Marc Lamothe
Encyclopedia
Marc Lamothe is a professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...

 who is currently a Free Agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....

. He last played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga for Hamburg Freezers
Hamburg Freezers
The Hamburg Freezers are a member of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga that play their games in Hamburg, Germany. Originally known as the Munich Barons from 1999 until 2002, team owner Philip Anschutz relocated the franchise to Hamburg for financial reasons on 3 June 2002, and renamed the team the...

 during the 2010–11
2010–11 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season
-Regular season:GP = Games Played, W = Wins, OTW = Overtime win, SOW = Shootout win, OTL = Overtime loss, SOL = Shootout loss, L = LossColor code:     = Direct Playoff qualification,     = Playoff qualification round,     = No playoff -Playoff...

 season.

Montreal Canadiens

Lamothe began his Junior hockey career with the Kingston Frontenacs
Kingston Frontenacs
The Kingston Frontenacs are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The team is coached by Todd Gill and Doug Gilmour is the General Manager. The Frontenacs play home games at the K-Rock Centre, which opened in 2008.Team history predates the OHA,...

 before being drafted by the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

's Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...

, 92nd Overall, in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft
1992 NHL Entry Draft
The 1992 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 20 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. A total of 264 players were drafted.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:...

. When he turned pro in the 1994–95 season, the Canadiens assigned Patrick Labrecque
Patrick Labrecque
Patrick Labrecque is a retired Canadian goaltender who played two games for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1995–96 NHL season, as well as for many other teams across North America and Europe. He was drafted in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques. He wore jersey number 31 for the...

 and Martin Brochu
Martin Brochu
Martin Brochu is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played briefly in the National Hockey League with the Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He went winless in his nine game NHL career....

 to their top minor league affiliate, the Fredericton Canadiens
Fredericton Canadiens
The Fredericton Canadiens, or the 'Baby Habs' were a professional ice hockey team in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Canadiens played their home games at the Aitken Centre...

 of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

, leaving Lamothe to spend the majority of his rookie season with the Wheeling Thunderbirds of the ECHL. Despite this, Lamothe did play in 9 contests for the Fredericton Canadiens that year.
During the 1995–96 season, Montreal gave him a spot on their AHL team. However, he did not see much action aside from 23 appearances. By season's end, it was clear he was not going to factor into the Canadiens plans and was subsequently released to free agency.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...

 signed Lamothe to a contract on 21 August 1996. Lamothe spent the next three seasons with Chicago's top minor league affiliate, the Indianapolis Ice
Indianapolis Ice
The Indianapolis Ice is the name of a former hockey team in Indianapolis, Indiana, that played in the International Hockey League from 1988–99 and in the Central Hockey League from 1999–2004. Their original home arena was the Indiana State Fairgrounds Pepsi Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds...

 of the IHL. With Indianapolis, Lamothe honed his game while waiting for his chance to be called up to the NHL. At the start of the 1999–2000 season, Lamothe left Indianapolis to play for the Cleveland Lumberjacks
Cleveland Lumberjacks
The Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Cleveland, Ohio.-Facts:The Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Cleveland, Ohio.-Facts:...

, though his rights were still maintained by Chicago. Early in the 1999–2000 campaign, Lamothe got the call from the Blackhawks who needed him to suit up as Jocelyn Thibault
Jocelyn Thibault
Jocelyn Thibault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres...

's back up as in injury fill in for Steve Passmore
Steve Passmore
Steve Passmore is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques as their ninth-round pick in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft....

.

Just four minutes into the game, Thibault went down with an injury and Lamothe made his NHL debut. The St. Louis Blues, however, were merciless, scoring seven times en route to an 8–3 victory. He was able turn things around after this tough first game a week later, when he stopped 22 of 25 shots against the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...

 and posted his first NHL victory.

Columbus Blue Jackets

After the season was over Lamothe signed a deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

 on 1 September 2000. Lamothe spent the entire year in the minors, playing for the Syracuse Crunch
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter...

 of the AHL.

