Robert L. Esche is an American professional
ice hockeyIce 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...
goaltenderIn 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...
currently playing for
SCL TigersSC Langnau Tigers are a professional ice hockey team from Langnau im Emmental, Switzerland. They have played in Switzerland's top hockey level, National League A, since last promotion in 1998.-History:-Champions:*NDA Championship : 1976...
of National League A.
Playing career
Robert Esche started his career with the
Phoenix CoyotesThe 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....
, only to be traded to the
FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in a deal involving
Michal HandzušMichal Handzuš is a Slovak professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
and
Brian BoucherBrian "Boosh" Boucher is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
. He hails from
Whitesboro, New YorkWhitesboro is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. United States. The population was 3,943 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Hugh White, an early settler.The Village of Whitesboro is inside the Town of Whitestown....
, where he contributes much to the community and charitable organizations with his spare time. In 2004, he claimed the starting goaltending spot for the
FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and led them to the
NHLThe 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...
Eastern ConferenceThe Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....
Finals, only to fall in seven games to the eventual
Stanley CupThe 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...
Champion
Tampa Bay LightningThe Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
.
Esche has represented the United States in the 1997 and 1998
World Junior Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
and the IIHF World Championships in 2000, shutting out Russia in
RussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, an accomplishment he still lists as his greatest moment in hockey. He also represented the US team in 2001 and also received the starting nod at the
2004 World Cup of HockeyThe 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League -sanctioned competition eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 to September 14, 2004, and took place in various venues...
.
Esche is nicknamed "Chico" after former Flyers goaltender Glenn "Chico" Resch because his sticks are labeled R. Esche.
http://www.hockeygoalies.org/bio/esche.htmlhttp://www.nhl.com/features/east/east_notebook100405.html
Esche was named to the 2006 US Men's Olympic Hockey Team in Turin. He played one game in the Olympic tournament, losing 5–4 to Russia.
While playing in Russia for Ak Bars, he posted a record of 22–5–2 with a 2.01 GAA and a .912 save percentage along with 4 shutouts.
http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080415.wsptusworld15/GSStory/GlobeSportsHockey/home
He skated with Dynamo-Minsk during the 2010–11 KHL season. In 2008–2009 he posted a record of 21–14 with a 1.87 Goals against average, and .912 save percentage. He also posted 9 shutouts.
On June 16, 2011, the
SCL TigersSC Langnau Tigers are a professional ice hockey team from Langnau im Emmental, Switzerland. They have played in Switzerland's top hockey level, National League A, since last promotion in 1998.-History:-Champions:*NDA Championship : 1976...
announced they have signed the 33 year old Esche to a contract and will arrive in late July to start his training with the team
Esche played for the 2008 Team USA Hockey team in the World Championships which took place in Canada. He had earned some starts after sitting out the first few games, including a 42 save performance in a controversial 3–2 loss against Finland. He also posted a 9–1 victory against Norway.
Awards and accomplishments
- 1997–98
The 1997–98 OHL season was the 18th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Eighteen teams each played 66 games. The Guelph Storm won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Ottawa 67's. The Toronto St. Michael's Majors name is re-activated when they are awarded a franchise, they would play in the...
: Second All-Star Team (OHLThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
)
- 1998–99
The 1998–99 AHL season was the 63rd season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Providence Bruins finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:...
: All-Rookie Team (AHLThe 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...
)
- 2002–03: William M. Jennings Trophy
The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League award given to "the goalkeeper having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it. Winners are selected based on regular-season play." From 1946 until 1981, the Vezina Trophy had been awarded...
shared with Roman CechmanekRoman Čechmánek is a former Czech professional ice hockey goaltender. He played professionally in the United States, Czech Republic, and Germany. He was born in Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia.-Playing career:...
, PHIThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Martin BrodeurMartin Pierre Brodeur is a French-Canadian ice hockey goaltender who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils. In his 19-year tenure with the Devils, he has won three Stanley Cup championships and has been in the playoffs every year but two...
