Dan Ellis signs tryout contract with AHL's Charlotte Checkers

Veteran goaltender Dan Ellis signed a tryout contract with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers on Monday. Ellis, who played in only 10 games last year before suffering a torn groin muscle in January, has backed up Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller the last two seasons. In addition to the groin injury, he is also recovering from sports hernia surgery from back in March.

This is the third NHL goaltender the Checkers have signed to a contract since the NHL lockout began. The other goaltenders include Justin Peters and John Muse, both from the Carolina Hurricanes.

In his NHL career, Ellis has played with the Ducks, the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning. He has amassed a career record of 72-57-15 with a 2.68 goals-against-average, .911 save percentage and 12 shutouts. In the 2007-08 season while with the Predators, he led the NHL in save percentage at .924 in 44 games.

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