Absurd Goalie Monday: Fred Brathwaite

While this goalie is a fresh retiree, he does have quite a resume to show. From winning a Memorial Cup to scoring a goal in the IHL, to being in a hip-hop video, this week's AGM savvy nature has made him a great personality in the game and has moved him along to a life in hockey by coaching and technology, as well. This week, the profile of Fred Brathwaite.

Brathwaite's start was in Junior "A" in the 1988-89 season with the Smiths Falls Bears, where he would play in 38 games and have a record of 16-18-1, while in the 1989-90 season-- Brathwaite played in Junior "B" for the Orilla Terriers for 15 games before getting a call-up.

The call-up for Brathwaite was to the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, where he would finish that campaign with a 11-2-1 record in 20 games, then went 4-2 in 10 playoff games, as the Generals won the OHL title. In the Memorial Cup that year, Brathwaite played one game (a win) en route to the Generals winning the Memorial Cup. In the 1990-91 season, Brathwaite appeared in 39 games for Oshawa and compile a 25-6-3 record, then post a 9-2 record in 13 playoff games. The 1991-92 season put Brathwaite in Oshawa again, but only for 24 games (12-7-2), then he was dealt to the London Knights where he would go 15-6-2 in 23 games, then 5-5 in the playoffs. Brathwaite was on the move once again before the 1992-93 season, where he would play for the Detroit Jr. Red Wings, putting up a 23-10-4 record in 37 games while going 9-6 in the playoffs.

Going undrafted, Brathwaite was signed by the Edmonton Oilers before the 1993-94 season, where he would go 3-10-3 in 19 appearances, while being sent down to the AHL's Cape Breton Oilers for two games going 1-1-0. The lockout shortened 1994-95 season had Brathwaite in Edmonton the entire season, posting a 2-5-1 record in 14 games. Brathwaite struggled with Edmonton in the 1995-96 season, going 0-2-0 in seven games before having a stint in the AHL with Cape Breton, where he would have a 12-16-0 record in his 31 games there.

With no NHL contract, Brathwaite signed with the IHL's Manitoba Moose for the 1996-97 season, where he would put up a 22-22-5 record in 58 games, but he would record a goal in November of 1996. Returning to Manitoba in the 1997-98 season, Brathwaite had a 23-18-4 record in 51 games, then went 0-1 in two playoff games.

Brathwaite moved onto the Canadian National Team at the beginning of the 1998-99 season, playing 24 exhibitions and going 6-8-3 in those games before he would get a solid break.

In January of 1999, Brathwaite was signed by the Calgary Flames and would play 28 games the rest of that season, posting an 11-9-7 record along the way. The 1999-2000 season allowed Brathwaite to get starting goalie time, playing in 61 games and finishing with a 25-25-7 record for the Flames, as well as going to the AHL for two games (both wins) with the Saint John Flames; in addition to that-- Brathwaite played a game in the World Championships for Canada, a loss. In the 2000-01 season, Brathwaite played in 49 games for Calgary and went 15-17-10, while on the Canadian team in the World Championship-- Brathwaite played in four games with a 3-1-0 record.

During the summer of 2001, Brathwaite along with Daniel Tkaczuk, Sergei Varlamov, and a pick went to the St. Louis Blues for Roman Turek and a draft pick. With the Blues in the 2001-02 season, Brathwaite was a back-up to Brent Johnson and would play in 25 games and finishing with a 9-11-4 record and playing in six seconds of a playoff game. In the 2002-03 season, Brathwaite was a part of a seven goalie system in St. Louis-- playing in 30 games and finished with a 12-9-4 record.

Brathwaite signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets before the 2003-04 season and would go to 4-11-1 in 21 games, while playing in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch for three games and finishing with a 0-2-1 record.

Brathwaite went overseas for the 2004-05 season to play with Ak Bars Kazan in the Russian Super League, playing for two years there in 66 games with 14 shutouts in that time. Brathwaite came back to North America for the 2006-07 season, signing with the Atlanta Thrashers, but being assigned to the AHL's Chicago Wolves, playing in 40 games with a 22-13-5 record to show. In the 2007-08 season with the Wolves, Brathwaite only appeared in 13 games (10-2-0) before leaving the team and going back over to Russia to play with Avangard Omsk for 18 games to end out the season.

Staying in Europe, but moving to Germany, Brathwaite started out with Adler Mannheim in the 2008-09 season, playing in 49 contests and posting a 27-22-0 with six shutouts, then 5-4 in the playoffs, a performance good enough for Brathwaite to get the German League MVP. During the 2009-10 season, Brathwaite put up a 21-25-0 record for Mannheim in 47 games, then 0-2 in the playoffs; while in the 2010-11 season, Brathwaite went 25-24-0 for a 49 game season, then 3-3 in the playoffs.

Brathwaite attempted to get another NHL role, but has been unable to find a spot-- settling for an assistant goalie coach for Adler Mannheim. As well, Brathwaite is the Public Relations director for a new stadium smartphone app called SweetSeat, where fans can order food, drink, or merchandise from their seat and have it delivered to them.

With brief promises, the cards seemed to be stacked against Brathwaite-- being shuffled around a logjam of goalies from organization to organization. While he did start out to be a solid prospect, it never turned out-- but he chalked up many miles to keep his dream alive and well, regardless of cost.

Broader Storylines For A Shortened Season

With the NHL season about to start, other people are doing previews or rehashing the ones that they did in September for the impending NHL season then. However, with a whole new element of a short season being brought into the mix, what can you as a fan look forward to?? For me, here's the underlying factors that could play a big role into the short season.

-Other Work Paying Off: The teams that had their players play either overseas or in the North American minor leagues will have a nice little jump start. They actually had game experience and have their legs about them. While the training camps will give them some rest and maybe slow them down for a short time, the fact they have had the game pace experience rather than informal practices-- those guys will have a jump; which will result in some interesting scoring leaders.

-Injuries Akimbo: Expect the injury reports to have a lot of "Groin" explanations next to it. We've seen it already from some players-- Jarome Iginla and Brooks Laich-- which will definitely make some guys stretch out more or even play with a little less reckless abandon. It could also let the players who had playing time expose those with less experience.

-More Urgency: Teams will not be able to have a down-swing in their game. Any kind of losing streak could mean the playoffs for these teams, which may expand the whole "parity" thing that the NHL has wanted from the 2004-05 lockout. You will probably a lot of more mix-up in lines or changes in game plans from the coaches if something needs to change, which could spark the team or throw them off their game completely.

-Less Urgency: If nothing else, we could see a lot more overtime/shootout games this season. As my buddy Dearen of Mr. Mikes in Airdrie said to me this past weekend, if there's a tie game in the third, you can see a lot of teams playing to preserve the point. That could happen in the front end of the season, but since it's all Conference play, later in the season-- you could probably see more risk from teams outside of the playoffs-- but expect some boring hockey in the third for teams not wanting to give up any points that are available.

That's four of probably many broad storylines out there I can see. I'm sure there's a lot more and people will expose the more intricate ones, but I'm not about being intricate. Plus, most importantly-- these will now not happen because I've put them out there.

The Trickle-Down Suffering Effect

With the NHL lockout resolved, the big things to get to are ratification and getting players back into camps and what-not. This may means dragging guys back from Europe or pulling them up for the minor leagues. This, of course, creates a trickle-down theory of minor league teams getting hurt in the process and having their team maybe lose a step here and there.

Of course, the tome of the Oklahoma City Barons have been one that has been followed this lockout because of players like Justin Schultz, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Jordan Eberle gracing the OKC ice, but with the absence of those four-- what will happen with the Barons. While they sit 7th in the Western Conference, they lose 65 of their 115 goals from those four and it immediate vaults Mark Arcobello as the team's leading scorer. With a team who is only +7 in the goals for/against column, this adjustment could be a rough one.

Another team losing for NHLers is the ECHL's Alaska Aces-- who lead ECHL with 57 points and will lose team's leading scorer Joey Crabb, Nate Thompson, Brandon Dubinsky, and Scott Gomez-- who has regained his scoring prowess, albeit in the minors, with 13 points (six goals) in 11 games with the Aces. The upside to the Aces is that they'll have other scorer the likes of 2nd and 3rd team leading scorers Nick Mazzolini and Garry Nunn to fall back on. The Aces also always seem to be a top talent getter in the ECHL, so a few trades could probably help, too.

When you look at Europe, while the KHL will lose some talent-- the biggest hit probably will come from Switzerland, who loses plenty of talent like Patrick Kane, Tyler Seguin, Joe Thornton, and John Tavares, amongst others. That said, if there's any league in Europe who got more exposure than the KHL, it'd be the Swiss National League. Not only did they get some bigger name players, but they showed them off in their Spengler Cup tournament and showed that they could be a nice side option for older players who cannot find a place to play later on in their careers.

