Goalie Maxime Gingras has taught youngsters how to play his position for five off-seasons but his main concern now is teaching opponents it'll be difficult to score on the Mobile Mysticks.
The 22-year-old lefty was traded to the Mysticks from the East Coast Hockey League's Richmond Renegades early last month for future considerations.
He's compiled a 6-3-1 record with his new team, with a 2.84 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.
Gingras is a 5-foot-6, 160-pound Canadian who grew up in Quebec City and began playing competitive hockey by age 7. His original position was at center but he has strictly worked between the pipes since he turned 10. "I was 9-years-old and the team captain when our goalies were struggling so I tried it for a practice," Gingras said. "It turned out that I was pretty good as a goalie and the year after decided to be a goalie all the time."
He eventually competed for three years at the major junior level and then went to camp with the Kalamazoo franchise of the International League before he was reassigned to the ECHL's Dayton Bombers.
Gingras was waived by Dayton because it already had two goaltenders under contract but wound up signing a two-way contract with the IHL's Orlando Solar Bears and ECHL's Richmond Renegades.
Richmond had played about three games in the 1998-99 campaign when Gingras arrived and put together the best season of his career as he compiled a mark of 30-13-3 and then went 12-5 in the playoffs.
The honors he received that season included ECHL Goalie and Rookie of the Year and he was a starter in the All-Star Game. Gingras also set ECHL single season records for goals-against average (2.26) and shutouts in both the regular season (seven) and playoffs (five).
"I was just so consistent that year," Gingras said. "It was just a magical year."
He was also struck in the face and broke a finger as the result of a puck that flew into the bench area. He now always wears his protective head gear when in the rink area even when he sits on the bench.
Gingras led the Renegades to the seventh and deciding matchup of the Kelly Cup Finals that year before one-time Mysticks center Kevin Hilton scored the game-winner in double-overtime for the Mississippi Sea Wolves.
"I cannot be negative because everything was so positive that season," Gingras said. "It was just a great game and series but we had our chances. For example, we missed an empty netter that would have been the game."
Last year, Gingras spent about 50 games on the roster of the American Hockey League's Providence Bruins but only played in 15 of those contests and posted a 3-9-1 record. He also was sent down several times to Richmond and had a brief stint with the International Hockey League's Houston Aeros.
Gingras didn't find it tougher competing in the AHL because the plays were easier to read.
"Of course the shots are a little bit better and faster but I don't have a lack of speed in my game so it wasn't bad that way," Gingras said. "I didn't feel that I belonged with Houston because the average age of the players was about 30."
Gingras isn't sure why the Renegades traded him to Mobile but he is enjoying playing regularly against clubs from the ECHL's Southern Conference.
"I had a great month of December and they gave a few reasons for the trade in Richmond but I didn't feel like those were the real reasons," Gingras said. "Being in the South the game is different because it's a little more open with more chances to score. It's not playing the trap all the time or dumping so I have to use my speed a little more, which I like."
Gingras was 11-5-3 with the Renegades this season with a 3.24 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage.
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