According to the Oilers’ Twitter account, Laurent Brossoit has been reassigned to the Bakersfield Condors.

After being recalled to back up Al Montoya in last night’s game against the Avalanche, Laurent Brossoit is heading back to Bakersfield after just over 24 hours with the Edmonton Oilers. Last night, as he was shown on TV during a break in the play, all I could think about was that it must have been an interesting day for Brossoit as he was required to back up the man that replaced him. Unless we hear otherwise, I’ll go ahead and assume that Brossoit was a complete professional, but you have to think that it was tough for him on a personal level. It can’t be easy to be replaced midway through the season and then come back to watch that guy a few weeks later.

On a hockey level, Brossoit’s season certainly left something to be desired, and it wasn’t necessarily surprising that Chiarelli brought in another backup. Brossoit was inconsistent from game to game, and although showed some flashes of brilliance those moments were too few and far between. That said, Brossoit is only 24-years-old and that gives him plenty of time to continue working on his game, getting himself to the point where he’s ready for primetime. One thing the Montoya trade did was buy Brossoit some more in the minors which should be beneficial for his development. In Bakersfield, Brossoit is getting plenty of playing time which is better for his overall game than sitting on the bench behind Talbot.

While this trip back to Edmonton was only a quick one, such is the life of a backup goalie that’s trying to make a permanent leap into the big leagues. The fact that he’ll spend about as much time on a plane as he did in his goalie gear is probably a kick to the shins, but no one said that the ascent to the NHL would happen in a straight line. I hope that Brossoit can use the frustration he probably felt while watching Montoya play in his place and use that to fuel his game with the Condors. There’s no doubt that Brossoit is in an interesting spot in his progression, and it will be interesting to see how he handles it. For now, that next step will come in Bakersfield.