Bob Essensa
Encyclopedia
Robert Earle Essensa is a Canadian
retired professional ice hockey
goaltender
who spent 12 seasons in the National Hockey League
. Currently, he serves as the goaltending coach for the Boston Bruins
.
, 69th overall, by the Winnipeg Jets
after dominating Junior B hockey in the Toronto area. Following the 1983 Draft, Essensa played for Michigan State University
and posted an overall record of 62–13–2 in his four years at Michigan State. He named the CCHA First Team All-Star his sophomore year and won the CCHA and NCAA
Championships with Michigan State in his Junior year. He graduated as the school's all-time leader in GAA and shutouts, although both records have since been broken.
, Essensa made his NHL debut during the 1988–89 season, and posted a 6–8–3 record in 20 games. His workload increased to 36 games in 1989–90, and he took over as Winnipeg's starting goaltender the following season. For four seasons, he was a workhorse for the Jets, averaging nearly 60 games per year.
Essensa and the Jets suffered through a dismal 1993–94 campaign, struggling to the second-worst record in the league next to the expansion Ottawa Senators
. However, fortune seemed to deal him a break as he was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings
at the trade deadline. A legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup
, Detroit had been let down in previous seasons by poor goaltending and Essensa, just two years removed from his Vezina nomination and a college star in the area at Michigan State, was considered an ideal solution. However, it proved to be a disaster as he posted a disappointing 4–7–1 record down the stretch and struggled in the playoffs, ultimately being usurped by rookie Chris Osgood
.
Things went from bad to worse for Essensa in 1994–95, as Detroit acquired star veteran Mike Vernon to partner Osgood. In the span of a few months, he went from a legitimate NHL starter to Detroit's 4th-string goalie, as the team preferred to call up prospect Kevin Hodson
when insurance was needed. Exiled to the minors, he spent the next two seasons in the International Hockey League, and his NHL career seemed all but over.
Essensa finally escaped the Red Wings organization when he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers
for the 1996–97 season. He spent the next two seasons backing up Curtis Joseph
for the Oilers, and although his workload was limited behind one of the top goalies in the league, he re-established himself as a solid NHL goaltender and an above-average backup. When Joseph left Edmonton as a free agent in 1998, Essensa's responsibilities increased, as he split the goaltending duties evenly in 1998–99 with the newly-acquired Mikhail Shtalenkov
. While neither goalie performed poorly, it represented a significant drop-off from Joseph and the team eventually acquired Tommy Salo
late in the season to take over as the starter.
For 1999–2000, Essensa signed with the Phoenix Coyotes
. The move represented a homecoming of sorts, as the Winnipeg Jets had moved to Phoenix in 1996, and gave him an opportunity to extend his franchise records for games played and wins by a goalie. Ironically, he was again partnered with Shtalenkov in Phoenix, and the tandem perhaps unsurprisingly failed to deliver much better results. Shtalenkov was dealt mid-season in a deal for Sean Burke
, and Essensa finished the season as Burke's backup, posting a solid 13–10–3 record in 30 games.
Essensa was on the move again for the 2000–01 campaign, this time signing with the Vancouver Canucks
to back up Félix Potvin
. 'Backup Bob' quickly became a fan favourite in Vancouver, as he outplayed the highly-paid Potvin by a wide margin. He was cheered wildly in most appearances by Canuck fans who were frustrated that the struggling Potvin continued to get the majority of the team's starts while Essensa, playing his best hockey in nearly a decade, was clearly giving the team a better chance to win. Ultimately, Potvin was shipped out of Vancouver and replaced by Dan Cloutier
, and Essensa and Cloutier split the goaltending duties as the Canucks were knocked out of the playoffs by the Colorado Avalanche
. Essensa finished the year with an 18–12–3 mark in 39 appearances, his highest win total since 1994.
After Vancouver somewhat controversially failed to give him a serious contract offer, Essensa signed with the Buffalo Sabres
for the 2001–02 season. However, he was unable to recapture his heroics of the previous year, posting an 0–5 record in 9 appearances for the Sabres before retiring at the conclusion of the season.
Essensa finished his career with a 173–176–47 record in 446 career NHL appearances, along with 17 shutouts and a 3.15 GAA. He has served as the goaltending coach for the Boston Bruins
since 2003. Bob Essensa got his name on the Stanley Cup with Boston Bruins
in 2011.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
retired professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
who spent 12 seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. Currently, he serves as the goaltending coach for the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
.
College career
Essensa was selected in the fourth round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft1983 NHL Entry Draft
The 1983 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, on June 8, 1983. The NHL Entry Draft is the primary means by which players arrive in the National Hockey League. The St. Louis Blues did not participate in this draft, shortly after the league blocked the franchise's...