, NJThe New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(NHLThe 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...
)
- 2002–03: Yanick Dupre Memorial (Philadelphia Flyers)
- 2003–04: Pelle Lindbergh Memorial (Philadelphia Flyers)
- 2008 World Championships
The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition...
: Best save percentage (.931)
- 2008–09: Played in KHL All-Star Game
Regular season
| |
|
| Season 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/OTL |
MIN |
GA |
SO |
GAA 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% |
| 1995–96 The 1995–96 OHL season was the 16th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Seventeen teams each played 66 games. The Peterborough Petes won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Guelph Storm. The Detroit Junior Red Wings become the Detroit Whalers.-Notes:...
|
Detroit WhalersThe Plymouth Whalers are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They play out of Compuware Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, USA.-History:...
|
OHLThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
|
23 |
13 |
6 |
0 |
1139 |
71 |
1 |
3.74 |
— |
| 1996–97 The 1996–97 OHL season was the 17th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Seventeen teams each played 66 games. The Oshawa Generals won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Ottawa 67's...
|
Detroit Whalers |
OHL |
58 |
24 |
28 |
2 |
3241 |
206 |
2 |
3.81 |
.878 |
| 1997–98 The 1997–98 OHL season was the 18th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Eighteen teams each played 66 games. The Guelph Storm won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Ottawa 67's. The Toronto St. Michael's Majors name is re-activated when they are awarded a franchise, they would play in the...
|
Plymouth Whalers |
OHL |
48 |
29 |
13 |
4 |
2810 |
135 |
3 |
2.88 |
.896 |
| 1998–99 |
Phoenix CoyotesThe 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....
|
NHLThe 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...
|
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
130 |
7 |
0 |
3.23 |
.860 |
| 1998–99 The 1998–99 AHL season was the 63rd season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Providence Bruins finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:...
|
Springfield FalconsThe Springfield Falcons are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center and are the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. The Falcons' two main rivals are the Connecticut Whale and the...
|
AHLThe 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...
|
55 |
24 |
20 |
6 |
2957 |
138 |
1 |
2.80 |
— |
| 1999–2000 The 1999–2000 AHL season was the 64th season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hartford Wolf Pack finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:...
|
Springfield Falcons |
AHL |
21 |
9 |
9 |
2 |
1207 |
61 |
2 |
3.03 |
.912 |
| 1999–2000 |
Houston Aeros The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
|
IHL |
7 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
419 |
16 |
2 |
2.29 |
.922 |
| 1999–2000 |
Phoenix Coyotes |
NHL |
8 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
408 |
23 |
0 |
3.38 |
.893 |
| 2000–01 |
Phoenix Coyotes |
NHL |
25 |
10 |
8 |
4 |
1350 |
68 |
2 |
3.02 |
.896 |
| 2001–02 The 2001–02 AHL season was the 66th season of the American Hockey League. It was the season of the biggest growth in the AHL's history, as it accepted eight new teams. The demise of the International Hockey League brought six teams transferring from the defunct league, in addition to two expansion...
|
Springfield Falcons |
AHL |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
60 |
0 |
1 |
0.00 |
1.000 |
| 2001–02 |
Phoenix Coyotes |
NHL |
22 |
6 |
10 |
2 |
1145 |
52 |
1 |
2.72 |
.902 |
| 2002–03 |
Philadelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
|
NHL |
30 |
12 |
9 |
3 |
1638 |
60 |
2 |
2.20 |
.907 |
| 2003–04 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
40 |
21 |
11 |
7 |
2322 |
79 |
3 |
2.04 |
.915 |
| 2005–06 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
40 |
22 |
11 |
5 |
2286 |
113 |
1 |
2.97 |
.897 |
| 2006–07 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
18 |
5 |
9 |
1 |
860 |
62 |
1 |
4.32 |
.872 |
| 2007–08 |
AK Bars Kazan |
RSL |
18 |
— |
— |
— |
1095 |
34 |
3 |
1.86 |
— |
| 2008–09 The 2008–09 KHL season was the inaugural season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It started on September 2, 2008, and finished on February 26, 2009...
