Frederic Cassivi, one of the AHL’s greatest goaltenders, is leaving the American Hockey League to play in Europe for the 2008-09 season. Cassivi spent the past three seasons with the Hershey Bears; winning a Calder Cup in 2006. Cassivi will play for Nurnberg Ice Tigers in Germany.

"I think this is the right time," Cassivi said. "I've had great times here. That's how the business goes. It's not like it's a shock to me. I could see it coming. I've been around long enough that I know how things work."

It was no surprise that Cassivi chose to play in Europe rather than another AHL team. When the 2007-08 season ended on a sour note after a disappointing regular season and early exit from the playoffs, Cassivi knew his time in Hershey was probably coming to an end. The Washington Capitals, Hershey’s NHL affiliate, has a group of young prospects expected to arrive in Hershey next season.

The Capitals already have Daren Machesney in Hershey and are expected to assign either Simeon Varlamov or Michal Neuvirth to the Bears. Varlamov was a first round selection in 2006 from Russia and Neivirth was selected in the second round of the 2006 draft.

Cassivi didn’t have time to wait for a decision from Washington on their plans for next season as he needed to make a quick decision on signing with Sinupret. The Ice Tigers were also scouting veteran AHL goaltender Karl Goehring.

"He's getting up there in age," Bears head coach Bob Woods said. "I know Europe was something he eventually wanted to give a shot. He's done a great job at this level. He wants to see what he can do over there.

Cassivi had two stints with the Bears over the course of his career totaling six season (1999-2002, 2005-08). He was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in 2002 for defensemen Brett Clark. He returned to Hershey as a free agent in 2005.

The possibility of a third stint in Hershey has been left open as a possible goalie coach.

“I like coaching goalies with my clinics and stuff," Cassivi said. "It would be more challenging to do it with NHL prospects or at the junior level. If that came up in the future, it's something I think I would be good at and I would enjoy."

Cassivi's last game for Hershey came on April 25 when the Bears were eliminated by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the first round. His start against Binghamton in the final regular season game marked his 500th appearance.

Cassivi was a ninth round selection of the Ottawa Senators in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. Even though his NHL career never took off; his AHL numbers will someday be worthy of induction into the AHL Hall of Fame. Cassivi ranks fifth all-time in league wins (232) and is tied for eighth all-time in shutouts (24). He also ranks fifth all-time in Hershey wins with 113, fifth in appearances with 246 and seventh in shutouts with nine.