ROANOKE, VA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs announced Wednesday that goaltender Brody Claeys has been called up to the ECHL’s Reading Royals, while Roanoke has signed goaltender Talor Joseph. Joseph will be available to play tonight against Knoxville.
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. 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. Prior to last season, Claeys had played 14 games as a rookie in the SPHL during the 2019-2020 season for three different teams – Birmingham, Knoxville, and Fayetteville. During the 2019-20 season, Claeys recorded a 4-5-0 record, having his best success with Fayetteville (5 GP, 3-0-0, 1.64 GAA, .946 SV%). Prior to his professional career, Claeys tended net for two seasons at the University of Alaska-Anchorage (NCAA-DI).
Joseph joins the Dawgs after he was released from the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder back on November 15. The six-foot-one netminder did not appear in a game for Adirondack this season, but did play in two AHL games last year after he was signed at the end of his collegiate career. In two games for the Toronto Marlies, Joseph went 1-0-0 with a 3.75 goals against average and a .894 save percentage. Prior to his professional career, Joseph played four seasons at Nippising University and one at Trinity Western University in Canada. Across his five seasons in school, Joseph appeared in 40 games and registered a .899 save percentage.
Roanoke will be at home to take on the Knoxville Ice Bears tonight at 7:05 p.m. EST, and you can watch the game on HockeyTV or listen for free on Mixlr. Tonight’s game is the Fall Food Drive sponsored by Kroger, and fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food to donate to Feeding America. 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: Ashlie Brammer (Claeys) / Toronto Marlies (Joseph)