Anchorage Daily News

Not to put too fine a point on the continuing journeys of Chris Holt -- motto: Have goalie pads, will travel -- but at one point this season his various possessions were scattered in Anchorage, St. Louis, Peoria and Omaha.

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Thus it came as no great shock in the preseason last month when he settled into his Anchorage apartment just in time for the inevitable to strike.

"I had just literally hung up my last shirt and sat down on the couch, and the phone rang,'' Holt recalled.

Of course it did. His phone always rings.

The call, which come in October, informed Holt that he was being promoted from the ECHL's Alaska Aces to the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League.

Later, he was promoted to the St. Louis Blues of the NHL, which secured him a one-year NHL-AHL contract. Then he was sent back to Peoria. Then last week, back to Alaska -- well, sort of. He hooked up with the Aces while they were playing a series in Victoria, British Columbia.

And so continues the odyssey of Chris Holt. He is just 23, just starting his fourth season as a pro. Yet the former sixth-round draft pick of the New York Rangers already has pulled over his considerable shoulders (he's 6-foot-3, 221 pounds) the sweaters of six clubs -- the Rangers and Blues of the NHL, the Hartford Wolf Pack and Rivermen of the AHL, and the Charlotte Checkers and Aces of the ECHL.

"I think it's up to 34 transactions in three seasons,'' said Holt, who recently Googled himself to get the lowdown. "This season is 15 games old and I've got five transactions, so I'm keeping pace.''

Complicating matters is that Holt's family is in Omaha, where he and his wife, Stacey -- that's Saint Stacey -- have a new home. The couple met in Omaha when Chris, who is from South Surrey, B.C., played college hockey for Nebraska-Omaha. Stacey, who is in Nebraska with the couple's 4-year-old daughter, Skylar, is expecting a boy in January.

Holt said his wife is a rock and has grown more accustomed to his travels during the last dozen or so transactions.

"The first 20, she was a little rattled,'' Holt said.

It pays to have a sense of humor when you're the guy easily nicknamed "Suitcase.'' Another quick packing of bags and pass through airport security is always just a phone call and a cab ride away.

"I'll play for whoever will have me,'' Holt said.

At the moment, that's the Aces, who open a three-game California road trip tonight in Stockton.

Complicating Holt's early season has been his lack of game action. For all that traveling, which was prompted by goalie injuries throughout the Blues organization, he played just two games, winning both for Peoria.

When he started for the Aces in a 3-1 loss at Victoria last Friday, it was his first game in 26 days. Even so, he stopped 36 of 38 shots (Victoria sealed victory with an empty netter).

"A strong performance,'' said Aces coach Keith McCambridge. "He deserved (the start) the next night. I thought, 'Let's look long-term and bring him into the team and make him feel part of the team.' ''

Last Saturday, Holt turned aside 43 of 46 shots in the Aces' 4-3 overtime win over the Salmon Kings.

"There's a lot of pressure when you haven't played in a long time,'' Holt said. "You're expected to perform when you've got nothing in your pocket.

"I've had more than my fair share of chances to do that. I've always seemed to do well in that situation.''

Holt's return gives the Aces a dynamic goaltending tandem. When Holt was in the AHL and NHL, rookie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux played every second of the Aces' first 14 games and posted excellent numbers -- 11-2-1 with a 2.26 goals-against average and .932 save percentage. Holt is 1-1 with a 2.47 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

"This team is sitting on a gold mine,'' Holt said. "When I was gone, Phil played absolutely fantastic.''

With the usual goaltending glut in the Blues system -- in Peoria are former Aces tender Marek Schwarz, a first-round draft pick, and rookie Ben Bishop, a third-rounder -- Holt understands why he's the odd man out even though he posted better numbers than those two for the Rivermen. The Blues, Holt said, explained they have considerable investments in Schwarz and Bishop.

"I appreciate their honesty, and I understand it and respect it,'' Holt said. "I'm waiting. I always say I'm the goalie in the weeds, just waiting for someone to stumble.''

In the meantime, he should get steady work with the Aces.

Still, a change in scenery is always just a phone call away.

"If the past is any indication, I'll be out of here in a week,'' Holt said with a laugh. "I'll be on my merry way.''

Shuffling the deck

Defenseman Corbin Schmidt did not make the trip after suffering a sprained ankle in last Saturday's overtime win in a 4-3 overtime win. Through Wednesday, Schmidt was tied for eighth in league scoring among defensemen with 2-8--10 totals in 14 games.

Rookie winger Erik Felde, who has an extensive background as a defenseman, will move to the blue line in Schmidt's absence.

Through Wednesday, defenseman Matt Shasby still led the league's blueliners in scoring with 5-12--17 totals in 16 games.

Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.

ALASKA ACES

12-3-1

at

STOCKTON THUNDER

6-8-3

WHEN: Tonight, 6:30 AST

WHERE: Stockton Arena (cap. 9,737), Stockton, Calif.

RADIO: Live, AM-750 KFQD

TRENDS: Tonight's game opens a three-game California road swing that includes games Sunday (4 p.m. AST) and Monday (6 p.m. AST) at the Ontario Reign.

In Stockton, the Aces face former Alaska winger Ryan MacMurchy, who owns 5-4--9 and plus-5 totals in 11 games. Another local connection is Stockton rookie winger Garet Hunt, the brother of UAA defenseman Trevor Hunt. Garet owns 3-6--9 and plus-6 totals in 15 games.

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