With only 60 or so jobs available, life isn’t easy for the types of goalies who aren’t automatic $5 million+ starters. Just look at the careers of guys who had some low moments but actually put together solid numbers like (don’t laugh ... too much) Roman Cechmanek. He had a few shaky moments after being productive - including, get this, a damaging stint with the Los Angeles Kings - and then he rapidly fell out of the NHL just like that.
Another Kings goalie seems like he’s on his way out, possibly to the KHL, as Rich Hammond reports that Erik Ersberg cleared waivers today. Since he left the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs without permission, the Kings can also terminate his contract.
Kind of a bummer, but Ersberg must not feel very confident about his future with the team with the two Jonathans (Quick and Bernier) ahead of him on the depth chart and each player being quite a bit younger than him.
Ersberg never made much of an impact in the NHL, but he received a genuine chance to put something together. He played 11 games last season (4-3-2) after getting a big chunk of starts (28, going 8-11-5) in 2008-09.
Good luck to Ersberg, as he’s likely to ply his trade overseas after falling short of the mark in the NHL.