Edmonton Oilers

After a year with Columbus, Lamothe signed on with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....

 for the 2001–02 season. Despite having a strong showing in training camp, the Oilers elected to go with Jussi Markkanen
Jussi Markkanen
Jussi Markkanen is an ice hockey goaltender for EV Zug of the National League A .-Playing career:Markkanen has played extensively in various European professional leagues as well as the NHL...

 to back up Tommy Salo
Tommy Salo
Tommy Mikael Salo is a Swedish General Manager of Swedish ice hockey club Leksands IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan. He is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender and a former head coach of IK Oskarshamn.-Playing career:...

, leaving Lamothe to play for the Hamilton Bulldogs
Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens...

 for the AHL.

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

 signed Lamothe on 6 August 2002 to a one year contract. Upon his arrival with the organization, he was assigned to the club's AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....

, to act as a mentor for the developing goaltender Joey MacDonald
Joey MacDonald
Joseph MacDonald is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender in the Detroit Red Wings organization who currently plays with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League . He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, and the Toronto Maple Leafs...

. Lamothe had a strong season in the AHL that year, winning the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award for being the AHL's best goaltender and sharing the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award with MacDonald for combining to have the lowest Goals against average
Goals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....

 in the AHL. His efforts did not go unnoticed by the Red Wings organization. On 1 July 2003, the first day of NHL free agency, Lamothe was re-signed to another year-long contract with the Red Wings. He would again begin the season assigned to the Griffins with MacDonald. However, as the season progressed, Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek is a Czech ice hockey goaltender who is currently with HC Spartak Moscow of the KHL.In his 16-season National Hockey League career, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and the Ottawa Senators. During his years in Buffalo, he became one of the...

 left the team due to injury while Curtis Joseph
Curtis Joseph
Curtis Shayne Joseph is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League....

 would become injured as well, leaving the Red Wings to call up Lamothe to support Manny Legace
Manny Legacé
Emmanuel Legace, is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League. He most recently played in the National Hockey League for the Carolina Hurricanes. He has also played in the National Hockey League for the Los...

. While he was never needed to relieve Legace, Lamothe would start against his former club, the Edmonton Oilers, on 23 February 2004, skating to a 1–1 tie. The next morning, newspaper articles were printed in Canada documenting Lamothe's story, where he spent 10 years almost exclusively in the minors before starting in net for one of hockey's most popular and successful teams. Lamothe would get one more start before the season was over, making 26 saves for a 3–2 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

European career

At the end of the season, economic woes befell the NHL and ultimately lead to the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Despite his success at the AHL level, Lamothe never caught on as a NHL goaltender before the lockout. However, Lamothe was generating interest from Russian Super League, which offered both a higher level of competition and a higher salary than the AHL could offer. On 14 June 2004, Lamothe moved overseas and signed with the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Hockey Club Lokomotiv , also known as Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, is a Russian professional ice hockey team based in Yaroslavl. The name of the team is derived from its owner, Russian Railways, the national railroad operator....

. He appeared in 54 contests for them that season.

On 22 July 2005, Lamothe signed with the Severstal Cherepovets
Severstal Cherepovets
HC Severstal Cherepovets is a professional ice hockey team based in Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast, Russia. They are members of the Tarasov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League.-History:Founded in 1956, the club was originally known as Stroitel Cherepovets...

. He would appear in 83 contests with them over 2 seasons, in addition to 8 playoff games during that same timeframe. With Severstal
Severstal Cherepovets
HC Severstal Cherepovets is a professional ice hockey team based in Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast, Russia. They are members of the Tarasov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League.-History:Founded in 1956, the club was originally known as Stroitel Cherepovets...

 Lamothe won LenVO cup in August 2005. On 16 July 2007, Lamothe was signed by SKA Saint Petersburg
SKA Saint Petersburg
SKA Saint Petersburg is a Russian professional ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. SKA is an abbreviation for "Sports Club of the Army"...

 and played with them for the remainder of that season. Lamothe left after the season was over and signed with Barys Astana for the 2008–09 season.

