Florida Panthers‘ 10th year Swiss-born goaltender Reto Berra(20) is off to a fantastic start with new affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.
In 7 games he has a 5-2 record with a glowing 1.72 GAA and .934 SV%, including his first three shutouts in the league ever.
The big 6’4″ 200 lbs. net minder was also just named Player Of The Week for his offense stunning .50 GAA and .981 SV% in two team wins.
Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 4th round pick in the 2006 draft (#106 overall), he spent the first 6 years of his pro career in his home country’s NLA with stints for HC Davos, EV Zug and EHC Biel-Bienne.
He played all his junior hockey in Switzerland, while also appearing in 32 games throughout that time in the top league and NLB from 2003-2007.
In his second season, he won the 2008 Championship.
He wouldn’t actually arrive to North American hockey until 2013/2014 on a 1-year entry level deal from Calgary Flames but didn’t even last a full campaign despite 29 NHL appearances before being traded at the deadline to Colorado Avalanche.
Almost strategically he signed a three-year extension just after the transaction and would play most of the calendar in the top league during the first year of his new contract but split time almost equally with farm club San Antonio Rampage for his follow-up.
The 29-year old was traded in the off-season, joining his third team but will have to continue to play amazingly well to find time in the show with a cluttered lineup of able bodies guarding the cage.
He’s also only one of only 11 goalies to ever score in the AHL.