Red Wings add free agent goaltender Patrik Rybar
The Detroit Red Wings today signed goaltender Patrik Rybar to a one-year entry-level contract.
Rybar, 24, primarily spent the 2017-18 season with HK Hradec Kralove in the Czech Extraliga, the top professional league in the Czech Republic. In 36 games with the club, Rybar posted a 23-13 record and led the league in both goals-against average (1.73) and shutouts (7), alongside a 0.932 save percentage. He helped his club reach the semifinals in the Extraliga playoffs, sporting a 2.24 goals-against average and 0.918 save percentage in 12 postseason games. The Skalica, Slovakia, native also represented his country internationally on two occasions this season. He was named to the Slovakian Olympic Team at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyongchang, South Korea, but did not see game action, and recently competed at the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark, appearing in three games with a 1-1 record, 2.49 goals-against average and 0.906 save percentage.
The 6-foot-3, 176-pound goaltender has split his four professional seasons between Slovakia and the Czech Republic, totaling a 47-26 record, 1.93 goals-against average, 0.927 save percentage and nine shutouts in two seasons with HK Hradec Kralove from 2016-18 and posting a 3.07 goals-against average and 0.920 save percentage with SHK 37 Piestany in the Slovakian Extraliga from 2014-16, posting the league's top save percentage (0.933) in 2015-16. Prior to his professional career, Rybar played for the junior club of HC Slovan Bratislava from 2009-14 and also saw action in 26 games in second-tier Slovakia, while debuting in the top Slovakian league with one game for HC Slovan Bratislava in 2010-11.
Patrik Rybar, Goalie
Born Nov 9 1993 -- Skalica, Slovakia
Height 6.03 -- Weight 176 -- Catches L