Chris Driedger Bio
Chris Driedger is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender born on May 18, 1994, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing about 206 pounds, he plays the position of goaltender and catches with his left hand. He was selected 76th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and went on to appear in the NHL with the Senators, Florida Panthers, and Seattle Kraken.
Throughout his career, Driedger has also competed at the minor-league level in the ECHL and the American Hockey League (AHL), and internationally for Team Canada. He helped Canada earn a silver medal at the 2022 IIHF World Championship. He is currently an unrestricted free agent after a stint with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Early Life and Background
Chris Driedger was born on May 18, 1994, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to parents Cindy and Kelly. Growing up in Winnipeg, he developed his game in the city’s youth hockey system. He played bantam and midget ice hockey for the Winnipeg Monarchs organization, where his performances at the lower levels caught the attention of Western Hockey League (WHL) scouts.
His play with the Monarchs earned Driedger a selection in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft, when the Tri-City Americans chose him 80th overall. After one more season with the Monarchs in 2009–10, in which he posted a 13–6–0 record with a 2.14 goals against average (GAA) and five shutouts, he was ready to make the jump to major junior hockey. While playing at the junior level, Driedger was also enrolled at St. Paul’s High School and competed in track and field.
Path to Hockey
Driedger began his major junior career with the Tri-City Americans during the 2010–11 WHL season. In his first year with the club, he appeared in 22 games, finishing with a 6–6–0–1 record, a 3.50 GAA, and a .881 save percentage. His play earned him an invitation to Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence Goaltending Camp, an early sign of his standing among the country’s top young goaltenders.
Following the 2010–11 season, Driedger was traded to the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft. His first season with the Hitmen began with a high ankle sprain, but he worked with a sports psychologist to recover and went on to post a 24–12–2–1 record with a 2.80 GAA and a .896 save percentage. His outstanding play earned him a spot on Team Orr at the 2012 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
By the end of his major junior career, Driedger had been ranked 13th among North American goaltending prospects eligible for the 2012 NHL Draft. He became the only WHL goaltender selected in that draft when the Ottawa Senators took him 76th overall. During his final WHL season in 2013–14, he also became the sixth goaltender in WHL history to be credited with scoring a goal and set the Calgary Hitmen’s all-time saves record, surpassing Martin Jones’s mark of 3,374. He finished his WHL career with 170 regular-season games and a 94–46–15 record, including eight shutouts.
Chris Driedger Career
Early Career (2014–2018)
On April 1, 2014, the Ottawa Senators signed Driedger to a three-year, entry-level contract. He made his professional debut with the Senators’ ECHL affiliate, the Elmira Jackals, stopping 30 of 31 shots in a 5–1 win over the Orlando Solar Bears. He later made his AHL debut with the Binghamton Senators, replacing Scott Greenham and stopping 20 of 22 shots in a 4–2 win over the Norfolk Admirals.
During the 2014–15 season, Driedger recorded his first professional shutout on November 19, 2014, in a 3–0 win over the Greenville Road Warriors while playing for the Evansville IceMen. On March 26, 2015, he made his NHL debut with Ottawa against the New York Rangers, entering the game after Andrew Hammond and finishing with ten saves. He continued to develop in the AHL with the Binghamton Senators and later the Belleville Senators, posting strong numbers in 2015–16 with an 18–15–4 record and a .912 save percentage.
Florida Panthers Breakthrough (2019–2021)
After agreeing to a one-year AHL deal with the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Florida Panthers’ affiliate, in July 2018, Driedger was elevated to the NHL with the Panthers midway through the 2018–19 season. He ended that year with the Thunderbirds posting an 18–10–2 record and a league-leading .924 save percentage, and signed a two-year contract extension with the Panthers on April 30, 2019.
Driedger made his first NHL start on November 30, 2019, recording 27 saves in a 3–0 shutout win over the Nashville Predators. He was named to the AHL All-Star Classic that season and finished 7–2–1 in 11 NHL starts with a 2.05 GAA and a .938 save percentage. In 2020–21, he became the Panthers’ full-time backup to Sergei Bobrovsky, posting a 2.07 GAA, a .927 save percentage, and three shutouts over 23 starts, while also making his NHL playoff debut against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Seattle Kraken Era (2021–2024)
On July 21, 2021, Driedger signed a three-year, US$10.5 million contract with the Seattle Kraken, the NHL’s newest expansion team, counting as Seattle’s selection from the Panthers in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Expected to compete for the starting job, he instead served as backup to Philipp Grubauer. His first season was disrupted by injuries, though he still posted his first shutout with the Kraken in a 3–0 win over the San Jose Sharks on April 29, 2022, finishing the year 9–14–1 with a 2.96 GAA and a .899 save percentage.
