The St. Dom’s graduate decides to play for the Cornwall Colts.
LEWISTON – Bizarre might not be a strong enough word to describe the past week in Jamie Gilbert’s life.
Since last Monday, Gilbert went from token local goaltender asked to try out for the Lewiston Maineiacs to a member of the Cornwall Colts of the Central Junior Hockey League, and a member of the Canadian Junior ‘A’ Hockey League, via the Portland Junior Pirates. He had already signed a contract.
Confused? So was Gilbert.
“This all happened so fast,” said Gilbert. “I knew from the start of Maineiacs camp that if I stepped up my game I could compete with them, and I guess I got better as the week went on.”
Gilbert and Zach Tyburski, two former players at St. Dominic High School, attended Maineiacs training camp, and both players impressed scouts and coaches from the outset.
“Coach (Jeff) Guay said that he and coach (Ed) Harding were really impressed with my camp and that they were pushing for me the whole way,” said Gilbert. “After the game last Wednesday, Norm (Gosselin, the Maineiacs’ general manager) told me that he wanted me to stay with the team for the rest of training camp. He said that I had a legitimate shot at making the team.”
“He impressed us in camp,” said Gosselin. “We wanted to keep him, but we could not guarantee anything. We let him make the decision for himself.”
That’s where Gilbert had to make a big decision. If he played in an exhibition game this weekend in New Hampshire, his college eligibility would have come into question. By staying off the roster before the weekend exhibitions, he ability to play for an NCAA school remains intact.
“I had to make a decision that night,” said Gilbert. “There was no pressure at all, but it was hard. Coach Guay, after I said I was leaving, told me that I had a real shot at competing for the No. 2 spot on the team. The problem is that it wasn’t guaranteed.”
Perfect timing
In the stands during Maineiacs training camp was a scout from the Cornwall Colts, one of the top teams in the CJHL over the last two years. The team lost just 20 games in that span, compiling a 31-13-11-1 last season, with just seven losses the previous year.
“Coach Guay talked to the scout during the camp,” said Gilbert. “He had played there after he finished high school and knew the coach. He talked highly of me to the scout, and the scout was impressed with my camp.”
Impressed so much, in fact, that Gilbert received a call asking him to join training camp in Cornwall, Ontario today.
“They called me up and told me that they wanted me as their No. 1 goalie,” said Gilbert. “I couldn’t believe it.”
After telling Gosselin on Wednesday night that he was not going to accept the offer to stay on at training camp, Gilbert then turned his attention to Cornwall.
One minor roadblock
There was just one problem. Gilbert had signed a contract earlier this year to play for the Portland Junior Pirates, the independent junior team affiliated with the AHL’s Portland Pirates.
“I had to call them and find out about getting released from my contract,” said Gilbert. “I talked to Jay (Pecora, the team’s head coach) first, and he was relaying information to (Sean) O’Brien (co-owner, along with Pecora, of Maine Hockey Group). “They didn’t seem very happy with my decision right away. Mr. O’Brien was reading me my contract on the phone, and specifically about the financial obligation I had.”
To sign with the Pirates, Gilbert had to pay the team $4,800, half of which he had already paid.
“They decided to sleep on it,” said Gilbert. “The next day, Friday, they decided that they would let me go, and just keep what I had already paid without making me pay the rest of it.”
With his release, Gilbert called Cornwall officials back and updated them on his situation. Later today, at 2 p.m, Gilbert will appear in Cornwall for his registration and off-ice fitness test, with practice starting on Monday.
What’s next
With his college eligibility still intact, and playing in a league that is known to funnel players to either Division I or the NHL, Gilbert has every reason to smile.
“This is just incredible,” said Gilbert. “It all happened so fast. I barely have time to do laundry before I have to leave.”
The team, according to Gilbert, has guaranteed him the No. 1 goaltending job, making the next week of tryouts but a formality, a similar situation to the one Matt Davis of the Maineiacs has been in this past week.
“All I can do is keep playing as well as I can,” said Gilbert. “This is a great opportunity that I didn’t want to pass up. We’ll see where it goes from here.”
As far as the Maineiacs are concerned, according to Gosselin, Gilbert will “definitely” be kept on the team’s protected list.
“We will continue to watch him in Cornwall,” said Gosselin. “If something happens in the season, whether it’s a trade or an injury, we’ll be in touch with him just in case.”
jpelletier@sunjournal.com
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