St. John’s native Evan Fitzpatrick has gone all the way from the ECHL to the National Hockey League in less than half a season.
The St. Louis Blues recalled the 20-year-old goaltender from the American Hockey League’s San Antonio Rampage on Sunday to replace veteran Jordan Binnington, who has been sent to San Antonio.
Fitzpatrick, a Blues’ second-round draft pick in 2016, turned pro this season, turned pro after helping the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Acadie-Bathurst Titan tto a Memorial Cup championship this past spring. He started out with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers, where he fashioned a 7-4-2 record and was named the league’s rookie of the month for November. After St. Louis released Chad Johnson and promoted Binnington, Fitzpatrick found himself in San Antonio, where he won his only start and posted a 1.80 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in two games.
For whatever time Fitzpatrick spends in St. Louis, he’ll have something to talk about with Blues’ starter Jake Allen, who once played for the St. John’s Fog Devils in the QMJHL.
The move pust two Newfoundlanders in the NHL; centre Clark Bishop of St. John's has been back and forth between the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes and AHL's Charlotte Checkers this season, but is now with the Hurricanes after a call-up on Boxing Day.