While there were plenty of players who will need to come back to their NHL clubs, at least a good hunk of them did get some playing time somewhere else. That should make the transition from lockout to mid-season start a little more easier, especially for the fans watching. It'll take little time for rust to be knocked off and will show how well the condition is for all the players coming back.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Jiri Crha

There have been many times where European goalies have under the radar of the NHL general managers and actually got signed to have some so-so results despite their hype. This week's AGM was one of the first guys who were actually involved in such a bidding war. This week, the profile of Jiri Crha.

Before coming over to North America, Crha spent many years over in his native Czechoslovakia; starting with the club team Dukla Jihlava in the 1969-70 and 1970-71 season, playing in 51 total games and posting a 2.42 GAA in those games (no record online).

Beginning in the 1971-72 season and ending in the 1978-79 season, Crha would go on to play with Tesla Pardubice. During that time, Crha also represented the Czechoslovakian team in four World Championships-- winning bronze in 1973 (2-0-0), silver in 1974 (3-1-0), 1975 (0-1-0), and 1978 (1-0-0)-- and during the 1976 Olympics-- winning a silver medal in playing two games.

Crha decided that at age 29 he wanted to move over to North America and try out his hand in the NHL. There was actually a bidding war between the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Philadelphia Flyers in the summer of 1979, in which the Maple Leafs would eventually in out and give him a contract to come over.

The first season in North America, Crha spent most of that adjusting to the North American rinks and style of play by just being the third goalie on the Leafs and watching incumbent goalie Mike Palmateer and talking to Leafs' great Johnny Bower about how to play the NHL style. Mid-season, Crha went to the AHL to play for the New Brunswick Hawks and went 4-1-2 in seven games. When Palmateer went down with injury, Crha was called up to the Leafs and posted a 8-7-0 record in 15 games and 0-2 in the playoffs.

After Palmateer was traded when disagree with Leafs' management, Crha was given the starting role for the 1980-81 season and played in 51 games, compiling a 20-20-11 record for those games and another 0-2 playoff record.

The 1981-82 season had Crha play only two games in the Central League with the Cincinnati Tigers, with a 1-0-0 record, then in the 1982-83 season, Crha played one game with the AHL's St. Catharines Saints with no record to show for it.

Crha went back to Europe following that season, heading over to Germany for the 1983-84 season, playing with SV Bayreuth, then taking a year off in the 1984-85 season, only to return in the 1985-86 season with EHC Freiburg until the 1992-93 season before he would retire.

Crha has stayed in the game, becoming a player agent after his playing career ended. He has represented NHLers like Alex Hemsky and Rostislav Klesla.

The Leafs have been known to bid on free agent talent, some of which panned out and some not. While Crha did well enough during a dark time for the Leafs, they didn't think it was enough and didn't give him a second change for just a .500 goalie. Who knows what they could have done if they gave him a chance to play more, but at his older age-- it may have still been not enough.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Frank Caprice

The success in this week's AGM was only hampered by fate and injuries. One injury begot another and made him lose his spot in the NHL due to others in the pipeline that were bypassing him. Even with that, he did find his way overseas and still chugged along into the new millennium. This week, the profile of Frank Caprice.

Caprice started in Junior B with the Hamilton Kitty B's in the 1978-79 season before making the jump to the OHL's London Knights in the 1979-80 season where he would go 3-7-3 in 18 appearances; then going 1-1 in three playoff games. During the 1980-81 season, Caprice appeared in 42 games for the Knights, but only go 11-26-0. However, the Canucks would draft Caprice in the 1981 Draft in the ninth-round, which would lead to a bounce-back for Caprice in the 1981-82 season would compile a 24-17-2 in 45 games, then 1-3 in four playoff games, while also going 3-0-0 in three WJC games for Canada-- helping the Canadians take their first WJC titles.

Also during the 1981-82 season, Caprice would move to the Central League for the Dallas Black Hawks and go 0-3-0 in his three games.

Caprice would join the Canucks organization for the the 1982-83 season, but spend most of his time in the AHL with the Fredericton Express, playing in 14 games with a 5-8-1 record, then appearing in one Canucks game in relief, but didn't figure in the decision. For the 1983-84 season, Caprice would split his time between Fredericton for 18 games (11-5-2) and then appearing in 19 games for the Canucks (8-8-2).

Incumbent goalie Richard Brodeur would be sent to the minors for the 1984-85 season, which gave Caprice the chance to take over the top spot. Yet, Caprice struggled at the start, then tore his hamstring-- making him miss three months-- and in 28 games, Caprice would finish up with a 8-14-3 on the year.

The 1985-86 season had Caprice once again split time between Vancouver (0-3-2) and Fredericton (12-11-2), with a knee injury in between. For the 1986-87 season, Caprice would spend more time in Vancouver, posting a 8-11-2 record in 25 games, while turning over a 5-5-0 record in 12 games with Fredericton. Caprice would back up a young Kirk McLean for the 1987-88 season, playing in 22 games and post a 7-10-2 record for this troubles.

Caprice was sent to the IHL for the 1988-89 season, playing for the Milwaukee Admirals while going 24-12-0 in 39 games. The 1989-90 season saw Caprice traded to the Boston Bruins and placed in Milwaukee for 20 games (8-6-3) and then being moved to the Maine Mariners of the AHL for 10 games and finishing with a 2-6-1 record, a bounce back from a broken hand he suffered in training camp.

After taking a few years off, Caprice would resurface in Europe, playing from the 1992-93 season until the 1995-96 season with the Italian League's HC Gardena where he would play 77 times in that span. During that time, Caprice would return to Vancouver....but with the Voodoo of Roller Hockey International for two games, going 0-0-1. For the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons, Caprice would head to Britain and play for the Cardiff Devils, helping them to the 1997 British championship and a third place finish in 1998.

The 1998-99 season, Caprice would come back to North American to play in the Central League's Corpus Christi Ice Rays for 15 games and post a 9-5-1 record, but would relocate back to the British League with the Ayr Scottish Eagles, going 2-5-0 in seven games, then 0-3-1 in four playoff games. After that, aside from  an appearance in the 2001 Allan Cup to help out the Dundas Real McCoys, Caprice retired from hockey.

Thanks to one major injury, it changed the career of Caprice and may have changed his career and the history of the Canucks if he was able to grasp the chance at taking over the #1 goalie spot. However, his loss was Kirk McLean's gain and helped the Canucks build themselves up to a contender-- who knows what could have been if Caprice was in that spot.

Better Know A European League: British Hockey-- EIHL and EPL

With the impending lockout doom-- DOOOOOOOM-- it's probably for the best that the actual NHL fans actually get acquainted with some other leagues out there. Yes, that's right, folks-- there's other hockey leagues out there besides the NHL. Crazy, I know. So, here we go. 

For those who know much about the podcast I've been doing for the past 11 years-- Face Off Hockey Show-- you will know that our fan base is far and wide. One of the bigger fan bases is that of the British persuasion and I figured I would help promote their leagues (as wacky as they may be) and maybe get you to look beyond North America.

Great Britain is home of the 1936 Gold Medal Olympic winners and the main league is the EIHL, which has seen such former NHL players like Theoren Fleury (Belfast Giants), Nick Boynton (Nottingham Panthers), Eric Cairns (London Racers), and the late Wade Belak (Coventry Blaze) come over and play; though Fleury was the only one not to play during the 2004-05 NHL lockout. The EIHL allows up to 11 non-British players to be on the ice at one time, which means all imports have to have a British work permit in order to play. Sometimes they are not that easy to get, just ask Mike Danton recently. The limit was raised from 10 of 2011-12, which some people don't seem to like because of it taking a job away from a Briton. Though the league says it's to counteract the departure of top Britons to other European leagues, it stymies the attempt to produce more top-end players by taking a spot away.

Not knowing much or seeing much of the EIHL, I got the help of Anthony Russell, curator of Banners on the Wall, a blog about the Basingstoke Bison-- formerly of the EIHL and now of the EPL-- to get his take on the EIHL. Russell said that because of the influx of North American players who couldn't make it in the North American minors, the league feels more like a low-AA hockey league in North America with a lot of physical play and fighting. The 10 team league has four teams from England, four from Scotland, one from Northern Ireland, and one from Wales.

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A league lower than the EIHL is the EPL, which is a semi-pro and developmental league. Only those with European passports, residency, or of British heritage (mother or father with British citizenship) can play in this league. Those players without those key things are imports and teams can sign as many as they want. The import rule only has a team rostering four a game and three on the ice during any time of the game. Russell let me know that there is a two-minute-penalty for too many imports on the ice. About the game play, Russell said, "Because it's easier to sign Europeans, the game has a very European hockey feel to it, but also some touches of British physicality."

