First game in AHL, NHL’s minor league, for French goalkeeper Tom Aubrun

Since the start of the season in early February, Aubrun has oscillated between a few matches in the East Coast (third North American level after the NHL and AHL) and regular backup with the franchise of the Rockford IceHogs (development team of the Chicago Blackhawks) in AHL. .

During the match against Grand Rapids, Tom Aubrun (25) took his place normally on the bench, witnessing the sinking of his team and his goalie Collin Delia, used to the NHL, during the second half. Delia conceded four goals in eight minutes (7-1 for Grand Rapids).

Less than one goal conceded per game for his last year at university

Coach Derek King then asked the Frenchman to step onto the ice and replace Delia. The first few minutes were complicated to say the least, as Aubrun had to seek the puck in his nets twice in less than three minutes.

But the rest of the game was more in favor of Aubrun who conceded no more and ended the game with 17 out of 19 saves for a final loss 9-4.

Tom Aubrun has had an atypical career to say the least. Left to join the second American university level in 2016, in Norwich Uni (Vermont), the guard trained in Haute-Savoie achieved four excellent years at university. The last one was so uplifting (in 27 matches, he turned 0.77 goal conceded per game and 96.7% saves, extremely rare statistics over the whole of a season for a goalkeeper) that ‘AHL became interested in his case. And that’s how he signed for Rockford this summer.

Rockford, in bad shape at the start of the season (1 win for 8 losses), faces Iowa Wild on Saturday.