Rémi Poirier is back where his pro journey started.
The Dallas Stars claimed the 25-year-old goaltender off waivers from the Washington Capitals on Monday, one day after Washington put him on the wire. It’s the latest twist in a busy year for Poirier, who now returns to the organization that drafted him and first had him in the fold this season before a chain of moves sent him elsewhere.
Dallas originally waived Poirier at the end of training camp and the preseason with the plan of assigning him to the Texas Stars. Instead, the New Jersey Devils scooped him up, at a time when they had a clear need for goaltending depth. Not long after that, the Devils acquired super star workhorse Connor Hellebuyck in a blockbuster trade and then moved Poirier to Washington for a seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
Now he’s back with the Stars, the club that selected him No. 185 overall in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. The Quebec native finished his major junior career with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL in 2021-22 before turning pro.
Poirier has not played in either the NHL or AHL this season. Last year with Texas, he went 27-19-8 with a .912 save percentage and a 2.61 goals-against average in the regular season, then added a 2-3-0 mark in the Calder Cup Playoffs with an .883 save percentage and a 2.92 GAA.
Dallas has been in good shape in net at the NHL level so far this season. Starter Jake Oettinger has posted a .906 save percentage and 1.99 GAA in 13 appearances, while backup Casey DeSmith has a .909 save percentage and 2.42 GAA in four appearances. The Stars are 10-5-2 and sit six points behind the Minnesota Wild for first place in the Central Division, with two games in hand.
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Stars Bring Back Familiar Goalie With One Immediate Complication
The Stars have added a familiar name back into the organization, claiming goaltender Rmi Poirier off waivers from the Washington Capitals. It is a return to the place where his pro career started, giving Dallas another depth option in net at a time when teams are constantly juggling personnel and trying to keep the pipeline stocked.
There is, though, an immediate wrinkle to the move. Because Poirier changed hands before landing with Dallas, the Stars cannot simply send him straight to their AHL affiliate and have to navigate the waiver process again before that becomes possible. For now, the reunion is real, but the path to where he actually plays next is still unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
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