Good Goalie Available

The pads and the jersey don't match, but that was a preseason photo of former UBC Thunderbirds goaltender Rylan Toth making a save during a Fort Wayne Komets practice. Toth was coming into the ECHL season after being one of the best players in the Canadian university hockey scene, so landing in a place like Fort Wayne meant there likely was going to be a battle for the blue paint. Toth usually thrives when the pressure is on based on what he showed throughout his career, but it seems that the situation in Indiana didn't quite allow Toth to show off his range of skills between the pipes after the regular-season roster was announced.

Rookie goaltender Owen Savory stopped 10 of 11 shots he faced from the Wheeling Nailers through 30:14 of preseason action on October 14 before Toth was sent to the crease to relieve Savory. Four goals on eleven shots later - including three in 3:20 of action to start the third period - and the Nailers skated to the 6-3 victory on a night where Toth was somewhat hung out to dry by the Komets.

"The goaltending was really good," Fort Wayne head coach Ben Boudreau told Justin A. Cohn of The Journal Gazette. "Owen looked every bit in control and you wouldn't have known it was his first exhibition game. Rylan came in on a tough situation. Coming in cold, his first goal against was a breakaway. And then there were three back-door tap-ins where he had absolutely no chance. … It was unfortunate for him, but (Savory and Toth) looked great, to be honest. I'm comfortable with our goaltending and I don't think it's going to be an issue."

A vote of confidence from the coach is never a bad thing, one would assume, yet that would be the only preseason action that Toth saw with the Komets. Scheduling just two preseason games seems like a very weird situation as it is, but it appears Toth was dealt the short straw in this situation because the regular-season roster that was announced on October 20th didn't have Toth's name on it after he was released by the club.

Just like that, Toth's professional career is now in limbo as ECHL teams all have their rosters set, so he'll have to wait for an opportunity to jump back in with some team. It could be an AHL team as we've seen with his helping Abbotsford last season. It could be another ECHL team if someone comes calling. It could be in Europe or in the SPHL or another league on the planet, but I doubt Toth will be protecting the Komets' net anytime soon.

The numbers game may have also affected Toth's inclusion on the roster as Owen Savory was placed on injured reserve on October 19 which was the same day that the Bakersfield Condors assigned goaltender Ryan Fanti to the Komets. As it stands, the Komets are going with a tandem that includes veteran ECHL goaltender Colton Point and the aforementioned Fanti which would mean the third goaltender spot would come down to Savory or Toth. Based on how the preseason went, Savory's statistics would push him ahead of Toth, forcing the Komets to waive Toth for the purpose of being released.

As it stands, there's a very good goaltender looking for work right now. With Fort Wayne opening the season with three losses and surrendering 18 goals in those games, I could say they have nothing to lose, but there's still 69 games to play with some rather questionable goaltending and defence being employed. Fort Wayne is one of five teams who have yet to record a win on the season, so maybe there's a spot in a crease for Rylan Toth somewhere in the ECHL yet.

Rylan Toth will land somewhere this season. He's too good not to be playing.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!