Another side to the EPL is the ownership situation. There's a vast difference on who owns the teams and how they could be run. Russell mentioned that the Guilford Flames are owned by a millionaire, while the Telford Tigers are owned by a trust made by fans who pay into it. If you buy one share of the team, you have a say in how they are ran.

There is another newly formed NIHL, which is a Tier 3/4 league that has a lower import rate and all of that-- but more of a development league for the EPL and then EIHL.

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The playoff system of the EIHL and EPL are kind of similar, but I'll let Russell explain as to what's the difference is when it comes to the trophy races:

Where British hockey really differs from others is the mentality over trophies. Britain is a football (soccer) country so playoffs, whilst part of hockey aren't the be all and end all. Really in British hockey, the main prize is the league title. You play your 54 game season and the team who wins the league title is generally the team regarded as the best. This is partially because that's how we're wired in Britain; anyone can win 1 or 2 games but being consistently good over 54 is what makes you good.  

Playoffs are the same for EIHL and EPL. Both are 10 team leagues so teams 1-8 qualify. Weekend after the regular season is done you have the Quarterfinals; 1st plays 8th, 2nd plays 7th etc over 2 legs (generally Saturday and Sunday) home and home, highest combined score over the two legs wins. The four winning Quarterfinalists qualify for Finals weekend the next weekend.  

The leagues hold them at different venues and generally on different weekends, the EIHL at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham and the EPL at the Skydome Arena in Coventry. Saturday, you get the two Semifinals and Sunday you get a junior game (generally, the Under-18s National Playoff Final) followed by the finalists battling it out to be playoff champs. It's different and sounds daft to North Americans but fans from all teams in the league will descend on finals weekend to meet up, watch hockey, drink themselves stupid, and have a good time. It's like a big party to end the season essentially, though many would prefer "normal playoffs" for the quality's sake but we enjoy ourselves.

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There's that-- a first look at the European side of the game. While I want to take credit-- Anthony Russell is the man. You can check out his work with writing for the Basingstoke Bison over at Banners on the Wall and check out his musings on British/European Hockey, wrestling, and other fun things in his world over at Twitter @84arussell.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Mike Bales

This week's AGM isn't one you would think of because....well it was a career marred in downside rather than upside. It wasn't until he was on another continent for him to reach a top potential. While his North American career started bad and had a few bright spots-- after he left the strain of the NHL hopes, he was able to actually show his true worth. This week, the profile of Mike Bales.

Bales started off his career with the Saskatchewan Junior League's Estevan Bruins, playing in 44 games with a 4.90 GAA; but it was good enough to get him onto The Ohio State University Buckeyes starting in the 1989-90 season where he would go 6-13-2 in 21 games. The Boston Bruins selected Bales in the fifth round, but Bales stayed with the Buckeyes for the 1990-91 season, posting an 11-24-3 record, then in the 1991-92 season; Bales put up an 11-20-5 record for the Buckeyes, leaving school after that season.

In the 1992-93 season, Bales went pro and would play mostly for the AHL's Providence Bruins as he would put together a 22-17-0 record; then going 0-2 in the playoffs, while also playing in a game for the Bruins in relief of John Blue, but did not factor in the decision. Bales stayed in Providence for the 1993-94 season, but have a dismal season with a 9-15-4 record.

Bales signed on with the Ottawa Senators in the summer of 1994 and he would be placed with the PEI Senators for most of the 1994-95 season, posting a 25-16-3 record, as well as a 6-3 playoff record, though they would lose in the division semi-finals. Bales also appeared in a relief appearance for Ottawa that season-- not a factor for the win or loss. The 1995-96 season had Bales in the carousel for the Ottawa Senators goaltending, playing 20 games while going 2-14-1 while facing a barrage of shots-against. In PEI that season, Bales lost both games he appeared in. For the 1996-97 season, Bales was in the AHL, but for the Baltimore Bandits finishing the year with a 13-21-8 record in 47 games, while losing the only game he appeared in with Ottawa.

The Buffalo Sabres signed Bales for the 1997-98 season, but would put him in the AHL for the Rochester Americans where Bales would play in 39 games and go 13-19-5 record.

Bales then moved to the Dallas Stars organization, playing for their IHL affiliate of the Michigan K-Wings starting in the 1998-99 season; posting an 11-17-3 record that season and then a 9-9-5 record in 25 games during the 1999-2000 season. The Stars moved their affiliate to the Utah Grizzlies, as Bales would play 50 games in the 2000-01 season and compile a 22-19-3 record.

With no chances in North America, Bales moved to Great Britain for the 2001-02 season with the Belfast Giants in the British Elite League, playing in 34 games, posting a 2.31 GAA, and winning Best Goaltender Award, as well as making the First Team All-Stars.

Bales would move over to Germany for the 2002-03 season for ERC Ingolstadt, playing in 23 games there, while moving to Sweden in the 2003-04 season to play with Leksands IF for another 23 games.

With the 2004-05 season, Bales went back to Germany and went to the second division Straubing Tigers where he would help them get a promotion into the Germae Elite League for the 2006-07 as Straubing won the promotion in the 2006 playoffs. Bales would leave Straubing in 2010 after playing in 250 games over six seasons. While Bales was signed by the Iserlohn Roosters for the 2010-11 season, it was only on an emergency basis and he never went over, thus ending his career.

The Pittsburgh Penguins would sign Bales to be the goaltender development coach for their AHL, ECHL, and other prospects down their pipeline. The 2012-13 season will be his second with the team.

It wasn't the most glamorous career and had many more potholes in the road rather than smooth sailing. It wasn't until he went overseas did he get his most success when he had matured more and didn't have the pressure of worrying of the shuttling back and forth from the minors to the top teams. Yet, he helped one franchise in Germany get promoted and make a name for himself enough to be a developmental coach.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Danny Lorenz

This week's AGM set records in junior and was the face of a franchise who wasn't all that good, but made a decent name for himself. However, he was drafted to a team with a wealth of goaltending prospects, which stifled his movement upward, hitting a glass ceiling in the minors. However, he did make the most of the situation and travelled the world a bit to boot. This week, the profile of Danny Lorenz.

Lorenz started his trek with the Burnaby Hawks of the BCHL in the 1985-86 season for 25 games, but would move to the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL for the 1986-87 season; posting a 12-21-2 record in 38 appearances. Lorenz got the starting role in Seattle for the 1987-88 season, playing in 62 games and compiling a 20-37-2 record. Lorenz was drafted in the third round by the New York Islanders in the 1988 Draft, but would play in Seattle for the 1988-89 season, going 31-33-4 record in 68 games, which was enough to give him Goaltender of the Year honors in the WHL. Also in 1988-89, Lorenz played in four games for the AHL's Springfield Indians, going 2-1-0. The 1989-90 season saw Lorenz finish out his time in Seattle with a 37-15-2 record in 56 games and then going 6-7 in 13 playoff games.

Upon leaving the WHL, Lorenz held the all-time saves record during their WHL career with 6,958 (since broken by Seattle's Calvin Pickard in the 2011-12 season). Sadly, he also holds the record for most career goals given up with 974. With Seattle, Lorenz still holds most games played by a goalie, but behind Pickard in not only saves, but also minutes played.

In the 1990-91 season, Lorenz joined the Islanders organization splitting time between the AHL's Capital District Islanders (5-9-2) and the ECHL's Richmond Renegades (6-9-2), while spending two games with the New York Islanders, finishing with a 0-1-0 record. The 1991-92 season had Lorenz spend most of the time with Capital District, playing in 53 games and putting up a 22-22-7 record and 3-4 in the playoffs; while also going 0-2-0 in two games with New York. The 1992-93 season, Lorenz posted a 16-17-5 record in 44 games with Capital District (0-3 in four playoff games), while going 1-2-0 in four games on Long Island; while in the 1993-94 season, Lorenz split his season between the AHL's Springfield Indians (5-7-1) and the IHL's Salt Lake Golden Eagles (4-12-0).

In the summer of 1994, Lorenz signed with the Florida Panthers--who placed him in the IHL with the Cincinnati Cyclones for the 1994-95 season, where he would go 24-10-3 in his first season and 2-3 in five playoff games. In the 1995-96 season, Lorenz went 28-12-2 in 46 games, while going 1-2 in five playoff games.

Lorenz would move to the Milwaukee Admirals for the 1996-97 season, posting a 33-27-6 record in his first season, while going 0-3 in the playoffs. During the 1997-98 season, Lorenz compiled a 28-18-4 record in 54 appearances while going 5-5 in the playoffs.

