Opening statement
After playing in four different cities over the last two years, including three last season alone, fourth-year professional Stefan Chaput ought to be ready to settle down in Providence.
2010-11 Highlights (With Charlotte, Syracuse and Providence)
· Started his Syracuse stint with three points in four games, including goals on consecutive nights against his former teammates from the Carolina system.
· Went through 27 consecutive games without taking a single penalty, beginning on Dec. 29 with Syracuse and ending on April 2 with Providence.
· Scored a goal in his Providence debut, again beating his old friends from Charlotte, 4-2, on March 4 at The Dunk.
· Tallied four points in as many games-played to close out the season, including a goal-assist value pack and the game-winner in his final appearance of the year, a 5-4 home triumph over Portland on April 8.
· Finished with a plus-7 rating over 15 games with Providence, third-best on the 2010-11 team leaderboard behind Steven Kampfer and Jeff Penner.
2010-11 Lowlights
· Did not charge up a goal in any of his first 21 games-played, including all 20 played with Charlotte before the Carolina Hurricanes exported his rights to the Anaheim Ducks. Ironically, Chaput would score three goals in as many meetings with the Checkers after scoring none in two months on their side.
· Rolled up a minus-5 rating over his first 13 games with Charlotte.
· Went on an 11-game pointless skid with Syracuse between Dec. 28 and Jan. 19.
· Rating hit a season-low minus-6 on Jan. 18 and again on Feb. 25, both with Syracuse.
2011-12 Outlook
The grinding pivot has spent his whole professional career in the AHL, playing a grand total of 153 games with the Albany River Rats, Charlotte Checkers, Syracuse Crunch and the P-Bruins. Unless his game plummets far enough to warrant an assignment to Reading, expect Chaput to be a mainstay at The Dunk for the coming year.
Perhaps more than anything, Chaput’s topmost goal ought to be to stay healthy. In three tries thus far, he has yet to make it through a full professional season without any injuries.
