WORCESTER—Everything is a number in today’s world, but numbers don’t say everything, especially when it comes to hockey.
You can’t prove that new Railer John Muse has been the best goaltender in the minor leagues these last 15 years, but you can make a strong case for him. Muse has been a consistent winner wherever he has played — the AHL, the ECHL, Europe — and his Worcester debut last weekend in Reading was one of the most memorable in the city’s hockey history.
The 35-year-old played two games there and gave up one goal. As a result, Muse was named the Warrior Hockey ECHL goaltender of the week. It was the third such honor of his career, and he is the fourth different Railers goalie to be recognized as such.
Mitch Gillam won it twice, Evan Buitenhuis once and Ken Appleby most recently in November, 2021.
Muse was signed when Worcester lost both of its season-opening goalies in quick succession. Tristan Lennox was injured, then Henrik Tikkanen was called up to Bridgeport. Muse was home in Falmouth, staying in hockey shape and hoping for the phone to ring, which it did.
Railers coach Jordan Smotherman was on the other end. He asked Muse if he was interested in becoming a Railer.
“When (Smotherman) called me,” Muse said, “I said that if I was going to go there, it would be to play some games and not just go through the motions. I know I’m older, and when you look around the room everyone’s real young, but I feel that I can play at a high level.”
Muse spent four seasons at Boston College and helped the Eagles win two national championships. His record was 89-39-16. Despite that, he was undrafted. Muse played a game in the AHL for Portland after graduating and won it, beginning a trek that has seen him play in North America, Europe and Asia.
He has been good on all those continents.
Muse’s AHL stats are 93-63-10 in 184 games with 11 shutouts, a 2.66 goals-against average and a save percentage of .914. His line in the ECHL is 55-33-14 with six shutouts, a 2.81 goals-against average and a save percentage of .909.
Muse spent the last five years overseas then decided it was time to come home again.
For him, home is Falmouth. There must be something about that town. Muse grew up there, and it is the adopted home of longtime NHL goalie and former Sharks general manager Wayne Thomas.
As good as Muse was at Boston College and as well as he has played as a professional, he has never been in a National Hockey League game. There are plenty of goaltenders with less impressive resumes who have.
“I wish I knew why,” Muse said. “I have never even gotten a chance at the NHL level. In my career in North America, I’ve been in National Hockey League training camps but never gotten an opportunity to play in the NHL, for whatever reason.”
That dream has not died. Hockey is still a game of “right place, right time” for most players. Maybe Muse will find that place here as he restarts his career with the Railers.
“I’m 35, yes, but I feel I can still play at a high level,” he said. “You see a lot of older guys who have played in the NHL. I think it takes goalies a little longer to get into their prime.”
For all his travels, Muse has only played six games against Worcester teams. He never played against the Sharks, but has been phenomenal against the Railers. In six games versus Worcester, all with Reading, Muse is 4-1-1 with a 1.64 goals-against average and .942 saves percentage.
This sounds strange, but one of the things that may have worked against Muse getting to the NHL is that he makes it look too easy. He doesn’t make a lot of “wow” saves, but that’s because he does not have to.
“He’s a professional and he’s quiet,” Smotherman said. “Not his personality, but he’s quiet in the net. He does things smoothly, he swallows pucks. When pucks hit him they tend to stay there. He’s always in the right spot.”
“I pride myself in being in the right position,” Muse said. “I read the play well and that enables me to be in a position to stop the puck, and that’s the same in every league, if you can read plays.
“I’ve been around a long time and I think I have a pretty good grasp on plays and knowing what’s going to happen before it happens, and that’s a huge part of the game.”
That sounds a lot like former IceCats goaltender Jamie McLennan, who once said, “If I have to move to make a save, I figure I’ve done something wrong.”
While Muse is glad to be home, he enjoyed his five years overseas. He played in England, Scotland, Denmark, Russia and China. Somewhat surprisingly, his favorite places to play were Russia and China.
“I really enjoyed living in Russia and China,” he said. “You have to go into it with an open mind. When I went over there I’d never been out of North America. I flew over to Beijing, had a great time, learned a lot, saw a lot of different things…I loved it over there, and would love to go back at some point and explore more of China.”
Glasgow, Scotland, was Muse’s stop on the overseas journey last winter and a lot was going on, not much of it good.
“It was a tough season, a tough situation,” he recalled. “It was kind of a disaster.”
Muse’s record for Glasgow was 12-24-0. That’s “ouch” except when you see that the team’s other goaltenders combined to go 3-15-0.
Hockey was not Muse’s only sport as he grew up. He played baseball, a shortstop, and was good enough to be recruited to play college ball, then made a late commitment to B.C. hockey.
Yes, Muse grew up a Red Sox fan. His favorite player was not a shortstop, though. It was Manny Ramirez.
At 35, Muse is the oldest goaltender to wear a Worcester uniform for any team. Next on that list is Jon Casey, who was three weeks shy of 35 when he played for the IceCats in March, 1997. Here’s a coincidence — Casey alternated in net that month with McLennan.
“The guys absolutely love him,” Smotherman said of Muse. “He’s been an awesome addition to the locker room. He brings an older voice that we have been missing this year.”
The feeling is mutual.
“I like being around these guys,” Muse said. “I know I’m older, but it’s been a breath of fresh air being around all the young guys.”
Signing Muse looks like the ultimate win-win for Worcester. He can help the Railers beat the opposition, and can’t join the opposition to help beat the Railers like in years past.
Bill Ballou covered the Red Sox for the Worcester Telegram from 1997 through 2018. He has covered pro hockey in Worcester since 1994 and currently does a weekly column for the Worcester Red Sox. Ballou can be reached at vetgoalie@aol.com