For the first part of the 1998-99 season, Lorenz went to Germany to play in 22 games for Alder Mannheim, but would return late in the season to the IHL's Houston Aeros for seven games going 3-2-2 and then appearing in one playoff game, but no decision.

It was a globe-trotting season in the 1999-2000 campaign for Lorenz, who played the majority of his season playing in the ECHL with the Tallahassee Tiger Cats, going 15-12-2 in 33 games; as well as playing in the AHL for the Rochester Americans (0-2-1) and the West Coast League's Tacoma Sabercats (2-0-0). Lorenz would stay with the Tacoma Sabercats for the 2000-01 season, posting a 23-25-6 record , then 1-2 in the playoffs.

Starting in the 2001-02 season, Lorenz went across the pond to play in the British Leagues, starting in the Elite League with the Nottingham Panthers for 46 games, then moving to second-tier league with the Guildford Flames and Newcastle Vipers in the 2002-03 season. 


Lorenz moved back to North America for the 2003-04 season to play with the Central League's New Mexico Scorpions, playing in 32 games with a 17-10-3 record. After that season, he would hang up the pads for good. 


After his playing career, Lorenz went back to where his junior career began and is now the Director of Hockey in the Kent Valley Hockey Association in Kent, Washington; which is where the Seattle Thunderbirds actually play.


While he had a late charge in juniors, the fact he was in an organization where there was a surplus of young goalies made him expendable and lost in the shuffle. While he tried to get his game back in the minors, he could never reach the brass ring that was set out for him. However, he returned to his roots and his helping out the next wave of players coming out of the Pacific Northwest. 

On the Topic Of European Hockey Fans

As I have been enthralled with the career travels of Marty Turco this year, I've been putting myself in a position to watch more European hockey, mostly Austrian. Thanks to my buddy Anthony Russell over at Banners on the Wall, I've been able to get the streaming feed. While I haven't been able to understand much of what the commentators are saying (proving that those Rosetta Stone programs will do nothing for me); the atmosphere is something that translates all over the place.

The European hockey fans are those who are actually much more into the game than their North American counterpoints. Most of them are standing up during play, the have percussion instruments and organized chants to keep the energy up, they know what to do in order to get their team going and to maybe distract the other teams. I would say they are a combination of European soccer (or football, as they call it) fans and college basketball student sections-- totally into it regardless of the score or who they are playing, as well as to know the sport on a higher level than casual.

When it comes to the North American fan-- the passion is there, you can see it on Twitter and blogs-- but the actual game atmosphere seems to fall short. I don't know what there is about fans and being as reserved as they are; but with the passion many carry for the game, I am surprised about how little that translates to the live experience. Has the game become "too corporate" that the real fans can't be rowdy as they want to be?? Does the music being at an ungodly level during stoppages kill the fans habits?? Or is it just not accepted across the board from their peers that if fans start to do something out of the ordinary-- they'll be shunned and ridiculed?? Hell, even dance teams-- which are universally shunned in NHL arenas-- are very rampant in European arenas. The common defense is that if fans need to be hyped up like that, they shouldn't be there. Well, I haven't heard much hype in NHL arenas, dance team/ice girls or not.

Regardless of the case, the joy of watching European sports is the passion of it all. Most of these cities don't have much else aside from these teams, so the hysteria could be due to a strong hometown pride to it all; but even so-- would you think that many North American fans would be proud of their teams as much?? I know a lot of minor league fans have a stark pride with their area and would defend their team to the death, as well as tracking former players who made it big and taking credit for it-- which in part they should, because they saw them from a younger age and saw them evolve.  That is a case for the European squads, who have their players who are mostly from the country they play in, take to the fans and the pride. Even the North American players who come over get entrenched in the culture and area and embrace the fans and their passion for the team-- hoping not to let them down.

I should say all North American fans are quiet-- as the US College Hockey scene does have the same atmosphere as the basketball or football counterparts at time. The student sections often have a lot of high energy during the game, as well as marching bands there to give things more of an unique feel to the game to their professional counterparts.

In the end, it's not to say that the North American fans are bad in what they do, as there are a bunch of crazies in every arena trying to hype up the rest of the crowd-- sometimes to no avail, but it just seems that the game would be so much more entertaining in the stands if you had a variety of things going on in the stands while paying attention to the game action. It would also give more of a home-ice advantage to the teams if they had their own drum corps there to hype up the crowd and team. More players may want to play in that kind of atmosphere; but it could also shy some away when it came to trades or free agency.

No clue what the point of this whole thing was.....but.....that goes for most of this blog, huh??

Absurd Goalie Monday: Rich Parent

If there's something always focused on this feature--it's the challenge of getting to the pros. With this week's AGM, he had to go through a couple junior leagues, a couple minor leagues before getting signed to a NHL contract and then all he had to take away from that was a rough injury in warm-ups no less. This week-- the profile of Rich Parent.

Parent started his journey first in the BCJHL with the Vernon Lakers in the 1991-92 season, playing in two games (0-1-0) before moving provinces and played 23 games to end that year with the AJHL's Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Parent moved to the WHL in the 1992-93 season with the Spokane Chiefs, playing in 36 games with a 12-14-2 record. In the 1993-94 season, Parent returned to the Oil Barons to play 29 games to end out his amateur career.

Undrafted, Parent went into the minor league route, signing with the Muskegon Fury of the Colonial League in the 1994-95 season; going 17-11-3 in 35 games; then going 7-3 in 13 playoff games. Parent returned to the Fury in the 1995-96 season, going 23-7-4 in 36 games-- being named the Colonial League's Most Outstanding Goalie and named to the First All-Star Team. Parent also spent time with the Rochester Americans of the AHL that season, going 0-1-0 in two games, as well as playing in the IHL with the Detroit Vipers, going 16-0-1 in 19 games. In the 1996-97 would play again for the Vipers, playing in 53 games and finishing with a 31-13-4 record, then going 8-3 in the playoffs to take home the Turner Cup for the Vipers. Parent also won the James Norris Trophy for fewest goals-against with Jeff Reese.

In the summer of 1997, Parent signed on with the St. Louis Blues, but would only make one relief appearance for the Blues. Parent spent most of the 1997-98 season with the Manitoba Moose of the IHL, going 8-12-2 in 26 games, while also playing for the Vipers, finishing with a 4-0-3 record in seven games. The 1998-99 season saw Parent split time with the Blues for 10 games (4-3-1) and their AHL affiliate Worcester IceCats for 20 games (8-8-2), but the most interesting story was during warm-ups. Parent was struck solidly by an Al MacInnis slapshot, which resulted in a ruptured testicle.

In the 1999-2000 season, Parent started off with the Utah Grizzlies, playing in 27 games with a 17-7-3 record, but while he was playing-- Parent was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning and would play 14 games for them, compiling a 2-7-1 record in 14 games, but would be sent to the IHL, again to the Detroit Vipers, finishing 3-5-1 in 10 games there.

Parent was traded twice in the summer of 2000, first to Ottawa and then to Buffalo-- but he would be a free agent at training camp and signed on with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 2000-01 season. Parent only spent seven games in Pittsburgh, as he would spend the majority of the year with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, putting up a 17-12-5 record in 35 games, then going 13-8 in the playoffs, losing in the Finals.

After that season, Parent went over to Germany to play for five seasons with four different teams-- the Iserlohn Roosters (2001-02, 2005-06), Kassel Huskies (2002-03), Eisbaren Berlins (2003-04), and the Hannover Scorpions (2004-05). He would retire after the 2005-06 season.

Parent's toils in the minors may not be that memorable to some, but that freak injury he suffered is something that could keep him on some lists of those with a morbid state of mind. He did come away with a lot of minor league hardware, but it's nothing like the big hardware he wanted to win in the NHL.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Frederic Chabot

With an unorthodox way into the NHL, this week's AGM is a guy who travelled through two major junior leagues before he was signed by a NHL team. While he did have a great career in the IHL and overseas; he got into organizations who didn't need the goaltending or didn't have the space for him to fit into. This week's AGM is Frederic Chabot.

Chabot started off in Midget AAA in Quebec with Trois-Rivieres Selects, playing in 34 games with a 25-9-0 record before moving onto the QMJHL in the 1986-87 season with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, playing in 62 games that season with a 31-30-0 record, then 2-6 in eight playoff appearances. The 1987-88 was a better on while in Drummondville, with Chabot going 27-24-4 in 58 games, but a 10-6 record in 16 playoff games; though they lost to the Hull Olympiques in the Finals. Chabot also went 0-3 in the three Memorial Cup games that Drummondville played in.

As an "over-aged" player, Drummondville waived Chabot and he landed in the WHL for the 1988-89 season, playing for the Moose Jaw Warriors, but ending his season there with the Prince Albert Raiders.

