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Pielmeier Becomes 463rd ECHL Player to Reach NHL

February 21, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. ‚¬" Former Bakersfield Condors and Elmira Jackals goaltender and 2010 ECHL All-Star Timo Pielmeier became the 463rd player to play in the National Hockey League after the ECHL when he made his debut with the Anaheim Ducks in a 9-3 loss to St. Louis on Saturday.

The 21 year old made seven saves on 12 shots in 40 minutes of playing time for the Ducks whose lineup also included former ECHL players Francois Beauchemin and George Parros. Former ECHL coach Dave Farrish is an assistant coach with the Ducks.

The Jackals are the ECHL affiliate of the Ducks and the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. Former ECHL player Mark Holick is the head coach of the Crunch.

Pielmeier appeared in 57 games for Bakersfield in 2009-10 posting a 27-22-5 record, a 3.29 goals-against average and a save percentage of .882 and on Dec. 19, 2009, became just the 10th goaltender in ECHL history to score a goal in a 6-4 win at Utah. He made 12 saves on 14 shots during the second period of the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario. A third round selection (83rd overall) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Pielmeier began this season with Syracuse, posting a 10-14-1 record in 27 games with a 3.33 goals-against average and a save percentage of .901. He appeared in two games for Elmira earlier this month going 1-0-1 with a 3.37 goals-against average and an .873 save percentage.

Twenty ECHL players have made their NHL debut this season: former Idaho Steelheads goaltender and 2010 ECHL All-Star Richard Bachman (Dallas on Dec. 11), former Las Vegas Wranglers right wing Adam Cracknell (St. Louis on Dec. 15), former Cincinnati Cyclones goaltender Mark Dekanich (Nashville on Dec. 18), former South Carolina Stingrays left wing Stefan Della Rovere (St. Louis on Dec. 1), former Phoenix RoadRunners center Andrew Desjardins (San Jose on Jan. 3), former Cincinnati Cyclones goaltender and 2007 ECHL All-Star Cedrick Desjardins (Cincinnati on Dec. 30), former Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies and Idaho Steelheads defenseman Brian Fahey (Washington on Oct. 16), former South Carolina Stingrays goaltender and 2010 ECHL All-Star Braden Holtby (Washington on Nov. 7), former Texas Wildcatters left wing Matt Kassian (Minnesota on Nov. 5), former Ontario Reign center Dwight King (Los Angeles on Nov. 17), former Utah Grizzlies goaltender Mikko Koskinen (New York Islanders on Feb. 8), former Phoenix RoadRunners and Utah Grizzlies goaltender Nathan Lawson (New York Islanders on Dec. 18), former Trenton Titans defenseman Olivier Magnan (New Jersey on Oct. 22), former Trenton Devils center Brad Mills (New Jersey on Oct. 30), former South Carolina Stingrays center and two-time ECHL All-Star Travis Morin (Dallas on Jan. 26), former Johnstown Chiefs and Cincinnati Cyclones forward Chris Mueller (Nashville on Dec. 28), former Bakersfield Condors and Elmira Jackals goaltender and 2010 ECHL All-Star Timo Pielmeier (Anaheim on Feb. 19), former Alaska Aces right wing Ryan Reaves (St. Louis on Oct. 11), former Reading Royals and South Carolina Stingrays goaltender and 2009 Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player James Reimer (Tortonto on Dec. 20) and former Victoria Salmon Kings defenseman Yann Sauve (Vancouver on Feb. 15).

There have been 55 players from the ECHL All-Star Game who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League including 39 since 2002 when the lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level.

Pielmeier is the third player to play in both the ECHL and NHL in 2010-11 joining Mike Brodeur with Elmira and Ottawa and Yann Sauve with Victoria and Vancouver.

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