Lubbock Signs First Goaltender for 02/03 Season
Published on August 14, 2002 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Lubbock Cotton Kings News Release
LUBBOCK, TX: August 14, 2002 â The Lubbock Cotton Kings of the Central Hockey League are happy to announce the signing of goaltender Mike Brusseau for the 2002/2003 season.
"Brusseau has faced adversity each year, from poor defensively minded teams to teams moving around in the middle of the season," said Cotton Kings head coach/director of hockey operations, Bill McDonald. "Last season he was to be a back-up in Tacoma, behind former Los Angeles Kings product David Goverde, but Goverde suffered an injury and Brusseau picked up the ball and ran with it, playing 25 consecutive games and leading Tacoma to the playoffs. Several contacts throughout the West Coast Hockey League have told me that Brusseau has proven he is ready to contend for a starting goaltending job."
Brusseau (brew-soh), a 25 year-old native of Detroit, Michigan, signs with Lubbock after playing last season with the Tacoma Sabercats of the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL), where he went 17-22-2 (W-L-OTL) with a 3.06 GAA and a 90.5% save percentage. He was among the WCHL leaders in goaltending, ranking fourth in saves (1168), fifth in save percentage (90.5%) and minutes (2389), third in shootout save percentage (79.2%) and seventh in GAA (goals against average) with a 3.06 GAA (led team). Brusseau also led the team in wins with 17.
The Tacoma Sabercats ceased operations at the conclusion of last season, opening the door for Brusseau to make the move to Lubbock.
In 3 professional seasons, Brusseau has built a 29-54-5 record, 3.60 GAA and a 89.9% save percentage in 97 games played. The 5'8", 180-pound netminder began his voyage to the professional ranks in high school, where he was a two-sport star (baseball and hockey) at Detroit Catholic Central. The 1994 graduate led the DCC ice hockey squad to the 1994 Michigan Class A state championship, leading himself to "Team MVP" honors and the prestigious Michigan High School Hockey's "Mr. Hockey Award." Brusseau also earned all-state honors with DCC in baseball.
He stepped into juniors after high school, joining the North American Hockey League's (NAHL) Cleveland Barons, where he earned all-star honors with a 14-8-2 record and a 3.66 GAA (ranked fourth in the league).
Brusseau's success in juniors led him to the NCAA, as he became a Michigan State Spartan. With the Spartans, he played two seasons (95/96-96/97) combining for a 2-1-0 record and a 3.67 GAA in 12 games. Brusseau left Michigan State, transferring to Lake Superior State University and was forced to sit out the 97/98 season (NCAA transfer policy). He joined the Lakers for the 98/99 season, placing together a 3-3-2 record and a 3.33 GAA in 15 games played.
Brusseau's first professional season was during the 99-00 season with the Saginaw/Ohio Gears of the United Hockey League (UHL). The team began the season in Saginaw, MI, but relocated in the middle of the season to Ohio. The changes affected the team, as the team produced a 12-57-5 record. Through it all, Brusseau remained on the squad the whole season and established a 90.0% save percentage and a 4.33 GAA, despite a 3-17-2 goaltending record (his 3 wins ranked second on the squad). Brusseau produced a career high on 3/12/00 with the Gears stopping 60 of 64 shots.
The Gears ceased operations at the end of the season, and the UHL's Dispersal Draft led Brusseau to the Mohawk Valley Prowlers (Utica, NY) for the 00/01 season, but there was more turmoil to get through. The Prowlers went on strike and ordered a work stoppage towards the end of the season, which led to the folding of the Prowlers. At the time of the strike, he was leading the Prowlers with a 3.96 GAA and with 555 saves, and ranked second on the team in wins with 5.
Brusseau left the UHL for the Central Hockey League (CHL) joining the Memphis Riverkings for 4 games. Mohawk Valley head coach Kent Hawley took over the CHL's Huntsville Tornado after the Prowlers ceased operations and collected the rights for Brusseau, who ended the season with the Tornado leading the team with a 3.12 GAA and a 90.1% save percentage.
"I am giving a chance for Brusseau to prove what he has to us," said Bill McDonald. "I am planning on having Brousseau and Neil Savary battle it out for the top goaltending job. We have offered Savary a contract to stay in Lubbock, and are now waiting for the contract to be returned. I think if we can have both Brusseau and Savary between the pipes, they will push each other all they can to both be successful."
Central Hockey League Stories from August 14, 2002
- Northern Colorado Receives CHL Club - CHL
- Van Volsen returning to Brahmas - Fort Worth Brahmas
- Lubbock Signs First Goaltender for 02/03 Season - Lubbock Cotton Kings
- Tulsa Oilers Sign Mike Johnson - Tulsa Oilers
- Blazers Add to Defensive Corps - Oklahoma City Blazers
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