As his junior career ended, Chabot went to the IHL to play with the Fort Wayne Komets for the 1989-90 season, playing in 23 games with a 6-13-3 record. However, midway through the season, Chabot signed with the Montreal Canadiens, where they would place him in the AHL with the Sherbrooke Canadiens, going 1-1-0 in two games.

Chabot was back in the AHL for the bulk of the 1990-91 season, playing with the Fredericton Canadiens, going 9-15-5 in 35 games; also getting called up by Montreal for three games, going 0-0-1 in those appearances. Chabot was back with Fredericton in the 1991-92 season, compiling a 17-9-4 record in 30 games; then a 3-4 record in seven playoff games. Chabot also spent 24 games in the ECHL with the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds, finishing with a 15-7-2 record. The 1992-93 season had Chabot play in 45 games for Fredericton and finishing with a 22-17-4 record, then a 1-3 playoff record. Chabot racked up the travel miles for himself in the 1993-94 season, playing for Fredericton for three games (0-1-1), then moving to the IHL's Las Vegas Thunder for two games (1-1-0) and Montreal for one (0-1-0).

Chabot was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers for cash, playing in four games for the Flyers and going 0-1-1. He would spent the bulk of his time with the AHL's Hershey Bears, finishing with a 13-5-6 record in 28 games, then 7-4 in 11 playoff games. Chabot was awarded the Baz Bastien Award for AHL's Outstanding Goaltender.

Chabot signed with the Florida Panthers before the 1994-95 season, but he would play in the IHL with the Cincinnati Cyclones, posting a 25-12-7 record in 48 games, then 3-2 in five playoff games. Back in Cincinnati for the 1995-96 season, Chabot had a 23-9-4 record in his 38 games, then going 9-5 in 14 playoff games. The 1996-97 season saw Chabot play with the Houston Aeros of the IHL, going 39-26-7 in 72 games before going 8-5 in 13 playoff games. That season, Chabot was awarded the James Gatschene Memorial Trophy for IHL MVP.

The Los Angeles Kings signed Chabot for the 1997-98 season, but only played 12 games for them, finishing with a 3-3-2 record. Chabot spent the rest of the year with Houston again, finishing with a 12-7-2 record and 1-3 playoff record that season.

The summer of 1998 was confusing for Chabot-- who was claimed by the Nashville Predators in the Expansion Draft; then picked off waivers by the Kings again, finally picked up off waivers again by the Montreal Canadiens. Chabot spent 11 games with Montreal in the 1998-99 season, finishing with a 1-3-0 record in Montreal, but most of his time would be back in Houston; going 16-4-1 in 22 games there. In the 1999-2000 season, Chabot was back in Houston, playing in 62 games and finished with a 36-19-7 record and going 6-5 in 11 playoff games. Chabot racked up the awards, winning the Gatschene Trophy for MVP again, sharing with Nikolai Khabibulin, while also winning the James Norris Trophy for fewest goals against. Chabot was back in Houston in the 2000-01 season, finishing with a 23-16-5 in 47 games, then going 3-4 in the playoffs.

Starting in the 2001-02 season, Chabot moved it over season-- playing for the Nurnberg Ice Tigers from 2001 until 2004. In the 2004-05 season, Chabot moved to Austria to play with the Vienna Capitals before going back to Germany for the 2005-06 season, this time with Alder Mannheim. After that season, Chabot hung up the pads for good.

Chabot would go far from hockey, as he stayed in Europe to be the goaltending coach for AIK Stockholm (Sweden) in 2006, then over to Germany to coach for the Berlin Ice Bears, before returning to North America to be the goaltending coach for the Edmonton Oilers. Chabot has also had ties with Hockey Canada's World Junior Program.

While he did get bounced around a lot and mostly made relief duties, the time he spent in the minors allowed him to garner knowledge to pass around to the youth players coming up through the ranks and now onto the new generation of goalies in Edmonton.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Goran Hogosta

This week's AGM is a guy who didn't get much of a chance or recognition for what he did in the NHL. However, when it comes to his homeland, he was much more well-known and appreciated. Even with all of that, he did make his mark in the NHL landscape for what he did. This week, the profile of Goran Hogosta.

For his junior year, Hogosta played with HC Tunabro in his home country of Sweden. He played there from the 1971-72 season until the 1973-74 season in a total of 31 games. While in that time of playing for a junior club, he was elected to the Swedish National Team for the European Junior Championships for the 1972 and 1973 tournaments, where Sweden would capture silver in both with Hogosta getting top goaltender honors in the 1973 tournament.

In the 1974-75 season until the 1976-77 season, Hogosta played for Leksands IF in the Swedish League for 90 games, helping them boost up to the elite level of the Swedish ladder. Also in that time, Hogosta played in three World European Championships for Sweden, winning a silver and two bronze medals while going 12-5-0 combined in all three tournaments; being named top goaltender in the 1977 tournament and on the All-Star Team of that tournament, as well. Hogosta along with Hardy Astrom participated in the first Canada Cup tournament, where he would win one game in one appearance.

In the summer of 1977, Hogosta was signed by the New York Islanders and would make the team out of training camp. On November 1st, 1977-- Hogosta became the first European born and European trained goalie to play in the NHL, though he only played for nine minutes. Hogosta spent the bulk of the 1977-78 season in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, where he would play 23 games with a 6-13-2 record. Hogosta also spent time that season with the Central League's Fort Worth Texans, going 3-2-0 in five games. The 1978-79 season had Hogosta back with Fort Worth, playing in 61 games and going 25-29-4 in those games, then 1-2 in three playoff games.

In August 1979, Hogosta was traded to the Quebec Nordiques for Richard Brodeur. Hogosta played with the Nordiques for 21 games in the 1979-80 season going 5-12-3, while playing in 17 games with the Syracuse Firebirds and finishing with a 4-9-4 record there.

After that season, Hogosta went back to Sweden to play with Vastra Frolunda HC from the 1980-81 season until the 1983-84 season for a total of 116 games before he would retire at the end of 1984. Hogosta would make a short comeback in the 1986-87 season with Leksands IF for four games before retiring for good.

He may not be notable for much, but Hogosta was the man who paved the way for the European goaltenders of today. He didn't stay around for North America for long, but what he did in Sweden helped him cement his legacy in his home country by playing for them many times over and putting on a great display each time.

The Maple Leafs' European Scouting Adventure

In an interesting story, it seems that the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to expand their network even more. From the IIHF website, the Leafs and the Zurich Lions now how a working agreement and will work closely together when it comes to scouting players from the Swiss league. The Leafs also have an agreement like this with German team Alder Mannheim.

While players who are draft-eligible aren't able to be plucked by the Leafs, all players who are older than 22 can be plucked up by the Leafs if they deem them to be worthy enough. Not only that, but Zurich and Mannheim can compare notes with the Leafs about other teams and players in their respective leagues.

First, I haven't heard this happen with many other teams-- so you have to respect the Leafs and GM Brian Burke for picking up this kind of idea and running with it. Though, it should be something expected, as Burke has gone for untapped markets before, mostly the US college ranks, and work to some success. Second, with the Swiss turning out some pretty decent NHLers (Jonas Hiller and Mark Streit) and prospects (Nino Niederreiter and Sven Bartschi), it seems like it could be the next, to pull a US college sports reference, "mid-major" country to be on the big map for development. Of course, many thought that Germany was going to be the next big thing and it fizzled a bit.

Yet, at the same time-- when it comes to European, undrafted players-- it hasn't turned out completely well. Both Fabrian Brunnstrom and Jonas Gustavsson have given less than stellar returns for the hype they got, which could turn some people off. Though, Burke is a guy who can sniff out solid talent, which could make these deal work more-- especially since he'll get notes and won't have to go on some hearsay and conjecture. Even so, you have to say that the put-off of what Brunnstrom and Gustavsson have brought could make this nothing more than a place for Burke to ship high-contract, underperforming players-- but that's just me.

All in all, it's another way for the Leafs, and mostly Brian Burke, to think outside of the box of professional scouting and also getting their foot in the door when it comes to untapped marketplaces for hockey talent. If this provides nothing of substance for the Leafs-- they still made the effort that other teams could be scared to do.

Former NHLers Say "Hello MoDo"

An interesting article on IIHF.com about the hopes of a revival for one of the most recognizable Swedish Elite teams, MODO Örnsköldsvik, also know as MoDo. The point of the article was the return of some of the stars from their North American careers-- like Markus Naslund as the General Manager and Peter Forsberg as the Assistant GM, then hiring Ulf Samuelsson as the head coach. The article basically goes onward to say that it seems that the MoDo organization could be showing a bit of a North American style because of this for the upcoming season.

