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Dieter Kochan |
NHL
retiree|
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Dieter Kochan, who has played in many different professional hockey leagues throughout his career, is determined to be an NHL starting goalie. Kochan's unusual road to the NHL began in 1993 when he was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks before starting his four year run at Northern Michigan University. During a game on January 5th, 1998, he scored a goal! On March 27th, 2000, the Tampa Bay Lightning signed him. Then, on March 28th, 2000, Kochan made his NHL debut and NHL history when he became the first player to jump directly from the UHL to the NHL. During the 1999-2000 season, Kochan played in five games for the Lightning. The next season he played for the Detroit Vipers of the IHL, although he did make 10 appearances back with the Lightning. When the Lightning acquired star goaltender Nikolia Khabibulin late that year, Kochan then became Khabibulin's back up. In the spring of 2002, when the Lightning failed to make the playoffs, Kochan was added to the U.S. squad for the 2002 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships in Sweden. |
Kochan and I at The Palace, in
Auburn Hills, Michigan!
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picture to enlarge
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