Robert Esche is a former Flyers Goaltender that isn’t a household name throughout the Flyers alumni like former Goaltender Ron Hextall, or former forward Simon Gagne is. However, Esche, who is the current President of the Utica Comets, has really built an empire with the Comets in the AHL (Vancouver Canucks affiliate), according to to a great announcer in Jim Jackson, “Rob came to me about 7 or 8 years ago and said he wanted to start a franchise in Utica, and of course Utica at that point didn’t have a franchise since the Devils left,” Jackson said to us on our podcast a few weeks ago, “I told Rob not to put any money into that. Now it’s the top franchise in the AHL. It’s unbelievable.”
Jackson continued, “Now it’s unbelievable. He’s added a restaurant, he’s added a facility across the street where youth hockey rinks are. It’s just unbelievable what he’s done.”
Esche played with the Flyers from the 2002-03 season-2006-07 season. He hails from Whitesboro, New York, which is only eight minutes according to Google Maps from the town of Utica. Originally, drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 6th round of the 1996 NHL Draft, Esche is now a business entrepreneur, and a darn good one at it, “He now owns a few restaurants, eventually he’s going to be the Mayor there some day,” Jackson said.
Who would have thought that the small town of Utica in New York would be thriving, and eventually would be a hub for the great sport of hockey. Well, Jim Jackson is from Utica, and actually started his broadcasting career with the Utica Devils from 1987-1992. Jackson got to know a great Goaltender in Martin Brodeur, who started playing for the Utica Devils in 1992, and Esche of course, “Robert Esche is from around Utica, and he has done an unbelievable job with the Utica Comets,” Jackson said, “I announced in Utica in the late 80’s early 90’s, and we drew about 2,500 a night, on a good night closer to 3,000.” Now Esche has the Comets drawing 3,932 people on a nightly basis, according to hockeydb.com.
Esche was a good character guy in the locker room (From what I gather), and a player that gave it right back to his opponents following a scrum. He wasn’t intimidated by anyone, and that apparently that rubbed off on his teammates well. Even more so, it shouldn’t come as a shock that Esche has become a successful business man, as he really excelled at just about everything he was determined to put his mind to.
The former Flyers netminder may not be the best Goaltender to ever come through the organization, however, Esche is a very smart, intelligent, businessman, who is a great Flyers alumni. Kudos to him for his successful hockey career, and thanks to Jim Jackson for telling his story.