While the MoDo organization has been quite the factory for producing NHL players, especially with Victor Hedman and Mats Zuccarello Aasen coming out from the team most recently-- is it the best to have the North American/NHL style of play over in the European game??

Sure, there's going to be a change of pace for MoDo as they have all new management and need to get out of their funk of not making the post-season in the last three seasons and not winning a championship since 2007. Yet, is the overhaul of a system going to be the thing that makes this team have a rebound and maybe make this team a force to be reckoned with??

The style it seems that Samuelsson wants to employ is a high-paced action; which on the bigger rink could be great to the start, but if the conditioning isn't there-- the team will falter later on in the season. Plus, the type of player they're bringing in must be comfortable with the system beforehand because of the fact trying to transition to an overly offensive from maybe a more defensive-based system is a shock to the style of play.

One good thing is that it could possibly catch other teams off-guard, which would definitely be a help-- but much like the hot play of an unknown goalie in the playoffs; team may catch on, adjust, and if MoDo can't adjust properly to counteract the change of the opposition, they could very well be looking from the outside of the playoff picture once again.

It should be an interesting year for the MoDo team, with many of their legendary players coming back to be in a higher position, which also seems to be common theme for recently retired NHLers. Whether this will pay off dividends, of course, remains to be seen-- but it's a nice little something to be on the look-out for outside of the NHL storylines that will be happening.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Corrado Micalef

With the fantastic announcement that Amway will be sponsoring the Detroit Red Wings this year, we go to the Motor City. Many have said that these Wings teams were so horrific, it wouldn't have mattered who was in net. Luckily, this netminder is going to be worthy enough to be put into the AGM archives after today. This week-- the profile of Corrado Micalef

Micalef started his career with the QMJHL's Sherbrooke Castors beginning in the 1978-79 season, where he would play in 42 games, posting an 18-11-3. The starting role beckoned Micalef after that and he saw 64 games in the 1979-80 season, finishing with a 38-15-7 record; then 10-5 in 15 playoff games, placing him on the Second-Team All-Star team at the end of the season. The 1980-81 season was monumental for Micalef, as he would play in 64 games with Sherbrooke and go 35-26-3, while going 7-7 in 14 playoff games. Plus, Micalef was able to get a spot on Canada's World Juniors team, but went 1-2-1 in five games. However, the big coup came for Micalef when Sherbrooke loaned him to the Cornwall Royals for the 1981 Memorial Cup, as the Royals' goalie was injured. Micalef went 3-0 in his three games, helping the Royals win the Memorial Cup. Micalef took home the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy for top goaltender of the tournament, as well as the Memorial Cup All-Star Team, plus the QMJHL First-Team All-Star squad.

That performance allowed Micalef to get drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1981 Draft at pick #44. Micalef was thrown into the Wings cage immediately, playing in 18 games for the 1981-82 season-- however, he'd only go 4-10-1. Micalef was sent down to the AHL's Adirondack Red Wings, playing only one games in relief before being sent to the IHL's Kalamazoo Wings, playing in 20 games there. The 1982-83 season brought some more opportunities, as Micalef would play in Detroit for 34 games and have a better go by finishing with a 11-13-5 record in Detroit, while going 6-5-0 in Adirondack.

For the 1983-84 season, Micalef only saw 14 games in Detroit (5-8-1), but would get more time and a bit better performance in Adirondack, finishing with a 14-10-5 record in his 29 games down there. With that, Micalef only played on games in Adirondack in the 1984-85 season (a win) and spent most of the year with Detroit. Yet, in his 36 games that season, Micalef only went 5-19-7. The 1985-86 season wasn't much better for Micalef, as he would go 1-9-1 for Detroit in two stints-- as he would make a seven game stop in Kalamazoo and then a 25 games stop in Adirondack (12-9-0). It would be a quick 1986-87 season for Micalef in North America, as he would only play in one game for Adirondack (a loss), before leaving town.

Micalef went over to Europe and signed on for the rest of the 1986-87 season with HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the Swiss League, playing in 13 games there. While Micalef sat out the 1987-88 season; he went to the French League, playing for HC Villard-de-Lans for two seasons, then moving to HC Briancon for two seasons starting in the 1990-91 season. The 1992-93 season has Micalef go to his family's homeland of Italy to play for Vasace Hockey, but he would move on from there to HC Courmaosta for two seasons starting in the 1993-94 season.

The IHL came calling for Micalef in the 1995-96 season, as he signed with the San Francisco Spiders, playing in 18 games and posting up a 4-8-2 record. It wasn't enough to keep Micalef in North America.

The 1996-97 season has Micalef going to Germany to play in the second divison with EHC Trier for two seasons, then move to Braunlager EHC Harz for the 1998-99 season. Micalef dropped to the third division in 1999-2000 season with ESC Erfurt for two seasons, then moved to ESV Bayreuth for the 2001-02 season before hanging up the pads.

Also of note, during his European vacation; Micalef came back to North America in the summer to play for Roller Hockey International from 1994 to 1997, playing with the Montreal Roadrunners, Orlando Rollergators, and San Jose Rhinos.

Currently, Micalef stays busy with the PEI Rocket of the QMJHL as an assistant coach for them.

While his NHL was not very memorable, Micalef was able to keep plugging along over in Europe and made his way through the lower, unknown leagues and kept his passion alive. While he will be a blip on the radar of the Red Wings history, he was a part of the very lean years in Detroit-- which is a time no Wings fans want to to remember what-so-ever.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Tyrone Garner

It's rare that the AGM didn't spend his entire pro career as a goalie, but at the same time-- the story of this AGM is too good to pass up. Thanks to the suggestion from the fantastic Sasky from Australia, this week-- the profile of Tyrone Garner.

The native of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Garner began his part in Junior "B" with the Stoney Creek Spirit, going 2-7-1 in 10 games during the 1994-95 season. Garner would also spend eight games with the Junior "A" Hamilton Kitty B's, finishing with a 4.01 GAA.

The 1995-96 season saw Garner make the next step, going to the OHL's Oshawa Generals and playing in 32 games with an 11-15-4 record. That was enough for the New York Islanders to select Garner in the 4th Round of the 1996 Draft. Yet, the 1996-97 would be a rough one for Garner, as he would only play nine games with Oshawa, putting up a 6-1-0 record, then a 1-0 record in three games in the playoffs.

During that season, as well, Garner's rights, Marty McInnis, and a draft pick were traded to the Calgary Flames for Robert Reichel. Garner wouldn't make the jump to the professional ranks, as he would stay with Oshawa for the 1997-98 season, going 23-17-8 in 54 games, but then going 3-4 in seven playoff appearances. The fourth and final year of OHL play for Garner had him play in only 44 games with a 24-15-3 record with four shutouts and then going 9-6 in the 15 playoff games he appeared in. Garner got Second-Team All-Star honors from the OHL.

When Oshawa's season was done, Garner made the jump to the Calgary Flames for three games that season; going 0-2-0 in those games.

The 1999-2000 season had Garner bounce all around the minor leagues, starting off the AHL's Saint John Flames, where Garner got into 19 games with a 4-8-4 record in those games, before being loaned out to the Dayton Bombers of the ECHL, where he would play three games with an 0-2-0 record. Garner wasn't done there; being loaned out to the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL-- going 8-6-3 in 17 games then losing his only playoff appearance.

The 2000-01 season had Garner still in the ECHL, first starting off with the Johnstown Chiefs for five games (3-1-1) before moving onto the Greenville Grrrowl, where he would play in 35 games, compiling a 17-15-3 record. The Grrrowl would retain Garner for the 2001-02 season, only playing in 29 regular season games, posting a 12-12-5 record; but the playoffs were another story, as Garner put up a 12-2 record, leading the Grrrowl to the Kelly Cup championship. Garner would share the Playoff MVP with teammate Simon Gamache.

The 2002-03 season had Garner signed with the Florida Panthers. He would still be in the ECHL, but with the Jackson Bandits-- going 18-17-4 in 39 playoff games, as well as getting one game in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage, which was a loss.

With no opportunities in North America, Garner decided go overseas to Germany to play for the Stuttgart Wizards for the 2003-04 season, playing in 54 games with seven shutouts and a 2.54 GAA. The 2004-05 season had Garner only play in 39 games with a 3.04 GAA and one shutouts.

The journey continued in the 2005-06 season, as Garner went over to Norway, which would change his career forever. Garner played with Valerenga IF Oslo for 27 games with a 2.59 GAA and .914 save percent, accompanied by two shutouts. Yet, it was the playoffs that really changed Garner's career and life around.

During the league semi-finals again the Storhamar Dragons, Garner was facing a penalty shot; where the shooter severely deked Garner out, forcing Garner to over-extend his leg. The over-extension caused Garner's groin muscle to snap off the bone, leaving the goalie in severe pain and his career in peril. The doctors said he would be able to play, but he couldn't play goaltender for at least one full year.

