Charlie Effinger Leaves Mavs for Shot at the Big Time

Missouri Mavericks goalie Charlie Effinger (Eff-bomb) is leaving the team to pursue better opportunities in the hockey world.

From the Examiner:

Effinger has been flooded with offers following his brilliant 2011-12 season with the Mavericks, where they took eventual CHL champion Fort Wayne to the seventh game of the conference championship series. 

“This was never about money,” Effinger said. “Hilly and Brent know that – and I want the fans to know that they bent over backwards and offered me 18 different ways to stay with the team. But they couldn’t offer me what I can get in the ECHL.” 

When a player signs with the ECHL, he is basically a free agent and can be signed by any AHL team. 

Effinger signed a two-way contract last season with the Mavericks and Chicago, of the AHL. However, Chicago is goalie-deep and there is little chance Effinger can get a legitimate shot with the Wolves.

Effinger holds almost every Mavericks goaltending record by default.  He played 64 regular season games totaling 3,790:01 minutes with the Mavs – the most of any Mav goaltender – and went 41-18-3.  He started all eleven playoff games for the Mavs last season, going 7-4.

It is reported the defending CHL champs the Fort Wayne Komets are interested in signing Effinger.  The Komets made the jump to the ECHL after the end of last season.

You can't blame the guy for pursuing his passion, especially someone who has proven their level of talent is much higher than "AA" hockey.  It's too bad he can't take the spot on the AHL roster in Chicago, but it seems like it's just a matter of time he will land somewhere.  Only 26 years old and he gets to play hockey for a living.  Wicked sweet, eh?

Good luck to you, Eff-bomb, and thanks for the good times!  Have fun in the (real) world.