Thomas Greiss
Thomas Greiss ( born January 29, 1986 in Füssen) is a German professional ice hockey goaltender who stands since July 2013 at the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League contract.
- 3.1 International
Career
Thomas Greiss grew up in the area close to his birthplace village of Roßhaupten feet and started playing at the age of six years at EV Füssen Ice Hockey. The left -catching goalkeeper went through all the youth teams of the traditional clubs and was first appointed to the U13 in a selected team. Up to and including the Under-18 selection, he has since played in every age group in the National Dress.
In summer 2002, Greiss moved from the foot to the Cologne Sharks, where he first guarded the gate of the junior teams in the DNL. In his first season with the young sharks he led the team to the finals of the playoffs, where they lost the young eagles from Mannheim. After the departure of Leonhard game before the season 2003 /04 he then got his chance as a substitute in the pros behind Chris Rogles. During this season and the next he was mainly borrowed by mining license or in the cup and used sporadically in the DEL with the sharks. He knew, with good performances on to draw attention to themselves. Above all, his calm and clarity in the game already distinguished him at this early point in his career. During his first two professional seasons, he was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the third round of the NHL Entry Draft in 2004 to 94th position. At the beginning of the season 2005/ 06 benefited Greiss of the injury of the Cologne strain goalkeeper Oliver Jonas, which he came to several missions. He did convince that earned the master of the Cologne goal. In addition, he was appointed for the first time TUI Nations Cup squad in the senior team and was also used for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and the Division I 2006 World Championship in Amiens for the selection to use. After the preliminary round of the 2005/06 season he was one of the best goalkeepers in the league statistically and came into the playoffs for the use, where he retired with the sharks in the semifinals.
Although he extended after the season his contract with the Rhineland until 2009, but received shortly after an offer from the San Jose Sharks and moved to North America where he, his first year in the American Hockey League with the Worcester Sharks, the farm team of San Jose began. Together with fellow German goalkeeper Dimitri Paetzold and the Canadians Nolan Schaefer he trained there for a short time the goalkeeper team. In November, he moved briefly in the ECHL for the second farm team from San Jose, the Fresno Falcons. For the game against the Philadelphia Flyers on November 18, he was summoned for the first time in the NHL team, but stood for the game but not in the squad because Evgeni Nabokov after a minor injury but as a back -up goalie on the bench could take. Already on 24 November, he was sent from Fresno back to Worcester. In March 2007 the German received the award for the AHL Player of the Week from March 18 to 25, after serving as a victorious goalkeeper went to all three games for the week of ice and it had a catch rate of 94.0 percent and a Gegentorschnitt of 1.67.
The 2007/08 season started, the native Füssen again in the AHL with the Worcester Sharks. In January 2008, he was then appointed for the second time in the season in the NHL squad San Jose and was 13 January 2008 his NHL debut against the Anaheim Ducks. It was followed by two more missions, but a victory he did not succeed. After the San Jose Sharks had committed an experienced replacement for Nabokov with Brian Boucher in March 2008, Greiss spent the entire 2008/ 09 in Worcester. In 57 games, he celebrated 30 victories, setting a new franchise record. In addition, his first shutout he succeeded towards the end of the regular season on North American ice. In the subsequent playoffs the German increased its services again and led the Sharks in the Atlantic Division Finals. His statistical values , including two shutouts in twelve matches, were among the best in the playoffs. The management of San Jose honored the achievements Greiss in August 2009 with a new two year contract for the restricted free agent. After the change of Boucher he formed with Evgeni Nabokov the Torhüterduo of San Jose for the 2009/10 season, with Greiss initially acted as substitute. Although less inserts the German played very consistent and was awarded for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver an invitation to the German squad, where he was a regular goalkeeper.
On 12 October 2010 Greiss was placed on the waiver list and then taken by the Worcester Sharks, the farm team of the San Jose Sharks, again under contract. The German order was no longer part of the squad of the Sharks and was only the third choice behind the two Finns Antti Niemi and Antero Niittymaki. On 22 October 2010, the Sharks with Brynäs IF agreed from the Swedish Elitserien on a loan for the season 2010/11. After the end of the season in Sweden San Jose ordered the goalkeeper on 11 April 2011 for the upcoming NHL playoffs back to North America.
Because of the September 15, 2012 started NHL Lockouts Thomas Greiss decided to return to Germany. He wrote in November for the time the lockout a contract with the Hannover Scorpions of the DEL. In the Lower Greiss came alternately with the goalkeeper Dimitri Paetzold used. Overall, he completed by the end of the lockout on January 6, 2013 nine games for the Scorpions.
In its first use in the 2012/13 season for the San Jose Sharks of the goalkeeper was able to celebrate his first shutout in the NHL. In July 2013 he signed a one year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes.
Awards and achievements
- 2004 German Cup winner with the Cologne Sharks
- 2006 DEL All-Star Game
Internationally
- 2004 promotion to the top division at the U20 Junior World Championship Division I
- 2004 promotion to the top division at the U18 Junior World Championship Division I
- 2006 promotion to the top division at the U20 Junior World Championship Division I
- 2006 promotion to the top division at the World Championships Division I
Career Stats
Internationally
Represented Germany at:
- U18 Junior B 's World Cup 2003
- U20 Junior B World Cup 2004
- U18 Junior B World Cup 2004
- U20 World Junior Championships 2005
- U20 Junior B World Cup 2006
- Winter Olympics 2006
- B- World Cup 2006
- 2010 Winter Olympics
( Key to the goalkeeper stats: GP or Sp = Total Games; W or W = Wins, L = Losses, or N, T or D = Draw or shootout defeat, min = minutes; SOG or ZAT = Shots on goal, GA or GT = Goals against; SO = shutouts, GAA or GTS = Gegentorschnitt; Sv % or SVS % = quota, EN = Empty Net Goal; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )