Brian Eklund

Brian Eklund (born May 24, 1980 in Braintree, MA) was a professional ice hockey player. He is currently retired from pro hockey. He was a goalie.

Playing career

After 4 stellar seasons are Brown University, he signed a 2-year rookie contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL. He was then assigned by the Lightning to the Pensacola Ice Pilots of the ECHL. In his first season with the Ice Pilots (02–03), he was the back up to Maxime Gingras. He played in 19 games and posted a 10–6–0 record with a 3.66 GAA and a .896 SV%. When the Ice Pilots concluded their season after being eliminated in the playoffs, he was called up to the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. He appeared in one game allowing only one goal and getting the win.

In the 03–04 campaign, Gingras did not return to Pensacola leaving the #1 goalie slot open for contest. Brian battled fellow Lightning prospect Evgeny Konstantinov for the #1 slot. He easily won the job. He appeared in all but 10 of the Ice Pilots 72 regular season games. This feat ranks in second overall in the ECHL for games played in a season. [http://echl.com/upload_images/RegularSeasonIndividiualRecords.pdf PDF showing ECHL Individual Regular Season Records] ] As the top goalie, he shone even though the team lacked defense at times. He finished the season with a 38–17–7 record with a 3.01 GAA and a .921 SV%.

In 04–05, Eklund spent the whole season with the Falcons, after signing a new 1-year deal with the Lightning. He played 43 games going 14–23–0 with a 3.01 GAA and a .911 SV%. The team struggled that year notching only 24 wins in 80 games for a record of 24–53–3.

In 05–06, Brian was the back up goalie behind both Jonathan Boutin and Gerald Coleman at different times of the season. He also played two games for the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL. This was, however the season he was called up to the NHL to play his first and only NHL game. He allowed 3 goals and made 16 saves in 58 minutes of play. Unfortunately, he lost the game. He was traded to the Boston Bruins of the NHL who then assigned him to their AHL team, the Providence Bruins where he played 12 games going 3–6–1 with a 3.52 GAA and a .870 SV%.

After the season, he decided to quit hockey and get a "real job".

Post Playing Days

Eklund is currently the director of Newton Youth Hockey's Goaltending Focus with Brian Eklund. [http://www.newtonyouthhockey.com/index.html?action=&league_id=&team_id=&news=full&newsID=1170945931 Goaltending a Focus - Brian Eklund] ] His real job isn't just NYH'S Goaltending Focus, as he has now started his own goaltending school, and he works with goalies at Global hockey in Rockland MA.

Records, Awards, and Accolades

* Brian was awarded a Stanley Cup Championship Ring as he was the Tampa Bay Lightning's 3rd goalie during the teams 2004 playoff push
* Brian set the following records:
** Minutes played in one season (3,724)blah]
** Saves in one season (2,194)blah]
** Most saves in playoff game (83) (2–1 2OT loss to Louisiana) [http://echl.com/upload_images/PostseasonIndividualRecords.pdf PDF showing ECHL Individual Playoff Records] ]

*Brian tied the following records:
** matching the record for wins in a season (38)blah]

External links

* [http://www.begoalie.com BEGoalie.com]
*
* [http://www.geocities.com/eksfiles30/ "Brian Eklund: Eks Files"; A fan site]

Notes