François Brassard was chased by multiple ECHL teams in the offseason. He’s proved to be a consistent winner at this level – capturing the ECHL’s 2021-22 Goaltender of the Year award – so it’s not a surprise he was in demand.

He wound up as one of new Komets coach Jesse Kallechy’s biggest signings and looked every bit as he was billed in Friday’s season opener, stopping 17 of 18 shots, including a key Andrew Bellant breakaway, in a 4-1 road victory over the Indy Fuel.

“I had a couple chats with Jesse before I decided to come over. He was just very adamant about what my role would be on this team, coming in with some experience in net,” Brassard said. “For me, I really wanted to pick a good team where I could have a good chance to win right away. I’ve been floating around the league and I wanted to be on one of the known powerhouses, which Fort Wayne is, and I thought it was the right fit at the right time.”

The Komets have 72 years of history in which they’ve had legendary goaltenders – such as Chuck Adamson, Robbie Irons, Pokey Reddick and Nick Boucher – but they’re still finding their stride in the modern ECHL. Developing players for NHL teams is the way now, which means riding one goalie the majority of games is becoming increasingly rare.

Brassard, 29, knows he’s going to have to share the net this season. On Saturday, Tyler Parks, 31, who is contracted to the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors, one step above Fort Wayne in the Edmonton Oilers’ system, stopped 20 of 23 shots in a 3-1 loss to the Fuel at Memorial Coliseum. Rookie goalie Brett Brochu is also on the Fort Wayne roster.

Brassard is nonchalant about the timeshare with a veteran like Parks, while mentoring a rookie like Brochu. Especially since the Komets play three games in three nights 14 times this season, Brassard knows he’ll get plenty of playing time regardless of the depth chart.

“In the end, with all the injuries and all the movement, I’ll still get a lot of games, no matter who I’m sharing the net with. Sometimes there could be two or three goalies here,” he said. “It’s not something I think about; it’s not my job. That’s up to the management and coaches. So I just need to be ready whenever I get games.”

To be clear, Brassard, a pro since 2019, still hopes he can move up to the AHL. He’s just reached a stage in his career where he’s acceptant that he’ll probably spend most of the season in the ECHL. He’d rather not traverse North America just to be a backup in the AHL, but if the situation is right he’ll go.

“I’m not getting any younger, so it’s nice to have somewhere, a home base, where I’m not getting called up and down too much,” he said.

Brassard has a career ECHL record of 48-37-6 with a 2.57 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage and three shutouts with the Maine Mariners, Wheeling Nailers and Jacksonville Icemen, with whom he was 19-9-3 with a 2.19 GAA, a .911 SP and one shutout to win the ECHL’s Goaltender of the Year award. That season, he was on an AHL contract and shared the net with another AHL-contracted goalie, Tyler Wall, and Charles Williams.

“It just proves that (the depth chart) doesn’t really matter; goalies are going to come, goalies are going to go and you just have to be ready to go whenever you get games,” Brassard said.

“I didn’t really play much in the first half and then in the second half, I just kind of had a boom and took over. That just shows that it’s a long season and you’re going to get your games no matter what.”

Brassard has played in 11 ECHL playoff games (six with Jacksonville and five last season with the Maine Mariners), going 5-5-0 with a 2.84 GAA, a .914 SP and one shutout. But he’s only played three AHL games – all in the regular season – with a 1-1-1 record, a 2.64 GAA and a .909 SP.

Performances like Friday’s could get him more time in the AHL and help the Komets compete for a championship, and that’s what Brassard is hoping for.

“I know this has been kind of a hub for people getting called up and moving up,” Brassard said. “I’m not too worried about filling anybody’s shoes. I just try to fill my shoes and show up and do what I do. The last few years, I’ve been fortunate to be on decent teams and play good hockey. I just want to do more of the same.”