By David Wharton
Los Angeles Times.
The thrill of winning a gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics has yet to wear off for Shannon Szabados.
Not even close.
Earlier this week, the Canadian women’s goalie was called to help out at practice with the Edmonton Oilers, who had traded their backup goalie and were waiting for Viktor Fasth to arrive from the Ducks.
Now, Szabados says she has an offer to finish the season with the Columbus (Ga.) Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League.
“I had been talking to this team last year,” she told Sportsnet 590 The Fan radio in Canada, addiing: “This isn’t confirmed yet … but it’s well on its way.”
Szabados has trained with NHL veterans in the summer and said that she played university hockey with several Columbus players.
The Cottonmouths have eight games remaining on their schedule, including Friday night’s matchup against the Bloomington (Ill.) Thunder.
Manon Rheaume, a former Canadian Olympic goalie, played for the Tampa Bay Lightning during the exhibition schedule in 1992.
Other women have played in pro leagues outside the NHL.
Asked if her brief stint with the Oilers might have prompted the Columbus offer, Szabados replied: “It probably didn’t hurt my chances.”
