On the same day the Reign announced that goaltender Mike Zacharias had re-signed for the 2010-11 season, the Kings assigned Garrett Zemlak to their ECHL affiliate.
Suffice it to say, the battle for the two goalie positions in Ontario figures to be a fierce one. Zacharias is well aware.
“I know what the job is. That’s the profession were in. I have to fight for a spot,” he said. “I’ve been in this situation before, just not on this level. It’ll be a little different, intense. It’ll be very competitive.”
In his first pro season, the 25-year-old spent his first professional season with the Reign last year, appearing in 24 games and finishing the season 10-6-3 with an .894 save percentage and a goals-against average of 3.28. Zacharias lost the No. 1 mantle to Curtis Darling early in the season, saw more ice time late in the season and was instrumental in the Reign’s late playoff push, but was on the bench again to start the season-ending series in Las Vegas.
Zemlak got a long look from the Kings in their development camp earlier this summer, their rookie tournament against the Phoenix Coyotes and again in training camp. The rookie allowed four goalies in a 7-1 rookie tournament loss to Phoenix, and did not appear in an NHL exhibition game.
Kellen Briggs, who played for the Reign in 2008-09 but spent last season in Germany, has also signed for the upcoming season.
More in tomorrow’s editions of the Sun and Daily Bulletin.