Absurd Goalie Monday: Roberto Romano

This week's AGM is a guy who almost gave up before his career was able to take off. With the pressures of a young starting goalie in a certain market, it was almost too much for this week's goalie-- but he was able to level himself off a bit and made a decent career for himself. This week, the profile of Roberto Romano.

Romano started off in the QMJHL playing for the Quebec Remparts in the 1979-80 season, going 20-14-3 in 52 appearances, then 1-2 in the post-season. During the 1980-81 season, Romano would play in 59 games for Quebec and post an even 24-24-2 record (1-2 again in the post-season), while playing only one game for Quebec in 1981-82, which was a loss. Romano was traded during that season to the Hull Olympiques and played in 56 games and finished with a 34-17-2 record and then 6-7 in the playoffs.

As an undrafted goalie, Romano finished his junior career as a free agent. The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Romano before the 1982-83 season, playing most of that time in the AHL with the Baltimore Skipjacks. With Baltimore, Romano went 19-14-3 in 38 games, then finishing with an 0-3-0 record with the Penguins that season. For the 1983-84 season, Romano went an impressive 23-6-1 with Baltimore before being called up to the Penguins and going 6-11-0 in 18 games. It wasn't a stellar 1984-85 season, as with Baltimore, Romano posted a 2-8-2 record; but in Pittsburgh-- the record of 9-17-2 was enough to make Romano think about retiring after that season.

Trying to earn his teammates and his organizations trust back, Romano fought back in training camp and was somewhat better in the 1985-86 season, finishing with a 21-20-3 record. It was a hectic split season in the 1986-87 season for Romano, spending five games in Baltimore (0-3-0) while also spending 25 games in Pittsburgh (9-11-2) before adding some other destinations to his resume.

On February 6th, 1987, Romano was traded to the Boston Bruins for Pat Riggin. Romano played one game in Boston that season (a loss) and appeared in relief for one game with the team's AHL affiliate, the Moncton Golden Flames, but didn't figure in the decision. The 1987-88 season saw Romano play for the Maine Mariners for 16 games and ended up with a 5-8-1 record.

After that season, Romano went international and went to Italy to play. From the 1988-89 season until the 1992-93 season; Romano played with HC Merano, HC Bolzano, HC Milano Saima, HC Milano, and Romano gained his Italian citizenship; which allowed him to play for Italy in the 1992 World Championships.

Returning to North America in the 1993-94 season, Romano signed again with the Penguins and knew that the IHL's Cleveland Lumberjacks would be the destination of choice. With Cleveland, Romano went 2-7-2 in 11 games; but due to injuries, Romano was called up to Pittsburgh for two games and went 1-0-1 in that times. After that season, Romano hung up the pads.

For a player who was on a subpar team and almost quit because he wasn't playing up to snuff-- Romano was able to actually rebound (all things considered) and make a steady career for himself. It also allowed him to actually get outside of North America and experience his Italian heritage side and representing that nation.

Absurd Goalie Monday: Mario Brunetta

This week's instalment has quite the interesting route to gain some kind of success. While he did have a chance in the the pros, he plied his trade more over in the Europe-- while helping grow sport in one of the unknown spots of European hockey. This week, the profile of Mario Brunetta.

Brunetta started his career off in the Quebec Midget AAA ranks with the Ste-Foy Gouverneurs starting in the 1982-83 season, playing in 22 that season with a 17-4-1 record and 4-1 in five playoff games, while in the 1983-84 season, Brunetta went 11-23-4 in 39 games, but 8-3 in the playoffs.

Brunetta made the move to the QMJHL in the 1984-85 season with the Quebec Remparts, going 20-18-1 in 45 appearances, then 0-2 in the playoffs. Brunetta was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1985 NHL Draft, but the 1985-86 season moved Brunetta to the Laval Titan, playing in 63 games and finishing with a record of 30-28-1 while going 9-5 in 14 playoff games. Back with Laval in the 1986-87 season, Brunetta compiled a 27-25-4 record in 59 games and an 8-6 record in 14 playoff games.

The 1987-88 season bumped Brunetta to the pro ranks, mainly with the Nordiques, finishing with a 10-12-1 record in 29 games that season, while also spending time in the AHL with the Fredericton Express going 4-1-0 in five games there. The bulk of the 1988-89 season for Brunetta was spent in the AHL with the Halifax Citadels, going 14-14-5 in 36 games while going 1-3-0 in five games with the Nordiques. Brunetta stucks with Halifax for the majority of the 1989-90 season, finishing with a 8-14-2 record in 24 games, but then getting the called from the Nordiques to play in six games with a 1-2-0 record.

During the summer of 1990, Brunetta was released by the Nordiques. Without a contract in North America, Brunetta went overseas to Italy to play for HC Asiago, playing in 93 games from the 1990-91 season until the 1992-93 season. Brunetta went onto play for SG Milano Saima for the 1993-94 and 1994-95 season, spanning 29 games. The 1995-96 season had Brunetta play in 40 games for Varese Hockey.

Starting in the 1996-97 season, Brunetta went over to Germany to play for EHC Eisbaren Berlin for three season until the 1998-99 season for 111 games, getting them to the Finals in 1998, but losing in the championship game. Brunetta moved to Sweden for the 1999-2000 season, playing 28 games for Frolunda before he would go back to Germany in the 2000-01 season with ERC Ingolstadt, which would last for two seasons for 86 games, where he would put up seven shutouts in that time. Brunetta moved back to North America to play 10 games for the Quebec Semi-Pro League's Quebec Aces, going 3-4-0 before hanging up his pads.

During his playing tenure, Brunetta played for Italy in international competitions, as he got Italian citizenship when playing overseas. He played in three World Championships for Italy in 1995, 1998, and 2002-- going 1-3-1 in eight games played. He also played for Italy in the 1998 Olympics, losing the only game he played in.

Not the most orthodox career path, but Brunetta found a way to actually get himself into international play when he probably wouldn't have otherwise. While he did get pushed out of the way in Quebec, he didn't give up and probably helped out some of the programs in Italy grow because of his experience in the NHL.