Jonathan Lessard Interview & Fogal Stats

The Allen Americans announced two additional player signings yesterday.

Goalie Brad Fogal is familiar to Allen fans from his time with the Brahmas the past two years and joins fellow Brahma teammates John Snowden, Phil Fox, and Ross Rouleau in what some Fort Worth fans refer to as Brahmas East. Let's hope some of them come to the Allen Event Center to watch a few games this year. Brad seemed to play particularly well against the Americans. You may also remember Brad got caught up in the Brahmas financial problems as he was injured and rehabbing when the club ceased operations after the end of the season and from what I heard he was literally kicked out of his apartment and never compensated as required by the collective bargaining agreement. He is going to enjoy how he is treated in Allen. Last year Brad was 15-12 with a goals against average of 2.72 and a save percentage of 90.2%. For those of you on twitter give Brad a follow (@bfogal).

Brad Fogal - photo by chlphotos.com

  Fogal's stats:

Brad Fogal

Goalie -- shoots R
Born Jun 16 1986 -- Sharon, ONT
[27 yrs. ago]
Height 5.10 -- Weight 170 [178 cm/77 kg]

 

			RS Scoring			RS Goalie Stats										PO Scoring
Season	Team	Lge	GP	A	PIM	Min	GA	EN	SO	GAA	W	L	T	Svs	Pct	GP	A	PIM
2004-05	Huntsville Otters	OPJHL	22	0	12
2004-05	Newmarket Hurricanes	OPJHL	7	0	0
2005-06	Newmarket Hurricanes	OPJHL	38	3	14
2006-07	Newmarket Hurricanes	OPJHL	10	0	4
2006-07	Pickering Panthers	OPJHL	31	3	6
2007-08	Adrian College	MCHA	22	0	4	1220	38	0	5	1.87	20	2	0	479	0.926
2008-09	Adrian College	MCHA	27	0	0	1517	42	0	5	1.66	25	1	1	539	0.928
2009-10	Adrian College	MCHA	27	2	0	1562	61	0	2	2.34	23	4	0	644	0.913
2010-11	Adrian College	MCHA	30	1	2	1752	65	0	1	2.23	25	4	1	774	0.923
2011-12	Quad City Mallards	CHL	10	2	0	547	28	0	0	3.07	6	2	0	281	0.909	-	-	-
2011-12	Cincinnati Cyclones	ECHL	11	0	0	625	29	1	0	2.78	4	4	3	264	0.901	-	-	-
2011-12	Kalamazoo Wings	ECHL	1	0	0	59	2	0	0	2.04	0	1	0	19	0.905	-	-	-
2011-12	Texas Brahmas	CHL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9	0	0
2012-13	Fort Worth Brahmas	CHL	32	2	0	1723	78	0	2	2.72	15	12	2	716	0.902	3	0	0

- Jonathan Lessard is a 22 year old right wing from St. Eustache Quebec. He is six feet and weighs 190 pounds, shoots left and plays right wing. He is friends with and also trains with Alex Lavoie who signed earlier with the Americans. I had a chance to exchange messages with Jonathan and he is working hard to get ready for the upcoming season and is looking forward to his time in North Texas. Lessard agreed to answer some "get to know you" questions (20 of them) and is in the process of responding but in the meantime I found this recent article written by Andreas Matsoukas who writes a blog called oddmanrush.ca which gives you some background on Jonathan. I'm guessing he will be wearing number 91 with the Americans. For those of you on twitter give Jonathan a follow (@top_cheese91)

