Over the last five or six months I’ve been quietly developing a Hockey Division for Dynasty. In that short amount of time, I have been able to help advise some very good hockey players; built relationships with minor, junior, major junior, college, and pro coaches; and seen some quality hockey.
I was also given the opportunity to help out a goalie who found himself without a team after training camp. A few nights ago this goalie, Jimmy Spratt, made his debut in the East Coast Hockey League (two leagues under the NHL) for the Las Vegas Wranglers. Spratt has had somewhat of a rough go since the end of his collegiate career last April. He was drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2004, but wasn’t signed by the Flames after four years at Bowling Green State University. The Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL signed him last summer, but then released him after training camp. At this point he was a free agent and anxious to get on the ice and start his professional career.
After a couple weeks of hard work on the phones and email, I found him a spot with the Louisiana Ice Gators of the Southern Professional Hockey League. Over the course of those couple weeks, though, I put his name and information in front of several coaches who said they may be interested in him in the future. That future came this past Saturday in a game between the Wranglers and Bakersfield Condors. Spratt stopped all 31 shots to lead the Wranglers to a 4-0 win in front of 6,333 fans in Bakersfield. He was also named first star of the game.
His athleticism and hard work will take him a long way, which you can see for yourself below: