Nicola Riopel
Born (1989-02-20) February 20, 1989
Saint-Pie, Quebec, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Adirondack Phantoms
Dundee Stars
Frederikshavn White Hawks
Dragons de Rouen
Syracuse Crunch
NHL Draft 142nd overall, 2009
Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career 20092018

Nicolas Riopel (born February 20, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Playing career

Riopel began his major junior career with the Moncton Wildcats in 2005–06, appearing in 5 games. He shared starts with the older Jhase Sniderman in his rookie season in 2006–07 before taking the starting position in 2007–08. In his third season with the Wildcats, Riopel emerged with a record-setting and award-winning campaign. Along with his 43 wins, which helped Moncton to an Atlantic Division title, and .930 save percentage, he established a league record with a 2.01 goals against average,[1] far surpassing Martin Houle of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles previous record of 2.32, set in 2003–04. Riopel was awarded the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy for having the lowest GAA in the league and the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy as player of the year.[1] He was selected in the 5th round, 142nd overall of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, by the Philadelphia Flyers.

Riopel began the 20092010 season by claiming a spot in training camp with the Flyers' top AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms. After posting a 4-6-0 record with a 3.35 GAA and a 0.893 save percentage in back-up duty to Johan Backlund, Riopel was loaned back to his Junior club, the Moncton Wildcats, on December 17, 2009.

After attending both the Philadelphia Flyers' training camp and then the Adirondack Phantoms' training camp, Riopel was assigned to the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL. However, after performing extremely well in "AA" hockey, he was recalled after Greg Gilbert was released as head coach of the Phantoms to replace Brian Stewart. Since, he has become the starting netminder for the Glens Falls team after an injury to starter Johan Backlund.

After Flyers Stanley Cup goaltender Michael Leighton was waived and sent to the Adirondack Phantoms on January 4, 2011, the logjam at the position saw Riopel returned to Greenville.

Since Riopel wasn't signed to an entry-level contract by June 1, 2011, the Flyers no longer hold his NHL rights.[2] He signed a contract with the ECHL's Greenville Road Warriors in the summer of 2011.

On August 9, 2012, Riopel inked a deal with the Dundee Stars of the EIHL in Scotland. Riopel played two further seasons abroad with Frederikshavn White Hawks in Denmark and in the French Ligue Magnus with the Dragons de Rouen.

On September 16, 2015, Riopel returned to North America in signing a one-year ECHL contract with the Rapid City Rush.[3] He was winless in two games to start the 2015–16 season before he was released by the Rush. On November 6, 2015, he remained in the league after he was signed by the Norfolk Admirals.[4] Riopel appeared in 32 games with the Admirals, and after a string of impressive performances was signed by the Syracuse Crunch to end the year on March 4, 2016.

Although failing to feature in a game with the Crunch, in the off-season on August 22, 2016, Riopel was signed to a one-year deal to remain in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch.[5]

In the 2017–18 season, on January 20, 2018, Riopel appeared in his first AHL game in seven seasons. He replaced Connor Ingram at the start of third period against the Utica Comets. He faced 2 shots, turning aside both in a 4–2 loss to the Comets. On February 1, 2018, he was traded by the Crunch along with Ty Loney to the Bakersfield Condors in exchange for NHL contracted goaltender Eddie Pasquale.[6] He was assigned to the Condors ECHL affiliate, the Wichita Thunder.

On July 29, 2018, Riopel announced his retirement after playing in nine professional seasons.[7]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T/OT MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2006–07 Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 37 17 12 0 1914 107 1 3.35 .894 4 1 3 185 16 0 5.19 .842
2007–08 Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 47 15 29 10 2662 135 1 3.04 .910
2008–09 Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 59 43 15 4 3487 117 5 2.01 .931 10 5 5 620 21 2 2.03 .936
2009–10 Adirondack Phantoms AHL 10 4 6 0 573 32 0 3.35 .893
2009–10 Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 25 19 5 0 1455 50 3 2.06 .918 21 16 4 1291 46 3 2.14 .930
2010–11 Greenville Road Warriors ECHL 38 24 12 2 2301 107 2 2.79 .906 7 4 3 436 18 0 2.48 .910
2010–11 Adirondack Phantoms AHL 11 3 7 0 591 35 1 3.55 .874
2011–12 Greenville Road Warriors ECHL 25 14 9 2 1453 74 0 3.06 .905 2 0 2 119 8 0 4.03 .900
2012–13 Dundee Stars EIHL 51 19 28 3 3012 174 0 3.47 .912
2013–14 Frederikshavn White Hawks DEN 26 2.92 .902
2014–15 Dragons de Rouen FRA 17 2.51 .903 3 2.11 .920
2015–16 Rapid City Rush ECHL 2 0 2 0 119 8 0 4.03 .843
2015–16 Norfolk Admirals ECHL 32 13 15 1 1779 76 0 2.56 .924
2016–17 Kalamazoo Wings ECHL 32 18 12 1 1841 96 1 3.13 .899 4 2 2 239 16 0 4.01 .849
2017–18 Adirondack Thunder ECHL 19 9 9 0 1044 57 1 3.28 .897
2017–18 Syracuse Crunch AHL 1 0 0 0 19 0 0 0.00 1.000
2017–18 Wichita Thunder ECHL 19 6 4 5 1026 50 0 2.92 .907
AHL totals 22 7 13 0 1183 67 1 3.40 .884

Awards and honours

Award Year
QMJHL
Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy 2009
Michel Brière Memorial Trophy 2009

Records

  • QMJHL league record; lowest goals against average, single-season - 2.01 in 2008–09

References

  1. 1 2 "Wildcats goalie Nicola Riopel captures QMJHL player of the year award". Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on April 3, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
  2. Bill Meltzer (June 5, 2011). "Meltzer's Musings: Goaltending Prospects (Part I of II)". Hockey Buzz. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  3. "Rush add Riopel between the pipes". Rapid City Rush. September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  4. "Admirals sign goaltender Nicola Riopel". Norfolk Admirals. November 6, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  5. "Syracuse Crunch sign goaltender Nic Riopel to AHL contract". Syracuse Crunch. August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  6. "Condors acquire Riopel and Loney". Bakersfield Condors. February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  7. "Riopel announces retirement". Twitter. July 29, 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
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