Halverson

To label Brandon Halverson’s path back to the NHL as the road less traveled would likely be understating the comeback story of the newest addition to the Tampa Bay Lightning locker room.

The 28-year-old goalie was signed to a two-year NHL contract and recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, on Monday. Halverson is primed to serve as the team’s second goalie while Jonas Johansson is out with a lower-body injury.

“I wasn't really expecting anything or thinking anything was gonna happen,” Halverson said of the contract. “I've just been trying to compete every day down in Syracuse and just got the call one day and put pen to paper, and thankfully I'm here now. It's really quite a blessing.”

Halverson described his journey back to the NHL as a “battle”.

Halverson appeared in his first NHL game on Feb. 17, 2018, stopping five of six shots in relief of Henrik Lundqvist during the Rangers’ 6-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators.

From there, injuries became a roadblock.

Halverson found himself in a clogged goalie pipeline in New York, one that featured the aforementioned Hall of Fame starter in Lundqvist as well as future NHL netminders Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev.

He appeared in four games with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers to start the 2020-21 season before a sprained ankle ended his year. Another injury required him to miss the entire 2021-2022 campaign—he fell on his hand, breaking a bone that required surgery and a pin placement.

While injured, Halverson found work as a farmhand. With a cast on one arm, the goalie grappled with his future.

"I was just working, just trying to make money and trying to survive in this world, working on a farm and doing a bunch of things there, just hard labor and stuff,” he said.

"I was trying to put together a horse barn with 150-pound mats, and I was only using one hand, so that was fun. But the entire time I just knew I wanted to be a hockey player. And I think it made it really hard for me to transition to working a normal job, because I was like, 'This isn't what I want to do. This isn't what I'm meant to do, at least not yet.' So I knew I just needed some sort of opportunity and chance.”

While injured, Halverson lived in Clearwater. He attended Lightning games with the family he was working for, including the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"I was just watching the playoffs, and it's like, I know I still have a chance. I know I can make something of this. It's weird how it all worked out. Could have gone to another system, or, who knows if I even would have got to this point. But just weird how the world works, how God works, and just happy and thankful I'm here.”

When the 2022-23 season began, Halverson’s on-ice journey resumed. He signed with the Orlando Solar Bears in the ECHL before being released. He headed overseas to Germany, where he posted a .909 save percentage and 6-10-0 record in 17 games for Bayreuth in the DEL2, the country’s second-level professional league.

Ahead of last season, Halverson reached out to Solar Bears coach Matt Carkner.

"I just asked him for an opportunity. Just, 'Can I come and try out? I don't expect anything’, and he gave me that opportunity to come down. They already had two contracted goalies and a (ECHL) guy signed, so I knew nothing was gonna be handed to me. So I just had to go out there and work hard. And I ended up signing and then played there.”

Halverson took advantage of the opportunity. After starting the season with Orlando, he was eventually recalled to the Crunch. He ended up starting the first seven playoff games for Syracuse, going 3-4 with a .916 save percentage.

This season, Halverson is 12-7-7 with a .918 save percentage, and his four shutouts are tied for most in the league. Halverson was one of two Syracuse players chosen for this year’s AHL All-Star Classic.

Halverson credited former Solar Bears goalie coach Nathan Craze for helping him rebuild his game, as well as offseason coach Jon Elkin and Syracuse goalie coach Maxime Vaillancourt.

The latter played a large part in Halverson’s newest opportunity, he said.

“He’s (Vaillancourt) been my biggest blessing and has been really turning me into what my potential is. And I just thank those guys a lot for not giving up on me and working with me up to this point.”

Both of his parents were emotional when Halverson called to tell them he was signing an NHL contract. His father was set to meet him at the AHL All-Star Classic, but the goalie had to tell him they needed to pivot plans.

Halverson’s smile was present nearly the entire time he spoke after Monday’s practice.

If he is to play for the Lightning and return to NHL action? That smile would also be hard to erase.

"I'm just happy to be here, happy to practice with the team and get this opportunity. And if that does happen, I'm ready for it,” Halverson said.

“I’ve been grinding for too long and been wanting this for probably more than a lot of people. If it happens, I can die the next day and be happy. My soul will be able to rest, so that's kind of where my head is at."