Brad Thiessen
| Birthday: 1986-03-19 | Position: G |
| Eligible for draft: 2004 | Catches: Left |
| Drafted: | Height: 6-0 |
| Acquired: Free agent signing, 2013 | Weight: 180 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- B
History
2008-09: Brad Thiessen finished his junior season at Northeastern with a 25-12-4 record, 2.11 GAA, 3 shutouts, and a .931 save percentage. As a reward for his strong season, Thiessen was nominated for the Hobey Baker Trophy. Once his playoff run was over, Thiessen signed a two-year deal with the Penguins and joined their playoff taxi squad.
2009-10: In his first professional season Thiessen split time with the Penguins AHL affiliate and their ECHL affiliate in Wheeling. He finished the season in the AHL though, eventually displacing John Curry as the team's top goaltender. In his 12 games in the ECHL, he managed a 2.67 GAA, 8-3 record, and .919 save percentage. In the AHL he posted a 2.45 GAA, a 14-14-1 record, and a .914 save percentage.
2010-11: In 46 appearances with the Penguins AHL affiliate, Thiessen managed a 35-8-1 record, a 1.94 GAA, a .922 save percentage, and 7 shutouts. All of his numbers were among the tops in the AHL. At the end of the season he was signed to a multi-year two-way deal by the Penguins.
2011-12: Thiessen made his NHL debut with the Penguins on February 26th, stopping 22 of 24 shots in a win over Columbus. He appeared in five games for Pittsburgh and split the goaltending chores for AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with minor league veteran Scott Munroe. Thiessen won his first three NHL games before losing to Ottawa on March 24th; finishing the year 3-1 with a 3.72 goals against and .858 save percentage. He played 41 AHL games and was 23-7 with 2 overtime losses and 2 shutouts; posting a 2.82 goals against and .887 save percentage. He played in all 12 AHL playoff games and was 6-6 with a 2.14 goals against and .887 save percentage. Thiessen was re-signed by the Penguins as an unrestricted free agent to a one-year contract in July, 2012.
Talent Analysis
Thiessen is an athletic goaltender with a good five-hole, vision and solid lateral movement. He has quick feet, and has shown a willingness to challenge shooters. As with most goaltending prospects, Thiessen needs to continue to work on his mechanics and positioning. He could also upgrade his puck-moving abilities although they are fairly good.
Future
Thiessen signed an AHL contract with the Norfolk Admirals and will play for that club in 2013-14.
