The NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers have signed their first collegiate in advance of spring. General Manager Paul Holmgren announced the club inked Ohio State University and former St. Louis Jr. Blues goalie Cal Heeter to a two-year contract beginning in 2012-13. The two-year deal is worth $1.85 million. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound native of St. Louis, Missouri catches left.
Heeter, who is 23, played in 32 games this season for the Buckeyes in the CCHA, compiling a 13-11-5 record with a 2.45 goals against average and .918 save percentage. In four years of collegiate play (77 games), he has five shutouts with a career record of 37-27-7 and a 2.54. GAA and .915 save percentage.
Heeter, who is a St. Louis native, played in the 3HL (then CSHL) during the 2005-06 season for the St. Louis Jr. Blues. During that season he compiled a 27-0-0 record with a 1.37 GAA and a .949 save % also recording 7 shutouts. Heeter backstopped St. Louis to a Junior B National Championship that season.
Heeter the continued to play two full seasons in the NAHL with two different teams, the Wichita Falls Wildcats and the St. Louis Bandits. Heeter appeared in 31 games with Wichita Falls during the 2006-07 season. A year later in 2007-08, he backstopped the St. Louis Bandits to the first of three straight Robertson Cup National titles. He was also named to the NAHL All-North Division team during the 2007-08 season.
Heeter told the OSU newspaper, "They had scouts at some of our games this year. They've been following me in previous years as well. I had known that they had interest for a while now, it was just a matter of time before we figured it all out at the end. At the end it came down to which team I felt would blend me into having the greatest opportunity to be where I wanted to be next year — playing in the minor leagues in the NHL and having the opportunity to play well and move up from there,"
Jr. Blues General Manager Chris Flaugher said, "Cal was called up from the Affton Midget Central States program in October of the 2005-06 season and had an immediate impact towards the team's success. Cal was part of a goal tending duo with Rob Moss (St. Lawrence University) that backstopped the Jr. Blues to a National Championship title. Heeter was given the nod to start the game and won the National Championship game. Cal has been successful at every level he has played. He won a Mid States High School Championship with Christian Brother College, Jr. B National Championship, a NAHL Robertson Cup, and has had a very successful career at the collegiate level with Ohio State. The St. Louis Jr. Blues wish Heeter the best of luck and he begins a promising professional career."
