Back in April, we passed along word that Florida goalie Reto Berra was returning to his native Switzerland, having signed a three-year deal with Fribourg-Gotteron.
How quickly things change.
Per the club, Berra has opted to return to the NHL for next season, reportedly for a deal with the Anaheim Ducks. Fribourg-Gotteron classified it as a surprise development that led to the 30-year-old exercising the out clause in his contract.
If the report is accurate, landing in Anaheim would make sense. The Ducks are in a state of flux when it comes to goaltending -- while John Gibson and newly-signed Ryan Miller are entrenched as the Nos. 1 and 2, there’s uncertainty behind them.
Last year’s No. 2, Jonathan Bernier, has signed with Colorado. Last year’s No. 3, Jhonas Enroth, is also a UFA and has reportedly received interest from a number of teams.
Anaheim still has Dustin Tokarski under contract, so it’s possible Berra’s being brought in as a veteran presence to work in tandem. He’s had some good success at the AHL level previously.