This is the second in a two-part series about Sabres goalie prospect, Jason Kasdorf. For Part I, click here.
Ewald Kasdorf was born and raised on a farm in Brazil then emigrated with his family--one which eventually grew to 15 family members--to Canada to start a new life. His parents had relatives in Winnipeg back then and they'd told them of an opportunity for a better life in Canada so they decided to pack up the clan and move.
"From a young age my dad was always working, always had lots of responsibility," said Buffalo Sabres goaltending prospect, Jason Kasdorf, "and when they came to Canada, they really didn't have much. Basically every bit of money my dad made he gave to his parents to help them and the family out.'
As things stabilized, Ewald had started his plumbing business and eventually started his own family. His only son Jason would spend the summers working beside his father, watching, listening, and learning and they developed a pretty tight relationship. "I worked with my dad since the summer of grade-six," Kasdorf told me, "every summer. It was great. I got to spend time with my dad every day. Now I only see him a couple times a year throughout the season, so being able to do that with him growing up was pretty special."
The strong work ethic wrought from of Ewald's time on the farm and the responsibility of helping his family start a new life in a new country with practically nothing would rub off on Jason, "I think my dad's passed on some of those traits to me just hearing about what he did growing up," he said.
It was a story not lost on RPI head coach Seth Appert. Being a father himself he knows the burden of heading the family and he talked very respectfully of the job that Jason's parents did rearing him. And it's why he gave them all the credit for how Kasdorf came to campus with his work boots on. Appert's own work ethic, specifically in reference to the work he put in with his goalies, was something that also drew Jason Kasdorf to the school.
Kasdorf said that he chose RPI for a number of reasons, but an overriding one was coach Appert's success with his goalies. While an assistant at the University of Denver, three of his charges--Wade Dubielewicz, Adam Berkhoel and Peter Mannino--would all make it to the NHL. RPI alum Allen York, whom Kasdorf mentioned directly, left as a junior to sign a two-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011, the year before Kasdorf began his college career.
The young Kasdorf came to RPI with his father's work ethic and an open mind ready to learn and hone his craft. It took him half a season to go from 3rd string to starter and he finished the year winning ECAC Rookie of the Year honors. But the past two years haven't gone exactly as planned and he'll be returning to RPI for his senior season. "[My goal] is to win a championship here," he said of the return. "The program has given so much to me and helped me out so much, I hope I can help my team do something special for the program by winning a championship."
There are other reasons to return as he'll also be earning his degree in business management, but he's heading into the season with a positive outlook for the Engineers as well as an eye towards his hockey future beyond college. "Like I've said multiple times, I think that working with coach Appert will really help me out in the future. I want to continue to hone my skills and develop good habits so that, hopefully, when I go on to play pro hockey, I'll feel 100% confident and ready to play," he said.
Coach Appert, obviously, is happy with the decision as he get's his No. 1 goalie back and can build from there. Yet he also feels it's the proper move for Kasdorf to return for his senior season. "I think he needs to," said the coach. "I don't think going into pro hockey after two injury-plagued seasons is a good recipe for success. Pro hockey is very demanding and very unforgiving. That's one good reason for him to come back and re-establish himself and his confidence and his belief that he can be the best goalie in college hockey."
With all the reasoning behind his return to RPI, perhaps for Kasdorf it's an inherent drive to simply finish the job before moving on to the next challenge, something his father had always done.
Because of injuries, Kasdorf can red-shirt meaning he could play an additional season for RPI, but methinks this will be his final season in college as he seems almost ready to start his journey to the NHL. It's a long road with no guarantees, much like the road from Brazil to Winnipeg, and completing his own journey which began in Winnipeg and leads to Buffalo, would mean a little something extra special in this instance.
"When I was growing up," said Kasdorf, a Winnipeg Jets fan as a youth, "The Sabres were my father's favorite team. After the [2004-05] lockout I was in the seventh grade and I always remember he really liked the Sabres.
"It was very cool for him when I got traded to Buffalo."
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