31-24-5 with a goals-against average of 2.45, a save percentage of .917 and five shutouts. He also played three playoff games for Florida in 2021.

Winnipeg acquired Driedger in a trade with Florida in 2025 – he played only five AHL games with the Moose at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Internationally, Driedger played in six of Canada’s 10 games at the 2022 IIHF World Championship in Finland, backstopping the team to a silver medal.

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