Lamothe left Russia in the 2009–10 season, signing as a free agent to a one-year contract with Pelicans
Pelicans (ice hockey)
Pelicans is an ice hockey team playing in the SM-liiga, and formed in 1996. They play in the city of Lahti, Finland at Isku Arena. The team is partially owned by retired NHL goaltender Pasi Nurminen.-Notable players:* Sean Avery* Jason Bonsignore...

 of the Finnish SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...

. Lamother played in 14 games with Pelicans before his season was abruptly ended in suffering a medial ligament tear in his knee.

On April 7, 2010, Lamothe signed a one-year contract with the Hamburg Freezers
Hamburg Freezers
The Hamburg Freezers are a member of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga that play their games in Hamburg, Germany. Originally known as the Munich Barons from 1999 until 2002, team owner Philip Anschutz relocated the franchise to Hamburg for financial reasons on 3 June 2002, and renamed the team the...

 of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga for the 2010–11 season. With a lack of form, Lamothe was relegated to backup goaltender and seldom used after 15 games, he released by the Freezers and returned to North America on November 23, 2010.

Regular season

   
Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1991–92 Kingston Frontenacs
Kingston Frontenacs
The Kingston Frontenacs are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The team is coached by Todd Gill and Doug Gilmour is the General Manager. The Frontenacs play home games at the K-Rock Centre, which opened in 2008.Team history predates the OHA,...

OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....

42 10 25 2 2378 189 1 4.77
1992–93 Kingston Frontenacs OHL 45 23 12 6 2489 162 1 3.91
1993–94
1993–94 OHL season
The 1993–94 OHL season was the 14th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Sixteen teams each played 66 games. The North Bay Centennials won the J...

Kingston Frontenacs OHL 48 23 20 5 2828 177 2 3.76
1994–95
1994–95 AHL season
The 1994–95 AHL season was the 59th season of the American Hockey League. The All-Star Game is revived, with All-Stars grouped into "Team Canada" and "Team USA." Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule...

Fredericton Canadiens
Fredericton Canadiens
The Fredericton Canadiens, or the 'Baby Habs' were a professional ice hockey team in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Canadiens played their home games at the Aitken Centre...

AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

9 2 5 0 428 32 0 4.49 .873
1994–95 Wheeling Thunderbirds ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...

13 9 2 1 737 38 0 3.09 .892
1994–95
1995–96 AHL season
The 1995–96 AHL season was the 60th season of the American Hockey League. The AHL expands by two teams and realigns into two conferences, and four divisions. The Northern Conference includes the North and Atlantic Divisions...

Fredericton Canadiens AHL 23 5 9 3 1165 73 1 3.76 .894
1996–97 Indianapolis Ice
Indianapolis Ice
The Indianapolis Ice is the name of a former hockey team in Indianapolis, Indiana, that played in the International Hockey League from 1988–99 and in the Central Hockey League from 1999–2004. Their original home arena was the Indiana State Fairgrounds Pepsi Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds...

IHL 38 20 14 4 2271 100 1 2.64 .918
1997–98 Indianapolis Ice IHL 31 18 10 2 1773 72 3 2.44 .920
1998–99 Indianapolis Ice IHL 32 9 16 6 1823 115 1 3.78 .881
1999–2000 Cleveland Lumberjacks
Cleveland Lumberjacks
The Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Cleveland, Ohio.-Facts:The Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Cleveland, Ohio.-Facts:...

IHL 44 23 18 4 2455 112 2 2.74 .915
1999–2000 Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...

NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

2 1 1 0 116 10 0 5.17 .800
2000–01
2000–01 AHL season
The 2000–01 AHL season was the 65th season of the American Hockey League. The league realigns its divisions again. The Atlantic division is renamed the Canadian division. The Empire State division is replaced by the South division, with many teams shifting from the Mid-Atlantic division.Twenty...

Syracuse Crunch
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter...

AHL 42 17 15 7 2323 112 2 2.89 .921
2000–01 Hamilton Bulldogs
Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens...

