And -- exhale, Alaska Aces fans.
The ECHL club on Tuesday announced its first two signings for the upcoming season -- goaltenders Troy Redmann and Steven Summerhays.
Redmann returns after joining the Aces in the second half of last season, when they were plagued by mediocre goaltending. He was a guy whose ice hockey resume was light -- Redmann's greatest accomplishments came in roller hockey -- and from the Aces received his first chance to show whether he was a legit pro hockey backstop. The numbers say he passed the test -- for the Aces, he went 11-5-3 with a 2.78 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout after the Aces picked him up on waivers from Colorado.
Summerhays, of Anchorage, was an Aces signing last offseason. But a shoulder injury after a sterling four-year career at Notre Dame prompted surgery and a lost season. So, he's headed into his rookie season, presumably with a shot at the No. 1 job with the Aces. In 2013-14 for the Fighting Irish, Summerhays went 21-14-2, 2.04, .923, seven shutouts. He's the Notre Dame all-time leader in shutouts (13) and stands No. 2 on the school's list for career wins (57) and goals-against average (2.19) -- for what it's worth, both records belong to another goalie from Anchorage, Jordan Pearce.
In any event, the Aces are off and running with signings. Expect many more in the following weeks.
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