Minor League Silly Season: Aeros Flying North To Des Moines

Photo via AHL in Photos

Another week and another move in the AHL. According to the Star-Tribute (via Hockey Wilderness), the Minnesota Wild will uproot the Houston Aeros and move them to Des Moines, Iowa. The Wild have been unable to come to an agreement with the Toyota Center regarding a new lease for the Aeros, so they are moving to the Hawkeye State's capital.

With the Houston Aeros, it's a name that has been around since the WHA day of Gordie Howe and made a revitalization during the IHL years and moved over to the AHL during the absorption of the IHL. Not only that, but the fans have taken to the Aeros, as they rank 7th in the AHL in attendance this year and have been in the top-third of the attendance chart over the past few seasons. Moving the team is pretty interesting, especially considering they are in a big city and it is easier to get call-ups; like was stated in the HW piece.

As far as Des Moines goes, this is a city that had hockey from 2005 until 2009, first as the Iowa Stars from 2005 until 2008, then as the ever memorable Iowa Chops in the 2008-09 season. In an arena that has over 15,000 capacity for hockey, Iowa's highest average was over 5,100 in the 2005-06 season, then went downhill from there. Of course, this will be Iowa's closest parent affiliation they've had, which could draw road trips from Wild fans to see the next guys to come up to the MSP area.

Though, what does it mean for the Houston area and their loss of a hockey team?? To be honest, if there's an ownership group willing to hammer something out with the Toyota Center, the Central Hockey League may be the prime destination. With the CHL expanding to St. Charles, Missouri and Brampton, Ontario for 2013-14, it only seems right for them to move to a league with heavy ties to the South/Midwest.

Who knows how this will turn out for the Wild. If the move to Des Moines helps rejuvenate that market, then it's a smart move for them in the long-run and allows them to actually be able to keep a very close eye on them. Of course, if this doesn't work-- then many will wonder if the move was all worth it, especially if they have to move out of Des Moines after a few seasons.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Wayne Rutledge

As we get ready for the Stanley Cup Finals, we look at one goalie who has a strong connection with one of the teams and you could say he started the ball rolling with gathering their first win in their first game in their first season. While he wasn't around long, he cemented his spot in a short time. This week, the profile of Wayne Rutledge.

Rutledge started his venture to notoriety playing in Junior "C" with the Newmarket Flyers for the 1958-59 season, but moving onto the Junior "A" ranks with the Barrie Flyers in the 1959-60 season, putting up a 24-18-6 record in 48 games. The Flyers would move to Niagara Falls in the 1960-61 season, appearing in 47 games with a 22-20-5 record, while playing in 43 games in 1961-62 with the Flyers, but no record is given.

In the 1962-63 season, Rutledge turned semi-pro-- bouncing around a couple of leagues with the Clinton Comets in the Eastern League for five games, then four games for the Kingston Frontnacs of the Eastern Professional League (3-1-0) before settling down with the Windsor Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey Association Senior league, playing in 30 games and helping the Bulldogs to the Allan Cup Championship as best Senior League team in all of Canada. Rutledge would play 65 games for the Bulldogs in the International League, but there's no record on record.

Rutledge settled in the Central Professional League, even though he may have been bumped around for a couple team. He started in the 1964-65 with the St. Paul Rangers, where he would compile a 22-16-1 record in 39 games. As the team rebranded as the Minnesota Rangers in 1965-66; Rutledge found his niche, putting up a 34-25-11 record in 70 games, leading the league in shutouts with seven and would be named to the Second All-Star Team, as well as have the fewest goals-against for the season. The New York Rangers had a deal in place for Rutledge and would place him with the Omaha Knights in the 1966-67 season, going 36-24-10 in 70 games, garnering First All-Star Team honors for his efforts.

The Rangers left Rutledge unprotected for the 1967 Expansion Draft, where he'd be picked up by the Los Angeles Kings. Rutledge would split time with the legendary goalie Terry Sawchuk that 1967-68 season and put up a 20-18-4 record in 45 games (and 1-1 in three playoff games), including starting and winning the first game in the Kings history on October 14th, 1967-- a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers and first shutout in December of 1967 over the St. Louis Blues. The 1968-69 season saw Rutledge struggle, playing in only 17 games with a 6-7-4 record (1-3 in five playoff games), while he only appeared in 20 games in the 1969-70 season, going 2-10-1; while also making stops in AHL with the Springfield Kings for six games and the Eastern League with the Long Island Ducks for three games. The Kings placed Rutledge in the Western League for the 1970-71 season with the Denver Spurs where he would put up a 15-18-12 record in 47 games.

During the Reverse Draft, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles picked up Rutledge from the Kings where he would play the 1971-72 season-- playing 60 games with a 24-27-8 record, which was enough for Second All-Star Team honors in the Western League.

Rutledge was drafted by the Houston Aeros in the 1972 WHA Draft and would move to the WHA for the 1972-73 season, posting a 20-14-2 record in 36 games, while posting a 3-4 playoff record. Though he put up only a 12-12-1 record for the Aeros in the 1973-74 season, Rutledge was along for the ride as the Aeros won the Avco World Cup for WHA Champions. The playing time bounced back for Rutledge in the 1974-75 season; going 20-15-0 in 30 appearance, then going 14-10-0 in 24 games and 1-2 in the playoffs during the 1975-76 season. Rutledge finally got a decent chunk of time during the 1976-77 season, playing 42 games and putting together a 23-14-4 record, but would see his time drop in the 1977-78 season-- playing in only 12 games and finishing off with a 4-7-0 record.

Rutledge would leave the Aeros for the OHA with the Orillia Terriers, where he would play in 17 games before hanging up the pads for good.

Sadly, in October of 2004, Rutledge would pass away due to stomach cancer at the age of 62.

It took a while for Rutledge to get into the NHL, including a couple of off-the-map stops, but thanks to expansion-- he was able to get his shot and seal his spot in the history of an organization. When the expansion team showed their real colors, he moved to another league and tried to dazzle as much as he could. He stuck it out and made the most of this time out there.

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.