Driedger’s 2022–23 season was cut short after he suffered a torn ACL while representing Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Championship. After returning, he was assigned to the Kraken’s AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, where he went 9–4–0 with a 2.61 GAA and a .908 save percentage. In 2023–24, he split time between the Kraken and the Firebirds, posting a 24–7–7 record in the AHL and helping the Firebirds reach the Calder Cup Finals for the second straight year, where they fell to the Hershey Bears in six games. He ended those Calder Cup playoffs with a 12–6 record and a 2.67 GAA.
Winnipeg Jets Era (2024–2025)
Following the expiration of his Kraken contract, Driedger returned to the Florida Panthers on a one-year, US$795,000 deal in July 2024. He opened the season on the NHL roster but was soon assigned to the Panthers’ AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, where he appeared in 20 games and posted a 2.97 GAA and a .878 save percentage.
On March 6, 2025, Driedger was traded to his hometown Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Kaapo Kahkonen and was assigned to the Jets’ AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. In five games with Manitoba, he went 1–3–0 with a 3.30 GAA and a .872 save percentage. Later that year, on June 17, 2025, Driedger signed a one-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL. He recorded a shutout against Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg on September 18, 2025, but on November 23, 2025, he and the team mutually terminated his contract.
Driving Style and Strengths
Driedger is widely regarded as a technically sound goaltender with strong lateral movement and composure under pressure. His left-catching style, combined with his 6-foot-3 frame, allows him to cover the lower portion of the net effectively, and his track record of strong save percentages in the AHL has consistently marked him as a reliable, high-percentage stopper when given a chance to play.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Driedger’s standout career moments are his Calder Cup Finals run with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in 2024, his silver medal with Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Championship, and his place in WHL history as the sixth goaltender credited with scoring a goal, set while he was a member of the Calgary Hitmen. He also holds the Hitmen’s all-time regular-season saves record.
Chris Driedger Career Wins
Chris Driedger has compiled wins across the WHL, ECHL, AHL, NHL, and KHL over more than a decade of professional hockey. His most productive stretch came in the AHL, where he posted strong save percentages for the Springfield Thunderbirds, Charlotte Checkers, and Coachella Valley Firebirds, while also earning regular NHL starts with the Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken.
NHL Highlights
In the NHL, Driedger appeared in games for the Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, and Seattle Kraken. His first NHL win came after his debut with Ottawa in 2015, while his most productive NHL season was 2020–21 with the Panthers, when he went 7–2–1 with a 2.05 GAA and a .938 save percentage. With the Kraken, his top season was his first year, finishing 9–14–1 with a 2.96 GAA before injuries reshaped his role.
Other Wins and Performances
In the AHL, Driedger’s strongest playoff run came with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, where he posted a 12–6 record while helping the team reach consecutive Calder Cup Finals. In the WHL, he finished his major junior career with a 94–46–15 record across 170 regular-season games with the Tri-City Americans and Calgary Hitmen.
Chris Driedger Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Driedger was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, by his parents, Cindy and Kelly. He grew up in the city and developed his goaltending skills in the Winnipeg Monarchs youth system before being selected in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. His family ties to Winnipeg have remained visible throughout his career, including his 2025 trade to the Winnipeg Jets.
Personal Life
Public details about Driedger’s personal life beyond his parents and his Winnipeg roots are limited. He is known to share updates through his verified Instagram account, where fans can follow his career and off-ice interests.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year marked another chapter of transition for Chris Driedger. He began the season with the Florida Panthers organization, opening the year on the NHL roster before being reassigned to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, where he appeared in 20 games and posted a 2.97 GAA and a .878 save percentage.
On March 6, 2025, Driedger was traded to the Winnipeg Jets, his hometown NHL team, and was sent to the Manitoba Moose. In five AHL appearances with Manitoba, he went 1–3–0 with a 3.30 GAA and a .872 save percentage, providing veteran depth down the stretch of the season.
Following the North American season, Driedger signed a one-year contract with KHL club Traktor Chelyabinsk on June 17, 2025, recording a shutout against Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg in September. However, on November 23, 2025, he and Traktor mutually terminated his contract, returning Driedger to unrestricted free agency as the year closed out.