|
SKA Saint Petersburg SKA Saint Petersburg is a Russian professional ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. SKA is an abbreviation for "Sports Club of the Army"...
|
KHL The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
|
38 |
21 |
14 |
6 |
2183 |
68 |
9 |
1.87 |
.912 |
2009–10The 2009–10 KHL season was the second season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 10 September 2009 to 27 April 2010, with a break for the Olympic winter games from 8 February to 3 March...
|
SKA Saint Petersburg |
KHL |
42 |
29 |
7 |
5 |
2527 |
87 |
6 |
2.07 |
.917 |
| 2010–11 The 2010–11 KHL season is the third season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 8 September 2010 and ended on 16 April 2011.The season started with the Opening Cup game between the last season's finalists, Ak Bars Kazan and the new team that was created by merging last season's...
|
HC Dinamo MinskDinamo Minsk is an ice hockey team based in Minsk, Belarus. They are members of the Tarasov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League.Dinamo has qualified for the KHL playoffs only once, during the 2010-11 KHL season....
|
KHL |
24 |
5 |
14 |
5 |
1383 |
76 |
0 |
3.30 |
.897 |
| NHL totals |
186 |
78 |
64 |
22 |
10140 |
464 |
10 |
2.75 |
.900 |
Post season
| |
|
| Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
W |
L |
MIN |
GA |
SO |
GAA |
SV% |
| 1995–96 |
Detroit Whalers |
OHL |
3 |
0 |
2 |
105 |
4 |
0 |
2.29 |
— |
| 1996–97 |
Detroit Whalers |
OHL |
5 |
1 |
4 |
317 |
19 |
0 |
3.60 |
— |
| 1997–98 |
Plymouth Whalers |
OHL |
15 |
8 |
7 |
868 |
45 |
0 |
3.11 |
— |
| 1998–99 |
Springfield Falcons |
AHL |
1 |
0 |
1 |
59 |
4 |
0 |
4.02 |
.867 |
| 1999–2000 |
Springfield Falcons |
AHL |
3 |
1 |
2 |
180 |
12 |
0 |
4.01 |
.878 |
| 2002–03 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
1 |
0 |
0 |
30 |
1 |
0 |
2.00 |
.929 |
| 2003–04 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
18 |
11 |
7 |
1060 |
41 |
1 |
2.32 |
.918 |
| 2005–06 |
Philadelphia Flyers |
NHL |
6 |
2 |
4 |
314 |
22 |
0 |
4.20 |
.875 |
| 2007–08 |
AK Bars Kazan |
RSL |
10 |
— |
– |
609 |
25 |
1 |
2.46 |
— |
| 2008–09 |
SKA Saint Petersburg |
KHL |
3 |
0 |
3 |
185 |
8 |
0 |
2.59 |
— |
| NHL totals |
25 |
13 |
11 |
1405 |
64 |
1 |
2.73 |
.907 |
International play
Played for the United States in:
- 1997 World Junior Championships
-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-5th place game:-Bronze Medal Game:-Gold Medal Game:-Final standings: was relegated for the 1998 World Juniors-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Pool B:...
- 1998 World Junior Championships
- Quarterfinals :- Semifinals :- Placement games :- 7th place game :- 5th place game :- Bronze medal game :- Gold medal game :- Relegation round : lost the two game total goal series 17-3 and was relegated for the 1999 World Juniors...
- 2000 World Championships
-World Championship Group A :Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2001# -World Championship Group B :...
- 2001 World Championships
-Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001...
- 2006 Olympic Games
-Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and...
- 2008 World Championships
The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition...
- 2009 World Championships
The 2009 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 73rd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 46 countries participated in four levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for the 2010 competition...
External links