Fronts Goalie Season Preview
With One week left until training camp kicks off on September 1st, here’s a look at the Frontenacs goaltending situation as the team prepares to enter the 2010-11 season. Right off the top, the Fronts are looking to improve on last year’s fourth place finish in the Eastern Conference and eventual Game Seven loss to the Brampton Battalion. The Fronts made great strides last season, after missing the playoffs in each of the two previous seasons and they hope to improve on what was started last season.
The biggest change on the team this season will be in goal, as last season’s workhorse goaltender Tyler Beskorowany has graduated and moved up in the Dallas Stars organization and has been replaced with one of last season’s top goaltenders in defending Memorial Cup Champion Phillip Grubauer. Grubauer started the season last year with the Fronts arch nemesis, the Belleville Bulls, where he absolutely stole two games on the very same K-Rock Centre ice he will call home this season. Grubauer was dealt to Windsor near last season’s trade deadline and went on to backstop the Spitfires to their second straight Memorial Cup Championship, with a 16-2 record in the post-season. On June 28, General Manager Larry Mavety swung a deal to bring Grubauer to Kingston, as he sent a couple of prospects and a second round pick, as well as swapping European picks with the Spitfires to complete the deal. “We feel we have a very competitive hockey club this year and when the opportunity to add a goaltender of his caliber came about, we did what we had to do to get him,” said Mavety.
The Frontenacs have recently moved veteran goaltender John Cullen to the Sarnia Sting, which opens the door for 2009 fourth round pick Franky Palazzese to jump in as the team’s second goaltender. Palazzese saw two games last season, but stared at times throughout the year with his tier two junior “A” Markham Waxers team. Franky was 12-8-2-1 with two shut-outs last season and had an incredible stretch in the playoffs that saw him win four straight games and allow just two goals over nearly 207 minutes of action. Palazzese will be looking to prove that he is the goaltender of the future for the Frontenacs.
The team also has goaltenders Nathan Perry (2009 8th Round), Matthew Wintjes (2009 13th Round) and this year’s draft picks Craig Wood from Elgin Middlesex and Blake Richard from Hamilton in the system.
The Fronts appear to be strong in goal and as is the case in any level of hockey, solid goaltending is the foundation of success and the Fronts feel they have a good situation not only this season, but moving forward.
