by Lindsay Kramer || NHL.com
Leaving San Antonio after four seasons in the Phoenix organization was a tough decision for goalie Josh Tordjman, though he eased the breakup by staying nearby.
Perhaps close enough to haunt his old friends.
Tordjman, 25, has signed a free-agent deal with Houston, the Rampage’s biggest rival.
"To tell you the truth, I’m not sure what to expect," Tordjman said. "It’s going to be great going back to San Antonio. We’re going to go there to beat them, for sure. It’s going to feel good to get an opportunity to compete against guys on the ice and afterward catch up on some friendships I made."
There will be a lot of nostalgia. Tordjman played 176 games with the Rampage during the last four seasons, compiling a record of 82-76-10 with nine shutouts. In 2009-10, he was named the recipient of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award as the AHL’s Man of the Year for outstanding contributions in the community.
Tordjman has experience crossing hockey lines, and on an even deeper emotional level. He played parts of four seasons with Victoriaville of the QMJHL, then near the end of the 2005-06 season was traded to Moncton. In the ensuing playoffs, he backstopped Moncton to a first-round win against his old team.
"It was definitely different. Pros is a much different feeling," he said. "In pros, you see different faces through the years. I found it pretty difficult in junior."
Lindsay Kramer is the AHL correspondent for NHL.com. Read today’s complete column here.