Knowing he probably had to stay in some kind of ice shape to make a comeback, his father made a suggestion to make a move to the forward position. His size (6'0, 215) made him a natural fit for a power winger. Luckily, Garner was able to catch on with the Jacksonville Barracudas of the Southern Professional League for the 2006-07 season, putting up 12 goals and 22 points in 47 games as a winger.

While he seemed to enjoy playing forward, the bug for playing in net remained, which is why he decided that rather than perform dryland training, he would go to a place where it's winter time in summer. Garner signed on with the Brisbane Blue Tongues of the Australian Hockey League for their 2007 season to play in net for them. In the 13 games with the Blue Tongues, Garner went 8-2-2 in his return to the crease.

That fall, Garner returned to the SPHL's Barracudas as a forward and would put up 12 goals and 27 points in 41 games in the 2007-08 season. Garner used the 2008-09 season to play senior's hockey in Ontario for the Brantford Blast, putting up seven goals and 11 points in 13 games.

After that, it seems that Garner stopped playing puck-- at least in places where stats are tallied up for internet consumption.

While he took a unique route to keep playing after his career path changed, the fact he still had the wherewithal to actually continue playing hockey despite not playing in his natural position shows that you can make something out of nothing if you put your full effort into it. Plus, if nothing else-- that injury and return got him more coverage of his career than probably ever before.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Darrin Madeley

With the amount of players jumping for college hockey to the major junior route, this week's AGM didn't go that way. He had an outstanding career in college; but he wasn't a part of the trend of college goalies going on to surprise and astound in the NHL ranks. This week, the profile of Darrin Madeley.

Starting off, Madeley played in Junior "C" in Ontario with the Bradford Blues in the 1984-85 season where he played in 10 games and went 7-2-0 in ten games that season. The 1985-86 season had Madeley back in Bradford for four games, going 2-1-0; while also going up to Junior "A" with the Newmarket Flyers for three games, going 0-1-0 in those games. The 1986-87 season had Madeley move on to the Richmond Hill Dynes of the Junior "A" Ontario League, where he would play in 14 games and go 6-9-1. The 1987-88 and 1988-89 season had Madeley drop down to the Junior "B" side with Richmond Hill, playing in 59 games over those two seasons, but no record is available.

Madeley moved onto the NCAA ranks at Lake Superior State for the 1989-90 season, where he would play in 30 games and compile a 21-7-1 record, which was able to get him CCHA Second-Team All-Star accolades. The 1990-91 season was great for Madeley and Lake Superior State, as Madeley would go 29-3-3 in 36 games, while Lake Superior State would go on to win the CCHA, but go down in the NCAA Tournament. However, Madeley gathered up CCHA First-Team All-Star honors, NCAA West First-Team All-American honors, as well as NCAA All-Tournament Team honors. The pinnacle for Madeley was the 1991-92 season, where he went 23-6-4, but him and Lake Superior State went on to win the CCHA again, as well as taking the NCAA Championship over Wisconsin in the Final. Madeley again had CCHA First-Team All-Star, NCAA-West First-Team All American, and NCAA All-Tournament team for a second straight season.

Coming off the high of his performances in college, Madeley made the jump to the pros, signing with the Ottawa Senators, becoming one of the first Senators to come to the team via free agency. Madeley made two appearances with Ottawa in the 1992-93 season, losing both games; before he would be sent down to the AHL's New Haven Senators-- playing in 41 games with a 10-16-9 record on that team, which enabled him to take home AHL Second-Team All-Star honors. The 1993-94 season had Madeley stay in Ottawa for the majority of the season; being able to get into 32 games for Ottawa and finishing off with a 3-18-5 record, while going 0-4-0 in six games with the AHL's PEI Senators. The traveling for the 1994-95 season was the story for Madeley, playing in the IHL for the Detroit Vipers for nine games (7-2-0), then going to the PEI Senators for three games (1-1-1), then finishing the season with Ottawa, going 1-3-0 in five games in that season.

The 1995-96 season saw Madeley in the IHL with Detroit for the majority of the season, getting him 40 appearances and finishing off with 16-14-4 record in the end, while going 3-3 in seven playoff games. Madeley would win his only game with the PEI Senators.

Madeley signed a contract with the San Jose Sharks just before the 1996-97 season, while it landed him in the AHL with the Saint John Flames where he would play 46 games and go 11-18-11, while playing with the Detroit Vipers for four games going 2-0-0 on the season.

For the 1997-98 season, Madeley tried his hand at international play, going over to Finland to play with TPS Turku. That would only last for two games, going 1-0-0 before returning to North America. The Richmond Renegades of the ECHL signed Madeley, where he would play five games with a 1-1-0 record. Madeley went back overseas in the 1998-99 season to play in Germany for Star Bulls Mannheim for three games before returning to North America and the ECHL, but with the Pensacola Ice Pilots, going 12-16-3 in 32 games before he would hang up his pads.

After his playing career, Madeley went onto the coaching ranks, where he is the Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Hockey at Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois.

He had his success in college, but because of the whole debacle of going to an expansion team; which stifled his possible success in the professional ranks. Though you have to wonder with all the personal accomplishments, would he gives those up for team success in the pros or would he keep all of that because of what became of him when he made the move?? Maybe we'll never know.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Mike O'Neill

With the Winnipeg Jets showing their new identity, what better chance to review the career of another Jet goalie, right?? However, while most of his appearances were in relief, he did have a decent amount of time in Winnipeg. Yet, the one thing he does share with the new Winnipeg Jets-- no wins in the NHL yet. This week, the profile of Mike O'Neill.

The Montreal native forged his way with Midget AAA with the Lac St-Louis Lions starting in the 1982-83 season, playing in 20 games that season with a 7-8-5 record. The 1983-84 season saw O'Neill have a better go, finishing with a 13-7-2 record in 22 games with the Lions.

After spending a year at Lower Canada College, O'Neill moved to Yale University for the 1985-86 season. O'Neill was slowly worked in at Yale, going 3-1-0 in six games during that first season; but would get increased time in the 1986-87 season, playing in 16 games with a 9-6-1 record-- taking home ECAC First-Team All-Star honors. As he took over the starting role in the 1987-88 season, O'Neill's number slipped, going only 6-17-0 in 24 games-- but it was enough for the Winnipeg Jets to pick O'Neill in the 1988 Supplemental Draft. With a team behind him, O'Neill bounced back for his season season in the 1988-89 campaign, going 10-14-1 in 25 games, which was enough for O'Neill to get yet another ECAC First-Team All-Star honors and NCAA East First All-American Team.....though it's odd since he's Canadian.

While his college career was over, O'Neill didn't jump to the North American professional ranks right after that. Instead, he went overseas to play in Finland with Tappara Tampere in the 1989-90 season and got plenty of playing time, going 23-13-5 in 41 games, then going 3-4 in the playoffs.

O'Neill returned to North America for the 1990-91 season, starting off with the IHL's Fort Wayne Komets and playing in eight games (5-2-1) before making the move to the AHL's Moncton Hawks for 30 games and going 13-7-6 in the regular season, while going 3-4 in eight playoff games. The 1991-92 season had O'Neill traveling a lot, starting off in Fort Wayne for 33 games and a 22-6-3 record, then he would spend a game in Winnipeg, coming on in relief for a game. The end of the season had O'Neill setting in Moncton, posting a 14-16-2 record in the regular season, then went 4-7 in 11 playoff games. The 1992-93 season had O'Neill start off in Moncton, playing for 30 games with a 13-10-4 record before getting the call-up to Winnipeg-- playing in two games and going 0-0-1 before having to miss the rest of the season due to shoulder surgery in February. When O'Neill came back in the 1993-94 season, he went through another whirlwind traveling schedule, starting off in Fort Wayne and finishing with a 4-4-3 record in 11 games before he moved onto Moncton, going 8-4-0 in 12 appearances. Finally, O'Neill got the call to Winnipeg to back-up former AGMs Bob Essensa and Tim Cheveldae-- appearing in 17 games and posting up a dismal 0-9-1 record.

The 1994-95 season had O'Neill stuck in the IHL, first with Fort Wayne, playing for 28 games with a 11-12-4 record before he was traded to the Phoenix Roadrunners. With Phoenix, O'Neill had a 13-4-4 record in 21 games, then a 4-5 record in nine playoff games.

O'Neill signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and was sent to the AHL's Baltimore Bandits for the 1995-96 season. O'Neill had plenty of playing time in Baltimore, playing 74 games and finishing with a 31-31-7 record, then going 6-6 in 12 playoff games. O'Neill got a small shot with Anaheim, but came in for a game as a replacement for Mikhail Shtalenkov. O'Neill stayed in the Anaheim organization, but was shifted to the IHL and the Long Beach Ice Dogs, where he'd play 45 games and finish with a 26-12-6 record.