By Andreas Matsoukas

In this player interview, we will be featuring Jonathan Lessard from St. Eustache, Quebec.
After a brief stint in Drummondvile playing the for QMJHL’s Voltigeurs, Jonathan spent his next three seasons with Acadie-Bathurst, scoring over 35 goals in two of those years. In his last year of junior hockey playing with Baie Comeau, Lessard put up 27 goals in just 50 games, adding another 6 goals in 8 games as he helped his team make it to the second round of the QMJHL playoffs.
Following his “Q” days, Jonathan Lessard then attended training camp with the ECHL’s San Francisco Bulls in the fall of 2012 before signing a contract to play in the North American Hockey League with the Saint-Georges Cool FM 103.5.
In January, Lessard made his ECHL debut with the Bulls where he scored 5 points in 23 games in limited ice time. He then was traded to the Utah Grizzlies.
Here is my conversation with Jonathan Lessard (translated from french).
For people who are unfamiliar with you, tell us what type of game you like to play. Is there anyone you model your game after?
I think Alex Burrows is someone I’ve been compared to a lot. I also watched Bryan Bickell in last season’s NHL playoffs. He plays the type of game I’d like to play, but Burrows is the one I’m compared to most.
Having played in the QMJHL, ECHL and North American Hockey League, and heading into a new season where you’ll be playing in the Central Hockey League, have you found any significant differences between the different leagues?
The Q and the ECHL are pretty similar in terms of preparation. Players take things very seriously. The main difference between those leagues is that in junior, the guys are probably a tighter group, whereas in the ECHL everyone is much more professional, most of the time doing their own thing to prepare. The NAHL didn’t include much preparation so that was a very different experience.
The NAHL has a reputation of being a very tough league.
The 4th lines are pretty much all fighters, with some 3rd lines having a few as well. I’d say the league has evolved a lot in the last five years though and you’re seeing much more talent now.
A good example is Jesse Belanger, who won the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993. Granted he’s closer to the end than the beginning of his career at this point, but it’s becoming a destination for many players who perhaps are nearing the end of their pro careers but can still play at a reasonably high level.
Your dream is obviously to play in the NHL. Whether you’re playing in the ECHL, NAHL or CHL, does your preparation in terms of reaching that goal change?
In the summer, I always like knowing where I’m going to play the following season because it makes my mental preparation easier. This season for example, I’ve already signed my contract to play for the Allen Americans in the CHL.
I train in the off-season in Boisbrians with quite a wide variety of players from all levels including the NHL, ECHL and junior. I’d say the big difference I’ve noticed in watching the pros train is that guys like Pascal Dupuis work the hardest on the little details. He’s there at 8 am and is always one of the last guys to leave.
From the guys you know and have spent time with, do you find a difference in the personalities of guys who have signed big-money contracts?
Well, Pascal Dupuis is a great example of a guy who has made quite a bit of money in the NHL, as has Alex Burrows. I train with both guys and they’re both really good guys and have always respected me even though I’m not an NHL player. I don’t find the money has changed the guys I’ve interacted with.
Are there any charities you like getting involved with, or that you prefer to support?
This summer I wouldn’ve really liked to play in a tournament in Drummondville benefiting Enfant Soleil, but I wasn’t able to make it. I did however participate in a ball hockey tournament where my team won the Championship. We donated half of our prize to the foundation.
I’m always willing to help, whether it’s by participation or donations, especially with my mother having battled breast cancer. I think it’s important to help when we can because while the time and money we donate won’t really affect us, it may make all the difference to someone else’s life.
Thank you very much for your time Jonathan and best of luck this season.

Lessard's stats:

Jonathan Lessard

Right Wing -- shoots L
Born Feb 22 1991 -- St-Eustache, PQ
[22 yrs. ago]
Height 6.00 -- Weight 190 [183 cm/86 kg]

 

			Regular Season						Playoffs
Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2007-08	Drummondville Voltigeurs	QMJHL	6	1	1	2	2	1	--	--	--	--	--
2008-09	Acadie-Bathurst Titan	QMJHL	68	14	16	30	55	-14	5	0	1	1	14
2009-10	Acadie-Bathurst Titan	QMJHL	68	36	28	64	62	5	5	3	4	7	8
2010-11	Acadie-Bathurst Titan	QMJHL	62	37	29	66	70	7	4	0	2	2	0
2011-12	Baie-Comeau Drakkar	QMJHL	50	27	11	38	64	-11	8	6	2	8	6
2012-13	Trois Rivieres Caron and Guay	LNAH	16	0	3	3	6	-8
2012-13	San Francisco Bulls	ECHL	23	1	4	5	24	-4	--	--	--	--	--
2012-13	Utah Grizzlies	ECHL	8	0	2	2	2	-2	--	--	--	--	--