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Robert L. Esche (born January 22, 1978) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who is the current president of the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Utica City FC of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). He previously played eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Phoenix Coyotes and Philadelphia Flyers.
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2023) |
| Robert Esche | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Esche in 2018 | |||
| Born |
January 22, 1978 Whitesboro, New York, U.S. | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for |
Phoenix Coyotes Philadelphia Flyers Ak Bars Kazan SKA Saint Petersburg Dinamo Minsk SCL Tigers | ||
| National team |
 United States | ||
| NHL draft |
139th overall, 1996 Phoenix Coyotes | ||
| Playing career | 1998–2012 | ||
Esche started his career with the Phoenix Coyotes, only to be traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in a deal involving Michal Handzuš and Brian Boucher.[1] In 2004, he claimed the starting goaltending spot for the Flyers, and led them to the Eastern Conference Finals, only to fall in seven games to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
While playing in Russia for Ak Bars Kazan, he posted a record of 22–5–2 with a 2.01 goals against average (GAA) and a .912 save percentage, along with four shutouts.
Esche skated with Dinamo Minsk during the 2010–11 KHL season. In 2008–09, he posted a record of 21–14 with a 1.87 GAA and .912 save percentage, as well as nine shutouts.
On June 16, 2011, the SCL Tigers announced they had signed the 33-year-old Esche to a contract,[2] where he played 40 games, going 15-25, with a 3.05 GAA and .898 save percentage.
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Esche has represented the United States in the 1997 and 1998 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and the IIHF World Championships in 2000, shutting out Russia in Russia, an accomplishment he still lists as his greatest moment in hockey. He represented the US team in 2001 and also received the starting nod at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
Esche was named to the 2006 US Men's Olympic Hockey Team in Turin. He played one game in the Olympic tournament, losing 5–4 to Russia.
Esche played for the 2008 Team USA Hockey team in the World Championships which took place in Canada. He had earned some starts after sitting out the first few games, including a 42 save performance in a controversial 3–2 loss against Finland. He also posted a 9–1 victory against Norway.
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Esche has two children with his former wife Kelly.
Esche is nicknamed "Chico" after former NHL goaltender Chico Resch because his sticks were labeled R. Esche.[3]
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 1994–95 | Gloucester Rangers | CJHL | 20 | 10 | 6 | 0 | — | 1034 | 70 | 0 | 4.06 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Detroit Whalers | OHL | 23 | 13 | 6 | 0 | — | 1139 | 71 | 1 | 3.74 | .876 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 105 | 4 | 0 | 2.29 | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Detroit Whalers | OHL | 58 | 24 | 28 | 2 | — | 3241 | 206 | 2 | 3.81 | .878 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 317 | 19 | 0 | 3.60 | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Plymouth Whalers | OHL | 48 | 29 | 13 | 4 | — | 2810 | 135 | 3 | 2.88 | .896 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 868 | 45 | 0 | 3.11 | .920 | ||
| 1998–99 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 55 | 24 | 20 | 6 | — | 2957 | 138 | 1 | 2.80 | .905 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 59 | 4 | 0 | 4.02 | .867 | ||
| 1998–99 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 130 | 7 | 0 | 3.23 | .860 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 21 | 9 | 9 | 2 | — | 1207 | 61 | 2 | 3.03 | .912 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 180 | 12 | 0 | 4.01 | .878 | ||
| 1999–00 | Houston Aeros | IHL | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 419 | 16 | 2 | 2.29 | .922 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | 408 | 23 | 0 | 3.38 | .893 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 25 | 10 | 8 | 4 | — | 1350 | 68 | 2 | 3.02 | .896 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 22 | 6 | 10 | 2 | — | 1145 | 52 | 1 | 2.72 | .902 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 60 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 1.000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 30 | 12 | 9 | 3 | — | 1638 | 60 | 2 | 2.20 | .907 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 2.00 | .929 | ||
| 2003–04 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 40 | 21 | 11 | 7 | — | 2322 | 79 | 3 | 2.04 | .915 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 1060 | 41 | 1 | 2.32 | .918 | ||
| 2005–06 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 40 | 22 | 11 | — | 5 | 2286 | 113 | 1 | 2.97 | .897 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 314 | 22 | 0 | 4.20 | .875 | ||
| 2006–07 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 18 | 5 | 9 | — | 1 | 860 | 62 | 1 | 4.32 | .872 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Ak Bars Kazan | RSL | 18 | — | — | — | — | 1095 | 34 | 3 | 1.86 | .926 | 10 | — | — | 609 | 25 | 1 | 2.46 | .885 | ||
| 2008–09 | SKA Saint Petersburg | KHL | 38 | 21 | 14 | — | 6 | 2183 | 68 | 9 | 1.87 | .912 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 185 | 8 | 0 | 2.59 | .877 | ||
| 2009–10 | SKA Saint Petersburg | KHL | 42 | 29 | 7 | — | 5 | 2527 | 87 | 6 | 2.07 | .917 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 236 | 9 | 0 | 2.29 | .910 | ||
| 2010–11 | Dinamo Minsk | KHL | 24 | 5 | 14 | — | 5 | 1383 | 76 | 0 | 3.30 | .897 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 216 | 7 | 0 | 1.94 | .942 | ||
| 2011–12 | SCL Tigers | NLA | 40 | 15 | 25 | — | 0 | 2305 | 117 | 1 | 3.05 | .898 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| KHL totals | 104 | 55 | 35 | — | 16 | 6093 | 231 | 15 | 2.27 | .910 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 637 | 24 | 0 | 2.26 | .915 | ||||
| NHL totals | 186 | 78 | 64 | 16 | 6 | 10,140 | 464 | 10 | 2.75 | .900 | 25 | 13 | 11 | 1405 | 64 | 1 | 2.73 | .907 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | United States | WJC | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 238 | 13 | 0 | 3.28 | .922 | |
| 2000 | United States | WC | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 120 | 1 | 1 | 0.50 | .984 | |
| 2001 | United States | WC | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 359 | 13 | 0 | 2.17 | .931 | |
| 2004 | United States | WCH | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 237 | 10 | 0 | 2.53 | .909 | |
| 2006 | United States | OLY | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 59 | 5 | 0 | 5.10 | .762 | |
| 2008 | United States | WC | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | 198 | 7 | 0 | 2.12 | .931 | |
| 2009 | United States | WC | 8 | 3 | 5 | — | 480 | 25 | 0 | 3.12 | .891 | |
| Junior totals | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 238 | 13 | 0 | 3.28 | .922 | |||
| Senior totals | 25 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 1453 | 61 | 1 | 2.52 | .913 | |||
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- 1997–98: Second All-Star Team (OHL)
- 1998–99: All-Rookie Team (AHL)
- 2002–03: William M. Jennings Trophy shared with Roman Čechmánek, PHI and Martin Brodeur, NJ (NHL)
- 2002–03: Yanick Dupre Memorial (Philadelphia Flyers)
- 2003–04: Pelle Lindbergh Memorial (Philadelphia Flyers)
- 2008 World Championships: Best save percentage (.931)
- 2008–09: Played in KHL All-Star Game
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