Norfolk signs Thiessen to AHL deal

The Norfolk Admirals have signed goaltender Brad Thiessen to an American Hockey League contract.

Thiessen, 27, cleared AHL waivers on Thursday morning. He began the 2013-14 season with HIFK of Finland’s SM-liiga, appearing in 15 games, and was released by the club on Nov. 19.

Thiessen has spent the last four seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, appearing in 149 AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and posting a record of 88-49-6 with a 2.44 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage and 17 shutouts.

Thiessen won the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender in 2010-11 when he went 35-8-1 with a 1.94 GAA, a .922 save percentage and seven shutouts.

Last year with Wilkes-Barre, the native of Aldergrove, B.C., was 16-12-2 (2.68, .902) in 32 regular-season contests before leading the AHL with a 1.38 GAA and a .952 save percentage in 12 Calder Cup Playoff appearances (6-4), helping the Penguins to a historic conference semifinal series victory over Providence after trailing the series three games to none. He has an 18-17 record in 37 career AHL playoff contests, with a 1.81 GAA and a .932 save percentage.

Thiessen has appeared in five career National Hockey League games, going 3-1-0 with Pittsburgh in 2011-12.