Sep 24, 2023; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks goaltender Tomas Suchanek (78) defends the goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the third period at Honda Center. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Tulsa
Oilers announced Thursday the Anaheim Ducks are re-assigning goaltenders Tomas Suchanek and Vyacheslav Buteyets to Tulsa.
The 22-year-old Suchanek returns to Tulsa after missing last season due to recovery from an injury-correcting surgery. The NHL-contracted netminder made his pro debut with the Oilers while on an AHL contract on Oct. 22, 2023, stopping 26 of 27 shots in a 1-0 loss to the Utah Grizzlies.
Suchanek last played with Tulsa on Dec. 31, 2023, in a near-mirror performance, halting 30 of 31 in a 1-0 loss to the Grizzlies. The Prerov, Czechia native appeared eight times with the Oilers, posting a 2.77 GAA with a .906 save percentage and 3-5-0-0 record, while also allowing just one goal in three outings.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound goaltender’s strong performances in Tulsa secured an AHL call-up that eventually earned him an NHL contract. Over 29 games, he recorded team best’s in all major statistical categories, earning a 14-10-5 record with a 2.92 GAA, .910 save percentage and three shutouts.
The HC Prerov and Tri-City Americans developmental product turned heads at back-to-back World Junior Championships, earning Top 3 Player on Team honors in 2022 before turning in a historic performance in 2023, posting a 1.38 GAA and .939 save percentage — both tournament bests.
Suchanek’s play helped Czechia claim silver and earned the then-teenager a spot on the tournament All-Star Team along with team MVP and goaltender of the tournament honors.
Buteyets, 23, was a crucial component of only the second Oilers team to ever win 40 games in one season, earning a 19-13-3 record with a 2.82 GAA, a .905 save percentage and four shutouts — tying Devin Williams for the most in an Oilers’ ECHL season.
The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Russian was the backstop during both of Tulsa’s Kelly Cup Playoff wins and also appeared in two AHL games with San Diego during his North American rookie campaign.
Anaheim’s sixth-round selection, 178th overall, in the 2022 NHL entry draft played the majority of the 2023-24 season in Russia’s second league with Chelmet Chelyabinsk, turning in a 16-18-0 record alongside a .913 save percentage and 2.57 GAA.
The Saint Petersburg native also made one KHL appearance for Chelmet’s parent club, Traktor Chelyabinsk.
In 81 career VHL games, Buteyets sports a 40-32-6 record with a 2.36 GAA and a .923 save percentage in addition to four shutouts.
The re-assignments of Suchanek and Buteyets brings Tulsa’s affiliated player count to six, with defensemen Roman Kinal, Jeremie Biakabutuka and Will Francis and forward Jaxsen Wiebe finding their way to the Oilers’ roster earlier in the week.
Five of the six affiliated players have played for Tulsa in the past, with Will Francis being the only new face within the group.