Former Michigan goalie Shawn Hunwick signed an amateur tryout contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday and will make his NHL debut for the Blue Jackets on Wednesday night. Columbus will play the Red Wings at 7:30 p.m.
“(Hunwick) will be coming to Columbus and he will be backing up Allen York,” said Todd Sharrock, Vice President for Public Relations for Columbus.
Columbus goaltender Steve Mason sustained an injury in practice Wednesday morning, which opened up a spot for Hunwick. Columbus called Michigan coach Red Berenson, who in turn called Hunwick to find out if he was available. He was.
“(Shawn) is on his way down there,” Berenson said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon. “I’ll be watching on TV. He obviously has my blessing.”
Earlier Wednesday, former Michigan player and current forward for the Colorado Avalanche, Kevin Porter, tweeted that Hunwick would play for the Blue Jackets.
“(Shawn Hunwick is) dressing for the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight,” Porter said through his Twitter account.
Hunwick’s Michigan teammates immediately posted congratulations on their own accounts.
“Have a safe drive down to Columbus for your NHL debut,” wrote former senior defenseman Greg Pateryn.
Former senior captain Luke Glendening also tweeted at Hunwick, posting: “We are driving right to the show. It couldn’t happen to a better guy.”
At 5-foot-6, Hunwick was not considered by many to be an NHL-caliber goalie despite being a Hobey Baker finalist and Michigan’s all-time leader in goals-against average and save percentage.
The former walk-on third goalie needed string of injuries and decommitments from other recruits. Again, it was an injury that appears to have opened up a spot for Hunwick, this time in the NHL.