Aeros sign G Mike Brodeur; Taffe, DiSalvatore sign with Hershey

The Aeros are reporting on the Twitter that they have signed goaltender Mike Brodeur to an AHL contract. Brodeur was with the team late last season to back up Matt Hackett while Darcy Kuemper was laid up from shoulder surgery.

It was apparent the team was impressed with the veteran netminder at the time, especially given how little he'd played all season (like, virtually none at all, coming off hip surgery, if I remember correctly).

Interesting tie-ins with the Wild/Aeros organization this guy has: Remember the big equipment van fire the Wild had a few years ago in Ottawa? Brodeur was the winning goalie in net for the Senators in the game the following night where much of the team was wearing borrowed or brand new gear and Wild equipment manager Tony DaCosta was wishing he'd become an accountant or something.

Then, year before last, he was with the Binghamton Senators, starting the season in Bingo backing up Robin Lehner. Then he got hurt very early and Brusty basically took his job, and then got on a roll and had that awesome season, while Brodeur sorta toiled in obscurity trying to find a toehold back into the organization and get healthy.

Then, last season, when the Wild were basically down to one NHL-contracted goalie, they unearthed Brodeur and he took the bull by the horns and impressed the right people.

Now it will be interesting to see if the organization plans on Kuemper and Hackett sharing the load in Houston or putting Kuemper in Orlando to see 40 shots a night, ECHL-style. Either way, Brodeur is great insurance for the inevitable goalie injuries that will come down the pipe this season.

(And BTW, from what I understand, he is a very very distant relation to the quite a bit more famous New Jersey Devils Brodeur, but don't quote me on it.)

UPDATE: The Hershey Bears have reportedly signed both Jeff Taffe and former Aeros Captain Jon DiSalvatore to AHL contracts. Kinda thought Sal might be back, but alas.

The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass every day

Fear not, gang. These Aeros are good enough to right the ship. Andrew predicted 7 games and I think we might just get them yet.

But this was an ugly loss and Milwaukee could smell the blood in the water, and chomping limbs off their weakened prey is exactly how this team wins its games.

I thought the Aeros looked tired in the second period. Like they were gassed, but had absolutely no reason to be. That's the bit I can't explain.

I know folks are wanting to get on Hackett pretty hard, but I just can't join you. I mean, you hope he gets a few that he shouldn't but I didn't feel like any of those goals were a result of a lack of effort on his part. Maybe I'm looking through sympathetic goalie eyes, but I know tough situations when I see them and most of those were tough situations.

Now, I don't want to get called a "retard who's never played the game" in the comments again *ahem* for writing about the psychology of goaltending (even though I personally am the biggest goddamn headcase goalie I know, and if there's a way to fuck it up mentally, I've done it... multiple times), but when your team is playing like shit in front of you, it's going to affect your game.

Most goalies don't actually get BETTER when suddenly the wheels come off their team after they've been dominating for a period, and Hackett is no exception.

Frankly, kudos to the kid for not getting rattled and continuing to play his game and not getting sucked into the emotional roller coaster that the rest of the team was on. He stayed focused and aggressive, and correctly covered the shooter on those odd-man rushes and too often, his defense wasn't there to pick up the pass.

I was more annoyed by the repeated trips behind the net to settle the puck when there was an Admiral in close pursuit of the Aero he's settling the puck for. I guess you have to choose your approach there and stick with it, but I don't like it. Too often, he was having to scramble to get back and I think it's introducing unnecessary risk.

What was super cool were those few outlet passes he made to spring the offense without them having to wade through Milwaukee's stifling forecheck. We haven't seen much of that from him yet and I'm glad we're seeing it now. I think it's a great tool to have when your team is struggling to get possession in the offensive zone. Plus it reminds me of Brusty, which warms my Brusty-lovin' heart.

I guess my point on Hackett is that this was a team loss. The guys in front of him were soooo unfocused in the final 40 minutes, while Hackett kept his shit together and did his job. If Hack were half as unfocused as the rest of the team, it would have been 10-3.

So there. #GoaliesRuleSkatersDrool

Aeros vs. Admirals - 2/22/11

Some pre-game thoughts I would like to share with you ...

I sent a note over to Mike Yeo asking if he'd tell me who he planned to start in goal tonight against the Admirals. If I were lucky enough to make such decisions, I go with Hackett. He has been decent of late, and I would like to see how the kid performs in a third straight, high-pressure situation.

But that is not the main reason I want to see him. I don't want Anton on the ice on the other side of the Milwaukee Admirals. His luck against Milwaukee has been atrocious. Sure, he won four of seven in the playoffs in 2009. I give him credit for that. He was very good in the four wins (4 GA), but he was very poor in the three losses (the Aeros were outscored 16-4).

I am sure Yeo knows this, but Anton has just one win in eight regular-season appearances against the Admirals (1-5-1-1). That victory came via shootout earlier this year. But most of these seven losses were not exactly HIS fault. In his last six regular season appearances against Milwaukee, the Aeros have scored just five regulation goals. That is why I say he has just had incredibly bad luck against Milwaukee.

Now for some good news: in four of those losses, Dekanich has been the opposing goalie. That guy will be in Columbus tonight for the Blue Jackets' game against Nashville. The Admirals have to choose between a guy that literally stole two points from the Aeros last Friday (Jeremy Smith) and a guy that has played just four times since the middle of December (Anders Lindback).

My rotation for the Aeros this week would be Hackett tonight and Saturday; Anton Friday and Sunday.

I just got a note from Yeo; Anton is getting the nod tonight against the first-place Admirals. To be fair, he has played well against Milwaukee. He has never allowed more than three goals against them in the regular season and six of the eight have been decided by one goal. History suggests that he'll win if he allows one or fewer. He better be on his game tonight.