Robert Esche
American goaltender who led Flyers to 2004 Eastern Conference Finals.
Robert L. Esche, an American former professional ice hockey goaltender, now serves as president of both the Utica Comets in the AHL and Utica City FC in the MASL. His NHL career spanned eight seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes and Philadelphia Flyers.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Goaltender
- Catches
- Left
- Born
- 22 January 1978
- Birthplace
- Whitesboro, New York, U.S.
- Draft
- 139th overall
- Drafted by
- Phoenix Coyotes
- Played for
- Phoenix Coyotes
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Ak Bars Kazan
- SKA Saint Petersburg
- Dinamo Minsk
- SCL Tigers
Facts from the source article.
Playing career
Robert Esche broke into the NHL with the Phoenix Coyotes, but a trade that sent Michal Handzuš and Brian Boucher to Philadelphia brought him to the Flyers. By 2004, he had seized the starting job in net and carried the team to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they fell in seven games to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. During his time with Ak Bars Kazan in Russia, Esche put up a 22–5–2 record, a 2.01 goals against average, a .912 save percentage, and four shutouts. He later played for Dinamo Minsk in the 2010–11 KHL season; the year before, in 2008–09, he posted a 21–14 mark with a 1.87 GAA, .912 save percentage, and nine shutouts. On June 16, 2011, the 33-year-old signed with the SCL Tigers, appearing in 40 games and finishing 15–25 with a 3.05 GAA and .898 save percentage.
International play
Robert Esche’s international career for the United States began at the World Juniors in 1997 and 1998, and he later appeared at the 2000 IIHF World Championships, where he shut out Russia on Russian ice—a feat he still calls his proudest hockey moment. He suited up for the U.S. again in 2001 and was the starting goaltender at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Selected for the 2006 Olympic team in Turin, Esche played a single game, a 5–4 loss to Russia. At the 2008 World Championships in Canada, he sat out the early games before earning starts, including a 42-save effort in a disputed 3–2 loss to Finland, and also recorded a 9–1 win over Norway.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Robert Esche born?
Robert Esche was born on 22 January 1978 in Whitesboro, New York, U.S.
Which teams did Robert Esche play for?
Robert Esche played for Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Ak Bars Kazan, SKA Saint Petersburg, Dinamo Minsk and SCL Tigers.
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