Edmonton goaltender Tommy Salo's bruised hip has created a golden opportunity for backup Ty Conklin to get some action and so far the first-year NHL netminder hasn't looked like he's going to give the job back.
Conklin, who at 27 is too old to qualify as a rookie, has gone 3-1 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in his past four starts and earned NHL defensive player of the week honors. Conklin said he's just happy to get more starts to get comfortable and prove himself after two solid seasons in the AHL.
"Everybody has to begin as a backup goalie in this league ... not many guys start right off the bat, so this has been a good experience for me and watching how Tommy goes about his business," Conklin told The Edmonton Journal. "There's certain things to go through to get to that point. Starting as a backup is one way, and playing well when you get the opportunity is another one. I'm not looking too far down the road with this."