The usual hunt for hockey talent for next month's world championship in Halifax and Quebec City has turned upside down.
European teams used to wait for the NHL season to end before pursuing countrymen to stock their national sides. This time, the United States has reached across the ocean to pluck its goalie from the Russian Super League, former Phoenix Coyote and Phladelphia Flyer Robert Esche.
Esche, 30, a member of the 2006 U.S. Olympic team, appeared in 29 games for Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian Super League in 2007-08. He posted a 22-5-2 record, 2.01 goals-against average and .912 save percentage, while posting four shutouts.
Esche will share the goaltending duties at the May 2-18 world championship with Craig Anderson of the Florida Panthers.
Ak Bars (Snow Leopards) is one of the European hockey operations NHLers know best. When the 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled because of the labour lockout, Ak Bars went all out in buying up talent in a bid to win the Super League. Eleven NHL players were signed up, including Dany Heatley, Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier and Alexi Kovalev. The gambit was unsuccessful. Ak Bars finished fourth and was put out in the first ropund of the playoffs by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
Esche has represented the United States in international competition six times -- twice at the junior worlds (1997, 1998); twice at the worlds (2000, 2001); the World Cup (2004) and the Turin Olympics (2006).
John Tortorella, coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, is the head coach of the 2008 U.S. nationals. His assistants are Mike Sullivan, whi is also the Tampa Bay assistant, and Kurt Kleinendorst, head coach of the Lowell Devils of the American Hockey League.