AHL 1 0 1 0 59 5 0 5.05 .821
2001–02
2001–02 AHL season
The 2001–02 AHL season was the 66th season of the American Hockey League. It was the season of the biggest growth in the AHL's history, as it accepted eight new teams. The demise of the International Hockey League brought six teams transferring from the defunct league, in addition to two expansion...

Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 45 22 19 2 2569 102 3 2.38 .918
2002–03
2002–03 AHL season
The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season...

Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....

AHL 60 33 18 8 3438 122 6 2.13 .923
2003–04
2003–04 AHL season
The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer....

Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 43 21 16 5 2535 87 4 2.06 .924
2003–04 Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

NHL 2 1 0 1 125 3 0 1.44 .948
2004–05 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Hockey Club Lokomotiv , also known as Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, is a Russian professional ice hockey team based in Yaroslavl. The name of the team is derived from its owner, Russian Railways, the national railroad operator....

RSL 55 30 14 11 3357 90 6 1.61
2005–06 Severstal Cherepovets
Severstal Cherepovets
HC Severstal Cherepovets is a professional ice hockey team based in Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast, Russia. They are members of the Tarasov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League.-History:Founded in 1956, the club was originally known as Stroitel Cherepovets...

RSL 42 2379 79 4 1.99 .920
2006–07 Severstal Cherepovets RSL 41 2.21
2007–08 SKA St. Petersburg RSL 41 2.10 .912
2008–09 Barys Astana
Barys Astana
Hockey Club Barys is a professional ice hockey team based in Astana, Kazakhstan. They compete in the Chernyshev Division of the Kontinental Hockey League.-History:...

KHL
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....

15 5 6 1 687 47 0 4.10 .881
2009–10 Pelicans
Pelicans (ice hockey)
Pelicans is an ice hockey team playing in the SM-liiga, and formed in 1996. They play in the city of Lahti, Finland at Isku Arena. The team is partially owned by retired NHL goaltender Pasi Nurminen.-Notable players:* Sean Avery* Jason Bonsignore...

SM-l
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...

14 4 7 1 766 43 0 3.37 .905
2010–11
2010–11 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season
-Regular season:GP = Games Played, W = Wins, OTW = Overtime win, SOW = Shootout win, OTL = Overtime loss, SOL = Shootout loss, L = LossColor code:     = Direct Playoff qualification,     = Playoff qualification round,     = No playoff -Playoff...

Hamburg Freezers
Hamburg Freezers
The Hamburg Freezers are a member of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga that play their games in Hamburg, Germany. Originally known as the Munich Barons from 1999 until 2002, team owner Philip Anschutz relocated the franchise to Hamburg for financial reasons on 3 June 2002, and renamed the team the...

DEL 15 4 10 0 865 44 0 3.05 .912
NHL totals 4 2 1 1 242 13 0 3.22 .880

Post season

   
Season Team League GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1992–93 Kingston Frontenacs OHL 15 8 5 733 46 1 3.77
1993–94 Kingston Frontenacs OHL 6 2 2 224 12 0 3.21
1995–96 Fredericton Canadiens AHL 3 1 2 160 9 0 3.38
1996–97 Indianapolis Ice IHL 1 0 0 20 1 0 3.00 .909
1997–98 Indianapolis Ice IHL 4 1 3 178 10 0 3.37 .896
1998–99 Indianapolis Ice IHL 6 3 3 338 10 2 1.78 .934
1998–99 Detroit Vipers
Detroit Vipers
The Detroit Vipers was an International Hockey League team. The team was founded in 1994, and played at The Palace of Auburn Hills.-Beginning:...

IHL 1 0 1 80 5 0 3.75 .885
1999–2000 Cleveland Lumberjacks IHL 4 2 2 325 12 0 2.21 .924
2001–02 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 9 6 3 551 18 0 1.96 .933
2002–03 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 15 10 5 945 29 1 1.84 .935
2003–04 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 4 0 3 200 12 0 3.60 .890
2004–05 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl RSL 9 3 3 521 21 0 2.41
2005–06 Severstal Cherepovets RSL 4 2.26
2006–07 Severstal Cherepovets RSL 4 1.64
2007–08 SKA St. Petersburg RSL 9 2.02

External links

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