, 69th overall, by the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
after dominating Junior B hockey in the Toronto area. Following the 1983 Draft, Essensa played for Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
and posted an overall record of 62–13–2 in his four years at Michigan State. He named the CCHA First Team All-Star his sophomore year and won the CCHA and NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Championships with Michigan State in his Junior year. He graduated as the school's all-time leader in GAA and shutouts, although both records have since been broken.
Professional career
After spending his first professional season entirely in the AHLAmerican Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, Essensa made his NHL debut during the 1988–89 season, and posted a 6–8–3 record in 20 games. His workload increased to 36 games in 1989–90, and he took over as Winnipeg's starting goaltender the following season. For four seasons, he was a workhorse for the Jets, averaging nearly 60 games per year.
Essensa and the Jets suffered through a dismal 1993–94 campaign, struggling to the second-worst record in the league next to the expansion Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. However, fortune seemed to deal him a break as he was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
at the trade deadline. A legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
, Detroit had been let down in previous seasons by poor goaltending and Essensa, just two years removed from his Vezina nomination and a college star in the area at Michigan State, was considered an ideal solution. However, it proved to be a disaster as he posted a disappointing 4–7–1 record down the stretch and struggled in the playoffs, ultimately being usurped by rookie Chris Osgood
Chris Osgood
Christopher John Osgood is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He's currently ranked tenth in wins in NHL regular season history with 401 career wins. He spent the first part of his 17-year NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, then the New York Islanders and the St. Louis...
.
Things went from bad to worse for Essensa in 1994–95, as Detroit acquired star veteran Mike Vernon to partner Osgood. In the span of a few months, he went from a legitimate NHL starter to Detroit's 4th-string goalie, as the team preferred to call up prospect Kevin Hodson
Kevin Hodson
Kevin Hodson is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender. Hodson played professionally in the NHL and AHL before ending his playing career in the Finnish SM-liiga in 2003–04....
when insurance was needed. Exiled to the minors, he spent the next two seasons in the International Hockey League, and his NHL career seemed all but over.
Essensa finally escaped the Red Wings organization when he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
for the 1996–97 season. He spent the next two seasons backing up Curtis Joseph
Curtis Joseph
Curtis Shayne Joseph is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League....
for the Oilers, and although his workload was limited behind one of the top goalies in the league, he re-established himself as a solid NHL goaltender and an above-average backup. When Joseph left Edmonton as a free agent in 1998, Essensa's responsibilities increased, as he split the goaltending duties evenly in 1998–99 with the newly-acquired Mikhail Shtalenkov
Mikhail Shtalenkov
Mikhail Alekseyevich Shtalenkov is a former amateur and professional ice hockey goaltender. He played extensively in his native USSR and Russia for HC Dynamo Moscow and in North America, seeing time with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes and Florida Panthers. He was...
. While neither goalie performed poorly, it represented a significant drop-off from Joseph and the team eventually acquired Tommy Salo
Tommy Salo
Tommy Mikael Salo is a Swedish General Manager of Swedish ice hockey club Leksands IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan. He is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender and a former head coach of IK Oskarshamn.-Playing career:...
late in the season to take over as the starter.
For 1999–2000, Essensa signed with the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
. The move represented a homecoming of sorts, as the Winnipeg Jets had moved to Phoenix in 1996, and gave him an opportunity to extend his franchise records for games played and wins by a goalie. Ironically, he was again partnered with Shtalenkov in Phoenix, and the tandem perhaps unsurprisingly failed to deliver much better results. Shtalenkov was dealt mid-season in a deal for Sean Burke
Sean Burke
Sean Burke is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Los Angeles...
, and Essensa finished the season as Burke's backup, posting a solid 13–10–3 record in 30 games.
Essensa was on the move again for the 2000–01 campaign, this time signing with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
to back up Félix Potvin
Felix Potvin
Félix "The Cat" Potvin is a former National Hockey League goaltender.-QMJHL career:From 1988 through to 1991 Potvin played with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team...
. 'Backup Bob' quickly became a fan favourite in Vancouver, as he outplayed the highly-paid Potvin by a wide margin. He was cheered wildly in most appearances by Canuck fans who were frustrated that the struggling Potvin continued to get the majority of the team's starts while Essensa, playing his best hockey in nearly a decade, was clearly giving the team a better chance to win. Ultimately, Potvin was shipped out of Vancouver and replaced by Dan Cloutier
Dan Cloutier
Dan Cloutier is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender. In his 10-year National Hockey League career, Cloutier played with the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, and Los Angeles Kings, spending the majority of his career in Vancouver...
, and Essensa and Cloutier split the goaltending duties as the Canucks were knocked out of the playoffs by the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
. Essensa finished the year with an 18–12–3 mark in 39 appearances, his highest win total since 1994.
After Vancouver somewhat controversially failed to give him a serious contract offer, Essensa signed with the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
for the 2001–02 season. However, he was unable to recapture his heroics of the previous year, posting an 0–5 record in 9 appearances for the Sabres before retiring at the conclusion of the season.
