LaBarbera Named MeiGray Group ECHL Alumnus of the Month
Published on November 3, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release
PRINCETON, N.J. - Former Charlotte Checkers and current Hartford Wolf Pack
goaltender Jason LaBarbera is the MeiGray Group ECHL Alumnus of the
Month for October.
Selected in the third round (66th overall) by the New York Rangers in the
1998 NHL Entry Draft, the 24-year-old LaBarbera was 4-0-0 and led the
American Hockey League with a goals-against average of 1.00 and a save
percentage of .962 in October.
In 2003-04 with Hartford, LaBarbera was 32-9-9 and set an AHL record with
13 shutouts while his goals against average of 1.60 was second in league
history and his save percentage of .936 was the third best in AHL history.
He was named as the Most Valuable Player of the American Hockey League
while also being selected as the AHL Goaltender of the Year and voted First
Team AHL All-Star.
LaBarbera became the fourth ECHL player to be named AHL MVP, joining Eric
Boguniecki in 2001-02, Martin Brochu in 1999-2000, and Brad Smyth in
1995-96, and he is the sixth ECHL goaltender to be named AHL Goaltender of
the Year, joining Marc Lamothe in 2002-03, Martin Brochu in 1999-2000,
Martin Biron in 1998-99, Manny Legace in 1995-96, and Frederic Chabot in
1993-94.
In his first professional season in 2000-01 with Charlotte, LaBarbera was
18-10-7 with a goals against average of 3.20 and a save percentage of .910
in 35 regular season games and 1-1 with a goals against average of 2.09 and
a save percentage of .945 in two Kelly Cup Playoff games. In 2001-02 with
Charlotte, LaBarbera was 9-3-1 with a goals against average of 2.34 and a
save percentage of .924 in 13 regular season games and 2-2 with a goals
against average of 3.39 and a save percentage of .910 in four Kelly Cup
Playoff games.
The ECHL has affiliations with 23 of the 28 teams in the AHL in 2004-05 and
is represented in the American Hockey League coaching ranks with five head
coaches and 10 assistant coaches, working behind the bench of 15 of teams
in 2004-05.
For the 15th season in a row in 2003-04, an ECHL player was a member of the
AHL champion team. In addition to eight players, including the Calder Cup
Playoffs' Most Valuable Player Wade Flaherty, the ECHL was represented on
Milwaukee by Noel and radio announcer Kyle Schultz.
In 2003-04, there were more than 90 players on AHL contracts in the ECHL
and more than 220 players played in both the ECHL and the AHL. The ECHL had
425 call-ups, involving 234 players, to the AHL during the 2003-04 regular
season.
ECHL Stories from November 3, 2004
- Sea Wolves Shake Up Roster - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- MeiGray Group Accepting Orders For 2004-05 ECHL Game-Worn Jerseys - ECHL
- Game Preview - Vs. Alaska - San Diego Gulls
- Mississippi Announces Top Players In October - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Leafs TV To Televise Ice Pilots Games On Taped Delay Basis - Pensacola Ice Pilots
- Gladiators Road Game Changed - Atlanta Gladiators
- Falcons Set to Face-off with Former NHL Rookie of the Year - Fresno Falcons
- Bombers change Sunday game times - Dayton Bombers
- Saviano arrives from Lowell - Florida Everblades
- Ryan Finnerty Activated - Victoria Salmon Kings
- Steelheads acquire defenseman Zion - Idaho Steelheads
- Forward Hemingway Reassigned from Worcester - Peoria Rivermen
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- LaBarbera Named MeiGray Group ECHL Alumnus of the Month - ECHL
- Read To Succeed - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Florida's Surma Is Reebok Hockey ECHL Plus Performer of the Month - ECHL
- Checkers, Bobcats launch Operation Orange - Charlotte Checkers
- Condors Elect to Start Season 4-0 - Bakersfield Condors
- Aces fall in Bakersfield, 5-2 - Alaska Aces
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