Yardbarker: David Aebischer

Anderson Building Fan Following In Denver

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:44:59 -0500

from Tim Wharnsby of CBC, Craig Anderson hasn’t made the Colorado Avalanche faithful forget about the heroics of hall of famer Patrick Roy, but the new netminder has eased the pain. After Roy closed his career in 2003, David Aebischer, Jose Theodore and Peter Budaj took turns trying, but failed to adequately replace the four-time Stanley Cup champion. The 28-year-old Anderson is only 11 games into his tenure with the Avalanche — but so far, so good. He has not only won a place i...

If Huet bombs, do the Blackhawks have other options?

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:17:13 -0500

There was always a chance that Cristobal Huet(notes) would end up being the major story of the Chicago Blackhawks' season, as either the goalie who back-stopped them to a championship or as the anchor who weighed down an all-star roster.The problem is that Huet is the major story of the Chicago Blackhawks' season on Oct. 19, eight games into the season. In some ways, his struggles are ahead of schedule: More than a few pundits and fans that have Committed To the Indian this season hav...

Craig Anderson’s Avalanche mask design

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:38:43 -0500

Here it is, snapped from a few different angles this morning on the iPhone. There is what seems to be some kind of “Abominable Snowman” theme to it. He’s got his “Andy” nickname on the back. David Aebischer, if I recall, had a similar creature on his mask. Enjoy: This is a little how I felt upon waking [...]

10 Awesome Goalie Fights

Fri, 08 May 2009 10:24:06 -0500

Manny and steroids? Brett Favre and Minnesota? Yawn. Goalies punching each other in the face? Yes! If, for some reason, you have an aversion to things that are awesome, go ahead and don’t watch these gladiators in full armored regalia engage in ten of the awesomest goalie fights you’ve ever seen:

A Great Start to the Week

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:45:59 -0500

Most people don't usually like Monday's but Maineiacs fans will have a smile on their face heading to work. They don't have to worry about Garrett Clarke. Will he sign with us or will he be heading to the Fargo Force? There will be no going on the internet when the boss isn't looking to check blogs, message boards, or newspapers on the latest news on a 15 year old. The soap opera ended before it..

Lease on the Crease: Week 2 Goalie Report

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 01:07:49 -0500

In his weekly analysis of who has the "Lease on the Crease," FIO staff writer Greg Gibeault discusses various goalie battles around the NHL. Check back each and every week to find out about developments in goalie situations around the league.

NHL Preview: Western Conference Pacific Division

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 03:17:08 -0500

Wrapping things up, FIO staff writer Tim Hays previews this year's Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Included in this article are: team reviews with outlooks and transactions, fantasy studs, fantasy duds, and fantasy sleepers for each team. Start getting that hockey mind working with this preview!

Phoenix Coyotes Sign David Aebischer

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:42:32 -0500

The Phoenix Coyotes sign David Aebischer to a year-long contract. The financial terms were not disclosed. After being hailed as the heir apparent to Patrick Roy only to be traded away to the Montreal Canadiens (subsequently losing his job with the Canadiens late last season), Aebischer has the unique opportunity to realize his earlier potential without major media scrutiny and with fans who want him to do well. However, if he is unable to succeed in the Valley, any future opportunity to resurrect his career will be a longshot at best.

More on Goaltending

Sun, 17 Jun 2007 21:06:18 -0500

There are two important dates in the off-season that gets the speculators going and they are the NHL Draft (which is Friday) and July 1st, the date that the teams begin shopping the Unrestricted Free Agent market to find that particular player to help their teams become better hockey clubs. When Phoenix Coyotes hired General Manager Don Maloney, he stated that he wanted a goaltender to most likely replace Curtis Joseph (who is an Unrestricted Free Agent, but has indicated he would like to stay in Phoenix) or to initiate competition with Mikael Tellqvist, the goaltender acquired by the Coyotes in the Tyson Nash trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs back in November. Backup goaltender Martin Gerber has been mentioned as potential trade to upgrade the goalie position, but there are other possibilities as well. If the Coyotes wish to acquire a quality goaltender through the free agent market, the question now becomes the price and the expected return. In the free agent market, there may be some goaltenders available. One goalie of interest could be David Aebischer, the one time backup to Patrick Roy. Tagged as the heir apparent to arguably one of the best goaltenders of all time, the pressure was too much for Aebischer to handle when he took over in Colorado after Roy retired and was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. Aebischer did start off strong in the opening of last season for the Canadiens only to run cold allowing Cristobal Huet to take over. When Huet went down with his hamstring injury, instead of having Aebischer to return to his position, Jarosalv Halak was called up to help the Canadiens team compete for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With Huet coming back from injury and Halak stepping up for the Canadiens hockey team, Aebischer is left alone and resigning with the team is unlikely. Should the Coyotes take a chance on David Aebischer or look elsewhere? Aebischer has the numbers for a solid goaltender. Since his arrival in the NHL, he has a 2.51 GAA with a .912 save percentage and has been ranked among the top ten goaltenders in the NHL. The only concern is that Aebischer is a streaky player prone to running cold at the wrong times. If this is a mental challenge for him, the Coyotes have a goaltending coach in Grant Fuhr that could help him with that aspect of the position. In addition, the Coyotes also have Mikael Tellqvist that can step in and do the job if Aebischer falters. His one year deal last season was worth $1.9 million. It may be worth it to give Aebischer a chance away from the spot light of the Colorado Avalanche and the Montreal Canadiens in the quiet desert of the Phoenix Valley.