Laredo, TX - The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey
League announced Friday that they have acquired and signed two-time CHL
All-Star goaltender Sebastien Centomo from the Mississippi Riverkings,
in exchange for future considerations. Centomo, the 2001-02 CHL Rookie
of the Year, is entering his eighth professional campaign.
Centomo made his second CHL All-Star team last season as he went 18-9-3
for the Riverkings, with a 2.51 goals against average, and a .915 save
percentage, while posting three shutouts. Centomo earned CHL goaltender
of the week honors for November 11th, 2007.
In his rookie year, Centomo, a native of Laval, Quebec, played at every level, including playing one game in the NHL for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"Centomo is one of the top goaltenders in the CHL there's no doubt in
my mind", said Bucks Head Coach and General Manager Terry Ruskowski.
"He's played at every level, and he is the number one goalie I have
been looking for all summer long".
In his previous
seven professional seasons Centomo has a combined 121-84-23 record,
with a career G.A.A under 2.70, and a save percentage of over .910%,
while posting 14 shutouts.
Besides playing in one NHL
game in his career, the 6'1, 200 pound netminder has played in 95 AHL
games (St. John's Maple Leafs, Manitoba Moose), 104 CHL games
(Mississippi Riverkings, Oklahoma City Blazers), 50 ECHL games
(Greensboro Generals, Las Vegas Wranglers, Long Beach Ice Dogs), and one FNL game (HIFK Helinski).
"We've been lucky over the years to have good goalies here, and we
expect Centomo to be right up there with the best", Ruskowski said. "He
will play the majority of our games this season, and we are very happy
about that".
Centomo spent part of the 2005-06
season, and all of the 2006-07 campaign with Oklahoma City, where he
played in 52 games combined, posting a 28-19-2 mark, with a 3.09 GAA
and a .908 save percentage.
Centomo has spent parts
of four different seasons in the AHL, playing for the St. John's Maple
Leafs and the Manitoba Moose. His most successful AHL campaign came in
his rookie year, when he went 12-7-4, with a 2.52 G.A.A, and a .926 SV
%, while posting two shutouts. Centomo earned the Leafs' starting job
for the 2002 Calder Cup Playoffs and led them to the second round.
Before his AHL success, Centomo's CHL rookie of the Year season in
2001-02 was one for the record books. He went 16-1-0 with a 2.09 GAA
and a .934 save percentage with the then Memphis Riverkings, to also
earn him his first All-Star nod.
