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The phone call to his parents’ home in Belleville, Ill., caught Charlie Effinger a bit off guard.
The goaltender, a fan favorite while playing for the Missouri Mavericks in the Central Hockey League team’s inaugural season, had signed a one-year deal last week when he visited the Independence Events Center to serve as a coach at a Mavericks youth hockey camp.
“I didn’t know when the Mavs were going to announce that I had signed,” Effinger said. “It was today? No wonder I have 200 hits on my Facebook page.”
“I’ve been lazy, sticking around the house with my brothers before they go off to school, and I hadn’t checked the computer or anything. I’m pleased they announced that I had signed. I can’t wait to get back to Independence.”
Effinger came to the Mavericks in a trade from the Allen Americans midway through the 2009-10 season and led the team to postseason play with a 9-3-1 record and 2.68 goals against average. He was the No. 2-rated goaltender in the league that year.
“I couldn’t be more excited to have Charlie back,” Mavericks coach Scott Hillman said Wednesday afternoon. “He was the big difference in our team two years ago.
“We made the trade for Charlie (in February), and we made the playoffs – that wasn’t a coincidence. At this time last year, we were talking about a big, big loss – when Charlie decided to play in Europe and get his master’s degree over in England.
“We were thrilled for him – and we left an open door. He was so outstanding on a team that really wasn’t that good our first year. Now, having him back with the team we are building for this upcoming season … well, I couldn’t be any more excited.”
Team president and general manager Brent Thiessen feels the same way.
“Charlie coming back is definitely something we are excited about,” Thiessen said. “We never wanted to lose a guy like Charlie when he left last season, so to bring him back again is exciting for everyone. We know what he can do, and he is a familiar face for our fans. It will be a great competition during training camp for the top goaltending spot.”
Effinger, 25, returns to the Mavericks after playing last season with the Newcastle Vipers in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) in the United Kingdom.
The phone call to his parents’ home in Belleville, Ill., caught Charlie Effinger a bit off guard.
The goaltender, a fan favorite while playing for the Missouri Mavericks in the Central Hockey League team’s inaugural season, had signed a one-year deal last week when he visited the Independence Events Center to serve as a coach at a Mavericks youth hockey camp.
“I didn’t know when the Mavs were going to announce that I had signed,” Effinger said. “It was today? No wonder I have 200 hits on my Facebook page.”
“I’ve been lazy, sticking around the house with my brothers before they go off to school, and I hadn’t checked the computer or anything. I’m pleased they announced that I had signed. I can’t wait to get back to Independence.”
Effinger came to the Mavericks in a trade from the Allen Americans midway through the 2009-10 season and led the team to postseason play with a 9-3-1 record and 2.68 goals against average. He was the No. 2-rated goaltender in the league that year.
“I couldn’t be more excited to have Charlie back,” Mavericks coach Scott Hillman said Wednesday afternoon. “He was the big difference in our team two years ago.
“We made the trade for Charlie (in February), and we made the playoffs – that wasn’t a coincidence. At this time last year, we were talking about a big, big loss – when Charlie decided to play in Europe and get his master’s degree over in England.
“We were thrilled for him – and we left an open door. He was so outstanding on a team that really wasn’t that good our first year. Now, having him back with the team we are building for this upcoming season … well, I couldn’t be any more excited.”
Team president and general manager Brent Thiessen feels the same way.
“Charlie coming back is definitely something we are excited about,” Thiessen said. “We never wanted to lose a guy like Charlie when he left last season, so to bring him back again is exciting for everyone. We know what he can do, and he is a familiar face for our fans. It will be a great competition during training camp for the top goaltending spot.”
Effinger, 25, returns to the Mavericks after playing last season with the Newcastle Vipers in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) in the United Kingdom.
“I wanted to see what hockey was like in Europe, and it just made me realize what a classy organization the Mavericks were,” said Effinger, who went to one Vipers practice only to find that the ice had melted. “I went over to get my master’s, and I was able to do that (at North Umbria University’s Newcastle Business School). I still have to finish my 50-page dissertation, but I have until May to get it finished. I took 12 courses over there, passed them all, experienced Europe, had a blast and am eager to come back home.”
Effinger passed up a full-time job offer from Second Curve Capital, a hedge-fund company in New York City, where he served as an intern this summer.
“The guys I worked with in New York were awesome,” Effinger said. “They’re all hockey guys, and they allowed me the chance to come back and play hockey for the Mavs. The owner of the company played at Miami (of Ohio, Effinger’s alma mater), and he told me to go pursue my dream. I want him to know how much I appreciated that.”
The Mavericks had Robby Nolan and Gerry Festa in the net last year, and Nolan was voted the CHL’s Most Oustanding Goaltender for the Mavericks, who finished fourth in the Turner Conference with 80 points at 37-23-6 and advanced to the Turner Conference semifinals.
“We appreciated all that Robby did for us last year,” Hillman said. “We wish him success this season. But Charlie is an elite goaltender in this league, and he is the right goaltender to help lead us to where we want to go this season.
“He is a very hard working player and a great team guy, and we are very excited to have him back with the Mavericks this season as one of the three goalies we will have in camp this October.”
The Mavericks also signed 21-year-old rookie defenseman Zach Carriveau, a 6-foot, 185-pound defenseman, Wednesday.
“He’s a 21-year-old with all the potential in the world,” Hillman said of the 6-foot, 185-pound Portland, Maine, native who played the last three years in Junior A hockey with the Nepean Raiders of the Central Canada Hockey League. “Zach is a very exciting young player. He will likely be the only player trying to make the jump this fall from Tier II junior hockey in Canada to the Central Hockey League. He comes in with the right attitude and is very excited to show everyone that he can contribute in the professional game.
“It’s going to be tough for Zach, but he could steal a spot from a veteran player. It will make for an exciting camp.”
Carriveau totaled 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) and 97 penalty minutes in 61 games last season. He had 31 goals, 89 assists and 175 penalty minutes in his three seasons with Nepean.
