| | It is hard to tell who would be happier if Martin Brochu makes it to the NHL.
Would it be the Portland Pirates goaltender at finally getting out of the American Hockey League, or AHL shooters at finally not having him around to turn their best shots into another save?
In this his seventh season in the minor leagues, the 26-year-old Brochu has established himself as the best goalie in the AHL. Through this season's first 50 games he led the league in GAA (2.11) and wins (25-9-5). He was second with three shutouts, third in overall saves and third in save percentage at .926. Brochu was the most dominant player in the recent AHL All-Star Classic, stopping 23 of 23 shots for Team Canada in the first period.
With expansion looming again, it is hard to imagine there won't be a spot for Brochu somewhere in the NHL, although there are no guarantees, which he has found out through the years.
"Timing is a big part of it," he said. "I believe I can play up there. I just need a chance."
|  | | Ottawa's Ron Tugnutt is one of several standout goalies to come through Portland. Could Martin Brochu be next? |
For Brochu, shutouts have been easier to come by than chances in the NHL. He started in the Montreal organization and played there for almost three years before being traded to Washington just before the 1995-96 Calder Cup playoffs, where he excelled for Portland. He has been in the Capitals organization ever since, but has played just two games in the NHL for Washington.
"I've been with Washington for five years," said Brochu, who will be a free agent at the end of the season. "I really didn't get my chance, and I don't know if I will. This year, they could have given me my chance, but they traded to get (Craig) Billington, so I don't really know if I'll get it with them."
The scouting report on Brochu is that he is durable and dependable. He is technically very solid and rarely makes a costly mistake or gives up a soft goal. At 5-foot-11, he's not huge, but Brochu plays his angles so well that he takes up a lot of net. There have been many great goalies pass through Portland on their way to the NHL. Olaf Kolzig, Byron Dafoe, Jim Carey and Ron Tugnutt played for the Pirates. Pete Peeters, Pelle Lindbergh and Bill Ranford played for the old Maine Mariners. The time may be coming to add Brochu's name to the list.
Notes from the IHL
The IHL will use the two-referee system in 26 of its remaining regular-season games. One of the first places it was tried was Cleveland, where, after a loss, Lumberjacks defenseman Ted Crowley said, "One referee is bad. Two referees are twice as bad." Crowley's teammate, Jock Callander, had moved to within four points of the league scoring record by the weekend.
Tampa Bay sent veteran Rich Parent to Detroit to tend goal for the struggling Vipers. Parent turned in a 1-0 shutout in his first start, which is not unusual for Parent. He had a shutout for St. Louis in his first NHL start last year, and a 1-0 shutout in his first start for the Blues farm team in Worcester that same season.
Michigan has its new coaching staff in place with Jim Playfair in charge and former NHL veterans Mark Hunter and Craig Ludwig as assistants. The K-Wings went 3-2-2 in their first seven games under Playfair.
Only two of the league's 13 teams are under .500. Both clubs, Michigan and Detroit, are in the Eastern Conference.
Well-traveled goalie Mike Buzak joined Milwaukee. Buzak, whose contract belongs to New Jersey, is on his fourth team this season. He has played for Albany in the AHL, Augusta in the ECHL and Utah and the Admirals in the IHL.
Kansas City, which went 7-2-1 in its most recent 10 games, signed forward Greg Bullock, a former Hobey Baker Award finalist, as a free agent. Bullock was in Germany last year and played for Lowell of the AHL and Michigan of the IHL this season.
Notes from the AHL
Teams who play Philadelphia should be advised to not fire until they see the eyes of the Whites. The Phantoms got Todd White from the Flyers after they swung a deal with Cleveland of the IHL. He joined Peter White, the AHL's active scoring leader. Peter has 51 points in 50 games. Todd went 4-6-10 and plus-9 in his first five games down. No matter how many Whites the Phantoms have, Steve Washburn has been their best player. Washburn is an amazing plus-32 in 34 games.
Syracuse, which had a humiliating 1998-99 season, continues to be the league's most improved team. The Crunch put together a six-game winning streak, tying a franchise record. They won four of those games on the road and two in overtime. Crunch goalie Christian Bronsard is 1-5-6 offensively this season, one point away from tying the league record for points by a goalie. At this pace, Bronsard will never be caught by Albany winger Carlyle Lewis, who is 0-0-0 in 44 games so far.
Marty Reasoner's recall to St. Louis leaves a huge hole in the Worcester offense. The IceCats score 3.5 goals a game with Reasoner in the lineup. They have scored four goals total in the four games he's missed.
Grant Fuhr gave up 10 goals on 62 shots in a futile two-game rehab stint with Saint John. He had to leave after two periods in an 8-2 loss to Syracuse in which Flames defenseman Jeff Staples was minus-6.
Bill Ballou covers professional hockey and baseball for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. | |
ALSO SEE
The Minors: Callander misses mark
The Minors: Druken the real deal
The Minors: Expansion lessens
The Minors: Dionne the best vet
The Minors: Ex-Olympian LeBlanc's career
The Minors: Campbell home to save career
The Minors: Tselios learned from Chelios
The Minors: Isles' Luongo worthy of pick
 |
