Jase Weslosky post-season quotes.

ECHL goalies seem to have very little control over their hockey future. Sometimes that’s good, like when a rash of injuries hit an NHL team, and an ECHL goalie is able to move up the professional ranks more quickly than a skater would (see Briggs, Kellen, 2009).

Other times that’s bad. Weslosky had a good season by any statistical measure — 2.79 GAA, .916 save percentage — numbers that actually got better while wearing a Reign uniform. Yet he still played for three different teams in his first pro season. His second team, the Florida Everblades, never got him into an actual game.

So I could have asked Weslosky about his options for next year, but his guess is probably as good as yours. We looked more back than forward. Here’s what he had to say:

Can you see yourself back here next season?

It’s a pretty nice location, and when you add everything else that’s positive about this place – the rink, the establishment, the fans that are here – it’s definitely a big draw. Definitely wouldn’t have an issue coming back at all.

How did your season go individually?

It wasn’t too bad. Last year obviously I didn’t play so this year, I was getting back int the swing of things. Most of the season I was playing well, but there were always one or two goals a game I wouldn’t ordinarily let in. As soon as I got back here, and toward the end of my time in Idaho, I felt like I was hitting my stride, as far as my game was going. It definitely ended on a high note here, playing well. I can’t complain about that.

What was the change in atmosphere like going from a playoff team (Florida) to a last-place team?

Everybody coming to the rink was happy to be here. You’ve been on some teams where guys are coming through and they don’t want to be there. It’s nice to be here – guys were having fun but also ready to work. It definitely showed the last three weeks here. We knew we weren’t going to be in a playoff spot, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t owe our fans something, owe ourselves something, that we know how to compete.

Are you and defenseman Craig Gaudet (Weslosky’s college roommate) going to pull a LeBron/Dwyane Wade thing this summer?

A package deal? We might have to, we’ve been talking about it (laughs). It’s definitely nice having someone that’s one of my best friends. Someone to rely on and all that kind of stuff.

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.