Former ECHL and current New Jersey Devils goaltender Johan Hedberg is The MeiGray Group ECHL Alumnus of the Month for February.
The leading distributor of game- worn hockey jerseys and “Official Game-Worn Jersey Source of the ECHL,” MeiGray sold more than 700 game-worn jerseys in 2009-10 and has sold more than 5,500 since it became “The Official Game- Worn Jersey Source of the ECHL” in 2002-03.
The 37 year old was 7-1-1 with two shutouts, a 1.43 goals against average and a save percentage of .943 in 10 games for the Devils in the month of February. Hedberg made 31 saves on two occasions during the month – in a 2-1 overtime win over Toronto on Feb. 10 and in a 2-1 win against San Jose on Feb. 11.
Hedberg has appeared in 31 games for the Devils this season going 13-11-2 with three shutouts, a goals against average of 2.34 and a save percentage of .913. His goals against average is ninth in the NHL.
The Leksand, Sweden native played two games with the Baton Rouge Kingfish in 1997-98 posting a 1-1-0 record with a goals against average of 4.20 and a save percentage of .879. After being called up to the Detroit Vipers of the IHL, Hedberg posted a record of 7-2-2 with one shutout, a goals against average of 2.64 and a save percentage of .899 in 16 appearances.
Selected in the ninth round (218th overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Hedberg has played in 324 regular-season games with Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Dallas, Atlanta and New Jersey with a record of 136-125-31, 17 shutouts, a goals against average of 2.88 and a save percentage of .901. He has also appeared in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games going 10-12 with two shutouts, a 2.33 goals-against average and a save percentage of .914.
There have been 464 players who have played in the NHL after playing in the ECHL including 21this season and 35 in 2009-10. The ECHL has had 272 players reach the NHL since 2002-03 when it changed its focus to become the primary developmental league for the NHL and the AHL. The ECHL had 97 players reach the NHL in its first 10 seasons and 215 in the first 15 years. There have been 208 ECHL players who have played their first game in the last six seasons for an average of more than 34 per year.