For the 1997-98 season, O'Neill signed with the Washington Capitals, but spent that season with the Portland Pirates-- playing in 47 games and compiling with a 16-18-10 record, then finishing with a 2-3 record in six playoff contests.

With no jobs in the 1998-99 season in North America, O'Neill had to sign in Austria with EC Villacher SV, who played in the Swiss league. He would play in 42 games and finished with a 2.46 GAA on the season.

O'Neill would return to North America for the 1999-2000 season, signing a deal with the Los Angeles Kings, but would be placed in the IHL, first with the Michigan K-Wings for four games (1-1-0), then was moved to the Long Beach Ice Dogs, where he would go 7-12-5 in 25 games, and suffer a loss in his only playoff game.

No opportunities in North America, O'Neill once again went overseas, this time with the Sheffield Steelers of the British Hockey League where he played in 30 games, finishing with a 2.39 GAA and aided the Steelers winning the B&H Cup (held at the beginning of the season), the Challenge Cup (held during the season), the League Championship, and Playoff Championship-- the Grand Slam of British Hockey championships.

O'Neill would retire after that season and his whereabouts are unknown after his retirement.

While it seemed he was able to get things going in the IHL, O'Neill's struggled in the AHL, with some fairly bad teams, and didn't get a chance in the NHL past a back-up. Though, he was able to see the world in North America and then overseas-- but just couldn't seem to get as successful in the other leagues as he did in the IHL and overseas.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Scott Bailey

While many say hockey is a game of fate, there's some who believe that it's actually a game of faith. A bad opening, sure, but I'm never good at these things. This week's AGM found that he had a higher calling for him after his time in the sun on the rink was over. This week, the profile of Scott Bailey.

Bailey started off his career in midget AAA playing for the Calgary AAA Flames for the 1988-89 season, while also playing in two games for the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors, going 0-1-0 in those games. Bailey play in the Alberta Junior League in the 1989-90 season for 17 games before moving to the WHL full-time for the 1990-91 season with the Spokane Chiefs. In that season, Bailey went 33-11-0 in 46 games, with four shutouts. However, that season, former AGM Trevor Kidd was acquired, relegating Bailey to the bench for the playoffs (in which the Chiefs won the WHL) and only getting into one game (a win) in the Memorial Cup finals-- which the Chiefs also won. Bailey was named Rookie of the Year in the WHL and named to the Second-Team All-Star roster. Bailey would be the starter for the Chiefs in the 1991-92 season, posting a 34-23-5 record in 65 games, then going 5-5 in the playoffs. It would be the second straight season Bailey would have Second-Team All-Star honors.

During the Draft, Bailey was selected in the 5th Round by the Boston Bruins. The 1992-93 season saw Bailey in the ECHL with the Johnstown Chiefs, playing in 36 games and finishing with a 13-15-3 record. Bailey would spend the majority of the 1993-94 season in the ECHL, but this time with the Charlotte Checkers, going 22-11-3 in 36 games, while also going 1-2 in three playoff games. Bailey would also get promoted to the AHL's Providence Bruins that season, going 2-2-2 in seven appearances. Providence would be Bailey's home for the 1994-95 season, with a 25-16-9 record with the P-Bruins, while going 4-4 in the playoffs.

The 1995-96 season had Bailey spend the majority of it with Providence, going 15-19-3 in 37 games, but in the middle of the season; Bailey got a call to the Boston Bruins, where he would play in 11 games and put up a 5-1-2 record. That record and a solid training camp allowed Bailey to be with Boston from the start of the 1996-97 season, however-- he would go 1-5-0 in eight games, which would see him be sent to Providence. With the P-Bruins, he would go 11-17-2 in 31 games, then 3-4 in seven playoff games.

Bailey moved to the IHL and the San Antonio Dragons for the 1997-98 season; where he would put up an 11-17-3 record in 37 contests. Bailey would be back in the IHL for the 1998-99 season, playing in 17 games with the Orlando Solar Bears, putting up a 5-7-0 record before moving to the ECHL's Birmingham Bulls for 27 games and finishing with a 16-8-2 record, then going 2-3 in five playoff games.

The start of the 1999-2000 season had Bailey play in Finland for a six game stint, going 0-4-2 with Tappara Tampere; but would be signed by the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL in December of 1999, where he would play 31 games and post a 10-16-4 record. The Checkers would loan out Bailey to the AHL's Saint John Flames for four games, where he would go 0-1-0. Bailey stayed with the Checkers in the 2000-01 season, splitting time with Jason Labarbera-- playing in 29 games and putting together a 10-12-5 record, then going 1-2 in three playoff games.

Bailey went to the extremes in the 2001-02 season, first playing a game with the London Knights in the British League, before going half-way across the globe to sign on with the Anchorage Aces of the Western Coast League for 10 games, going 1-7-1 in those games before he would hang-up the pads.

Post-hockey, Bailey worked on his college life, attending Taylor University College in Edmonton where he would earn a degree in Religion and Theology, while minoring in Biblical Languages (Greek and Hebrew). Right now, Bailey is working on his Masters in Bibical Studies at Trinity Western University in British Columbia; as well as blogging about a variety of things at Scotteriology.

As a late-bloomer, Bailey was able to mature faster into the professional game, but it seemed that one thing or another stopped his sticking power in the organization he was in; resulting in bouncing all around the globe. But, as he tells it, he's blessed to have had the chance to do what he's done.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Marco Baron

There's a lot to say about hype and getting caught into it. We all know that most of these AGMs get caught in their own hype; but this week's AGM was caught into someone else's hype, which may have stalled his own career a bit. Sure, he bounced back for a bit-- but in the end it never was the same. This week, we look at the career of Marco Baron.

Baron started out his career in the QMJHL, playing in 64 games with the Montreal Juniors in 1975-76 and 1976-77 before moving onto the Verdun Eperviers where he'd appear in 128 games in the 1977-78 and 1978-79 season. With Verdun, Baron garnered Second Team All-Star honors in 1978, as well as leading the QMJHL in shutouts, with three, in 1978-79. However, thanks to the lack of record keeping, no records are available for Baron.

After his junior career, Baron took to the pros-- being selected 99th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1979 Draft. Baron started and spent the majority of the 1979-80 season with the Grand Rapids Owls of the IHL, where he would play in 35 games before getting called up to play for the Binghamton Dusters. With the Dusters, Baron would go 0-5-0 in six games, while getting one game in Boston that season, which was a no-decision. The 1980-81 season was a tough one for Baron, who was bumped as a back-up to Rogie Vachon by US Olympic hero Jim Craig, relegating Baron to the AHL's Springfield Indians, playing in 23 games with a 12-11-0 record. Baron would get a call-up to Boston that season for 10 games, going 3-4-1 in those games and then 0-1 in his only playoff appearance that year. While Baron would start the 1981-82 season with the Erie Blades (1-1-0 in two games), the bulk of the time would be spent with the Bruins and would get a majority of the games, going 22-16-4 record in 44 games.

However, it wouldn't last for Baron, who would spend most of the 1982-83 season with the Baltimore Skipjacks of the AHL, going 8-11-1 in 22 games before being called up to the Bruins for nine games and sporting a 6-3-0 record. The 1983-84 season had Baron staying in the AHL with the Moncton Alpines going 6-7-3 in 16 games before being put on the move.

In January of 1984, Baron was dealt by the Bruins to the Los Angeles Kings for Bob LaForest. With the Kings that season, Baron would go 3-14-4 in 21 games on a very sub-par Kings team.

Baron would have a shaky 1984-85 season, playing in one game with the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the AHL for one game (no decision) before getting signed with the Edmonton Oilers. Baron would play one game with the Oilers (a loss), then would be sent down to the Nova Scotia Oilers. With Nova Scotia, Baron would play 17 games finishing with an 8-7-1 record. Also that season, the Canadiens won the Calder Cup and Oilers won the Stanley Cup; but Baron did not qualify to receive any accolades for that.

After that season, Baron would move overseas to Switzerland to play for Ambri-Piotta for seven games in the 1985-86 season before hanging up the pads for good. After his playing career, Baron stayed in Switzerland and with Ambri-Piotta as an assistant coach with the main squad and head coach for the youth and junior team squads.

While he was almost derailed by an upstart goalie, he was able to rebound nicely; though he snapped right back to the downside. He kept plugging away at it and seemed to be stuck in bad situations where he wasn't able to shine as bright as he did early on in his career. Luckily, he was able to stay into hockey after his playing career and grow the game into a developing hockey nation.