ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland and Labrador – The St. John’s IceCaps will have a crowded crease to begin the 2011-12 AHL season.
The IceCaps will start the new campaign with three goalies, a rarity in professional hockey. Netminders Edward Pasquale and Peter Mannino were assigned to St. John’s a week ago by the Winnipeg Jets, and on Wednesday were joined by seasoned veteran David Aebischer, who signed an AHL contract with the Jets and will report to the IceCaps in time for their season opener Friday in Providence.
The decision to send Aebischer to St. John’s leaves IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge with the task of finding a way to keep three goalies active and happy. Ice time in games and practices could be hard to come by, but McCambridge appears confident the team can make it work.
“It’s not ideal and it’s never fun for the goalies involved,” said McCambridge to the St. John’s Telegram. “But it’s what we have and we will deal with it.”
To make room for Aebischer, the IceCaps sent goalie Chris Carrozzi to the Colorado Eagles of the ECHL. Some fans in St. John’s are wondering if a trip to the ECHL is also in the works for Pasquale, a 21-year-old who needs steady playing time to develop his game.
However, Pasquale maintains he is comfortable playing in a three-goalie rotation after going through a similar situation last year while he was a member of the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.
“Last year in Chicago, we had a whole bunch of goalies and as a first-year pro I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I went in open-minded. For a while, we stuck with three goalies — me and Mannino and Drew MacIntyre — until the trade deadline, when they sent Drew Mac to Montreal so me and Mannino could play,” Pasquale told the St. John’s Telegram.
Pasquale added the important thing is to focus on his game and not worry too much about the play of Aebischer and Mannino.
“If you get your head too wrapped around that, it’s just going to affect the way you play and that gives everyone else a heads up on you,” said Pasquale to the St. John’s Telegram.
Of the three goalies in St. John’s, Aebischer is by far the most accomplished netminder. He has played in 214 NHL games during stints with Colorado, Montreal and Phoenix, and has played at the Olympics and other major international tournaments for Switzerland.
He has a Stanley Cup ring from his days in Colorado and has spent the past three years playing with Lugano in the Swiss Elite League.
Aebischer came to the Jets’ training camp on a tryout basis and earned an AHL contract with his strong play in the preseason.
“He’s a good goalie; we’ve liked him from the start,” Jets’ head coach Claude Noel told the Winnipeg Free Press about Winnipeg’s decision to sign Aebischer.
Aebischer says he is excited about coming to St. John’s, seeing it as an opportunity to get back to the NHL either with the Jets or another NHL organization.
The 33-year-old could have returned to Lugano after failing to crack the Jets’ roster, but instead decided to take his chances in the AHL.
“(Going back) was always an option because if I didn’t sign yesterday I would have to go back,” Aebischer told the Winnipeg Free Press. “But I’m happy I had a chance to sign here. I’ve heard some good things about St. John’s and I’m going to find out for myself.”
Notes: As per AHL rules, the IceCaps will carry six professional hockey veterans to open the season. Forwards Jason King, Garth Murray, Jason Jaffray and Marco Rosa and defensemen Brett Festerling and Mark Flood were awarded the veteran positions … St. John’s has returned defensemen Julian Melchiori and Cody Sol to their junior team, the Kitchener Rangers, where they will suit up as overagers … The IceCaps being the 2011-12 campaign with 25 players – 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies.
Contact Darcy.MacRae@prohockeynews.com
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