Eurolanche

Former Avs goalie Aebischer retired

David Aebischer, born in Fribourg, Switzerland, has announced his retirement from hockey. Avalanche fans remember Aebischer from his tenure in Denver, which spanned from the 2000/2001 season to the 2005/2006, when he got traded to the Montreal Canadiens.

Aebischer was the backup to Hall of Famer and current Avs head coach Patrick Roy, but took over the starting job following Roy’s retirement. During the 2003/2004 season, Aebischer played 62 games, had a .924 save percentage and a 2.09 GAA. During the lockout, Aebischer played back home in Switzerland. The following season, he played in 43 games, but his performance dropped and he was traded for goalie Jose Theodore.

Aebischer was part of the Stanley Cup winning team in 2001 and won bronze at the World Juniors in 1998. The Avs drafted Aebischer 161^st overall in 1997. Following his tenure in Colorado, Aebischer also played for the Canadiens and the Phoenix Coyotes. After his stint in Phoenix, Aebischer went back home to play for HC Lugano. He attempted an NHL comeback in 2011, signing a tryout contract with the Winnipeg Jets, but only played one season for the St. John’s IceCaps, the Jets’ AHL affiliate. After that, he left North America once again to play for the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers. The 36-year-old Aebischer last played for Thurgau.

Aebischer's legendary triple save