ROANOKE, VA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs announced on Tuesday that goaltender Brody Claeys has returned to the team from the ECHL, while goaltender Tom Aubrun has been released.
Claeys returned to the Star City this season after playing in five games for Roanoke last year, registering a .891 save percentage, a 2.52 goals against average, and a 1-1-0 record in the 2021-2022 campaign. The six-foot-four goaltender was off to a solid start this season for the Dawgs, going 3-2-0 with a 2.41 goals against average and a .904 save percentage. Claeys was called up to the Reading Royals on November 23 this season, and was claimed by the Florida Everblades on November 30 after being released by the Royals. He recorded a 2-2-0 record in five games played with a 2.91 goals against average, a .889 save clip, and one shutout between the two teams. Last season, Claeys was called up to the Worcester Railers of the ECHL on December 28, and spent the rest of the season in the Coast playing for the Railers, Wheeling Nailers, and Reading Royals. In 20 total ECHL games played, the Dauphin, Manitoba native recorded a 10-6-1 record with a .887 save percentage and 3.22 goals allowed average.
Aubrun was acquired by Roanoke in a trade with Macon back on December 29. In nine combined games between Macon and the Knoxville Ice Bears this season, the six-foot goalie had a 1-5-0 record with a .876 save percentage and a 4.26 goals against average. After joining the Dawgs, Aubrun was 2-4-0 in seven games played with a 2.50 goals against average, a .910 save percentage, and a shutout. Prior to this season, Aubrun spent two years split between the AHL and ECHL, appearing in three AHL games for the Rockford IceHogs and 17 games for the ECHL’s Indy Fuel. Combined between those two leagues, Aubrun went 5-10-2 with a .867 save clip and a 4.05 goals against average. Prior to his professional career, the Frenchman was a star at Norwich University (NCAA-DIII), helping them to finish runner-up in the national championship as a junior in 2019 and reeling off the longest shutout streak ever by a goalie at any level of NCAA hockey at six games during his senior year, ending only when the COVID-19 pandemic brought the NCAA Tournament to a halt. He was named the Division III National Player of the Year after going 23-2-2 with 13 shutouts, a .967 save clip, and a 0.77 goals against average.
The Rail Yard Dawgs will visit the Quad City Storm this weekend starting on Friday, February 17 at 8:10 p.m. EST, and you can watch the game on HockeyTV or listen for free on Mixlr. Roanoke will be hosting a Bud Light Watch Party in Club 611 at Berglund Center for Friday night’s road game against the Storm. Season tickets and single-game tickets are available by calling the Rail Yard Dawgs office, visiting the ‘Tickets’ page on our website, or by visiting the Berglund Center box office.
Photo Credit: John Wacher