Essensa finished his career with a 173–176–47 record in 446 career NHL appearances, along with 17 shutouts and a 3.15 GAA. He has served as the goaltending coach for the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
since 2003. Bob Essensa got his name on the Stanley Cup with Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in 2011.
Regular season
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA Goals against average Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender.... |
SV% Save percentage Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–84 | Michigan State Spartans Michigan State Spartans The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white... |
CCHA | 17 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 947 | 44 | 2 | 2.79 | |
| 1984–85 | Michigan State Spartans | CCHA | 18 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 1059 | 29 | 2 | 1.64 | |
| 1985–86 | Michigan State Spartans | CCHA | 23 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 1333 | 74 | 1 | 3.33 | |
| 1986–87 | Michigan State Spartans | CCHA | 25 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 1383 | 64 | 2 | 2.78 | |
| 1987–88 1987–88 AHL season The 1987–88 AHL season was the 52nd season of the American Hockey League. Fourteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The league abandoned shootout, but continues to award points for an overtime loss... |
Moncton Hawks Moncton Hawks The Moncton Hawks were a professional ice hockey team based in Moncton, New Brunswick. They played in the American Hockey League between 1987 and 1994 operated as a minor league affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. Home games were played at the Moncton Coliseum... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
27 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 1287 | 100 | 1 | 4.66 | .863 |
| 1988–89 | Winnipeg Jets Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
20 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 1102 | 68 | 1 | 3.70 | .882 |
| 1988–89 | Fort Wayne Komets Fort Wayne Komets The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010... |
IHL | 22 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 1287 | 70 | 0 | 3.26 | |
| 1989–90 1989–90 AHL season The 1989–90 AHL season was the 54th season of the American Hockey League.Fourteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Sherbrooke Canadiens repeated finishing first overall in the regular season... |
Moncton Hawks | AHL | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 358 | 15 | 0 | 2.51 | .917 |
| 1989–90 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 36 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 2035 | 107 | 1 | 3.15 | .892 |
| 1990–91 1990–91 AHL season The 1990–91 AHL season was the 55th season of the American Hockey League. Fifteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Moncton Hawks | AHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 125 | 6 | 0 | 2.88 | .889 |
| 1990–91 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 55 | 19 | 24 | 6 | 2916 | 153 | 4 | 3.15 | .898 |
| 1991–92 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 47 | 21 | 17 | 6 | 2627 | 126 | 5 | 2.88 | .910 |
| 1992–93 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 67 | 33 | 26 | 6 | 3855 | 227 | 2 | 3.53 | .893 |
| 1993–94 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 56 | 19 | 30 | 6 | 3136 | 201 | 1 | 3.85 | .883 |
| 1993–94 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 777 | 34 | 1 | 2.63 | .899 |
| 1994–95 | San Diego Gulls | IHL | 16 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 919 | 52 | 0 | 3.39 | .900 |
| 1995–96 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 45 | 24 | 14 | 5 | 2529 | 122 | 1 | 2.89 | .912 |
| 1995–96 1995–96 AHL season The 1995–96 AHL season was the 60th season of the American Hockey League. The AHL expands by two teams and realigns into two conferences, and four divisions. The Northern Conference includes the North and Atlantic Divisions... |
Adirondack Red Wings Adirondack Red Wings The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League... |
AHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 178 | 11 | 0 | 3.71 | .879 |
| 1996–97 | Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
NHL | 19 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 879 | 41 | 1 | 2.80 | .899 |
| 1997–98 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 16 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 825 | 35 | 0 | 2.55 | .913 |
| 1998–99 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 39 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 2091 | 96 | 0 | 2.75 | .901 |
| 1999–2000 | Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.... |
NHL | 30 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 1573 | 73 | 1 | 2.78 | .898 |
| 2000–01 | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
NHL | 39 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 2059 | 92 | 1 | 2.68 | .892 |
| 2001–02 | Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
NHL | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 350 | 17 | 0 | 2.91 | .850 |
| NHL totals | 446 | 173 | 176 | 47 | 24215 | 1270 | 18 | 3.15 | .895 | ||
Post-season
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–90 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 4 | 2 | 1 | 206 | 12 | 0 | 3.50 | .880 |
| 1991–92 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 5.45 | .824 |
| 1992–93 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 6 | 2 | 4 | 367 | 20 | 0 | 3.27 | .891 |
| 1993–94 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 109 | 9 | 0 | 4.95 | .791 |
| 1994–95 | San Diego Gulls | IHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 59 | 3 | 0 | 3.05 | |
| 1995–96 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 5 | 2 | 3 | 298 | 12 | 0 | 2.42 | |
| 1997–98 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 2.31 | .909 |
| 2000–01 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 122 | 6 | 0 | 2.95 | .897 |
| NHL totals | 16 | 4 | 9 | 864 | 51 | 0 | 3.54 | .876 | ||