Texas Brahmas Insider All-Decade Team

The best of the Brahmas from 2000-2009

Part One - The Goaltenders

It would be easy to cull the entire all-decade team from the past two seasons - obviously, the Brahmas name has been best represented by those who wore the purple and black under head coach Dan Wildfong. Yes, most of those selected for the Insider All-Decade Team played in North Richland Hills, but there were a few exceptions.

I've selected 16 players and two goaltenders to represent the best of the Brahmas from 2000-2009. You may of may not agree with all the selections. I'd like to hear your opinions and your choices as well.

Without further ado, here are the selections for the first Texas Brahmas Insider All-Decade Team:

Goaltender

Anybody remember suffering through six different goalies in 1999-00 or five in 2002-03? And there were good reasons for the number of changes. Do you remember when Kory Cooper, Dan Murphy and Larry Sterling were as good as it gets?

The worst performance in the decade was easily rookie Keni Gibson's three-game stint at the beginning of the 2005-06 season when he allowed 15 goals (including 7 against Youngstown). Then there was Cam McDonald's three-game performance in 2002-03, allowing 13 goals - the last by a young winger named Dan Wildfong. Neither goalie played again.

It's obvious that the Brahmas never had it better in net than they had during the 07-08 and 08-09 seasons. Therefore, the numbers one and two goalies of the decade are:

Brett Jaeger

Easily the greatest Brahmas netminder, Jaeger joined the team on December 31st, 2007 for his first start against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. It was also his first loss. In fact his first two games were losses. He earned his first win on January 11th, 2008 on the road against the Tulsa Oilers. He finished the 2007-08 regular season with a 13-6-1 record, a 2.52 GAA and a .918 save percentage.

During the 2008 playoffs, went 5-3-0-1 with a 2.30 GAA and a .935 save percentage - good for second amongst all CHL playoff goalies.

In 2008-09, Jaeger took over as the number one netminder and went 28-9-2 with a 2.36 GAA (3rd in the league) and a .924 save percentage (2nd in the league).

He led all CHL goalies in the 2009 playoffs in games played (16), minutes played (956:23), Wins (12), GAA (2.20) and save percentage (.930) and helped the Brahmas win the 2009 Central Hockey League Ray Miron President's Cup Championship.

His overall regular season record as a Brahmas through 12/31/2009 is 48-23-2 with a 2.55 GAA and a .918 save percentage in 83 games played.

David Cacciola

The first player to sign with the Texas Brahmas, Cacciola earned his first win in his first start as a Brahma on October 19, 2007 on the road against th Austin Icebats. He won six of his first seven starts that season. He went 26-15-1-2 in the regular season with a 2.94 GAA and a .909 save percentage, combining with Brett Jaeger to be one of the best goalie tandems in the league.

During the 2008 playoffs, Cash went 4-2 in seven games played with a 2.84 GAA (4th in the league) and a .929 save percentage (3rd in the league). No one will forget his performance against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs in the quarter finals. He made 156 saves on 165 shots as the Brahmas swept the Mudbugs four games to none.

His role was diminished and he was plagued with back problems in the 2008-09 season, but his presence was essential to the Brahmas run to the playoffs and the eventual President's Cup Championship win. He went 14-7-3 during the regular season with a 2.76 GAA and a .912 save percentage.

Photo Credits: Robert Keith