The Trois-Rivières Lions have announced that they have re-signed goaltender Zachary Emond for the 2024-25 season. Emond, originally selected by the San Jose Sharks in 2018, has played in 34 career ECHL games, spending time with the Orlando Solar Bears, Wichita Thunder, and Trois-Rivieres Lions, where he’s put up an 18-12-2 record with a 3.05 GAA .901SV%, and three shutouts. He also played in 12 AHL games with the San Jose Barracuda, going 3-4-4 with a 4.48 GAA and .867SV%. In his first year with the Lions, the Quebec native went 9-7-1 with a 2.81 GAA, 907SV%, and three shutouts. Emonds strongest play came at the end of the regular season, where he recorded back to back shutouts to propel the Lions into the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The 24-year-old goaltender would start all six Kelly Cup Playoff Games for the Lions, going 2-4 with a 3.22 GAA and .879SV%.
There’s no doubt that Emond earned his spot with the Lions at the end of the 2023-24 season and should play a much bigger role for Trois-Rivieres between the pipes. Heading into next season, it will be the first time that Emond will have a chance to earn himself the number one job in Trois-Rivieres as Joe Vrbetic has struggled in his first two seasons with Lions despite leading the teams in wins in each of the past two seasons. The Lions have already lost Strauss Mann as he’s heading overseas, so it will be interesting to see if the Lions re-sign another one of their goalies from last year or decide to look elsewhere.
