Thiessen contributing any approach he can

by Nicole Del Villano | AHL On The BeatWith the primary few weeks of 2020 behind him, Cleveland Monsters goaltender Brad Thiessen paused to replicate on a decade, now behind him, that aligned exactly with the extent of his skilled taking part in profession up to now.“I feel again to all of the locations I’ve lived and groups I’ve been on and notice I’ve been actually blessed for the final 10 years,” Thiessen mentioned in a current interview. “I’m pleased the final 5 have been in Cleveland as a result of it’s a particular place for my household the place we’ve got set some roots down, particularly with three younger children.”After 10 seasons of professional competitors, today Thiessen is experiencing a little bit of a transition in position – away from battling for enjoying time in internet and in direction of serving as a mentor to the youthful goaltenders in his group and dressing room.After inking an AHL contract with Cleveland for the second straight season, signing on because the workforce’s third goaltending choice, Thiessen has totally embraced his newfound moniker “Coach Brad,” serving to third-year netminder Matiss Kivlenieks and newcomer Veini Vehvilainen as Cleveland’s full-time day-to-day goaltending coach.“It has been good for these first three months of the season to essentially deal with the opposite guys. The workforce has been going with no accidents and it allowed me to essentially dive into video with them,” mentioned Thiessen. “They get right into a rotation of who performs when, so I can sit down with the opposite man when he’s not taking part in and work on the sport tape. On the teaching aspect, issues have been actually good for me working with [Matiss and Veini].”Because the Monsters’ NHL affiliate, the Columbus Blue Jackets, endured an injury-riddled month of December, a number of Monsters gamers have been recalled with the goaltending group affected by that attrition on Dec. 29. After Blue Jackets starter Joonas Korpisalo was positioned on injured reserve, Kivlenieks obtained a name to Columbus to again up Elvis Merzlikins and in flip, Thiessen needed to alter his mindset to that of a day-to-day contributor on the ice.“I needed to throw the pads on once more. It was thrilling to get that chance once more,” defined Thiessen. “It has been a bit of totally different this 12 months as a result of we’ve got been attempting to present the youthful guys extra reps in observe, so my ice time is type of extra goalie-specific managed circumstances. It could take a number of extra days of observe to rise up to hurry, however as soon as I get that below my belt it will likely be effective.”Picture: John SarayaIt actually helps that this transition is one which Thiessen has skilled earlier than, as not too long ago as the tip of final season. Within the closing weeks of the 2018-19 marketing campaign, the Monsters confronted a goalie scarcity resulting from harm and Thiessen discovered himself between the pipes amid a playoff push. The Aldergrove, B.C., native began Cleveland’s closing 13 video games of the common season and backstopped the Monsters throughout a run to the second spherical of the Calder Cup Playoffs.Whereas the state of affairs was acquainted for Thiessen and Cleveland followers, first-year Monsters head coach Mike Eaves has been uncovered to a distinct aspect of his participant/coach now that his focus has shifted away from the coaches’ room and into the aim crease.“[Brad] is popping his mind round. He’s going from coach to goalie now and I noticed a distinction straight away – it’s a totally different focus,” mentioned Eaves. “He is aware of what he must do and I used to be excited to see him play as a result of I by no means had earlier than. He’s in fantastic form which helped him simply transition again into being a goalie.”Beloved to Cleveland followers all through his five-year run with the Monsters, Thiessen as soon as once more thrilled the group at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in his first look this 12 months, a 5-Four win over the league-leading Milwaukee Admirals on Jan. Four.No matter his position, Thiessen says pushing his profession into its second decade is a chance he values every single day.“To have a house in Cleveland and to be on this group is nice,” mentioned Thiessen. “So so long as they’ll have me, I’ll be pleased to maintain coming again right here.”