from Bill Beacon of the CP at MetroNews,
Junior hockey was the high point for Esposito, who had 39 goals and 98 points in his first season. His stock dropped when he fell to 79 points in his draft year. He slipped again to 69 the following season, but had his moment at the world junior championship in Ottawa where he scored the game winner in the final for Canada.
Since then, a succession of injuries, including two torn ACL ligaments, a torn MCL and a hip problem, have stalled his career and dropped him into obscurity. Last season, he played one game for Fort Wayne of the ECHL and then was waived and didn’t play again.
“It was a tough year mentally and physically,” the 26-year-old said. “I’ve been through a lot over the last few years, so I took the year off.
“I started training about two months ago and I’m looking to go back and play in Europe again next year.”
Pittsburgh traded him to Atlanta and he spent time in the Florida and Dallas organizations before he was released in 2012. He played a year in Finland, another in Italy and another in the Austrian league, not scoring many goals on any stop.
“You have to learn to accept things,” he said. “Everyone’s destined for something in life.
“It’s too bad I never got to step on the ice in the NHL. You never want to say never, but you have to be realistic and come to terms with it. There’s something else waiting out there and hopefully I get to achieve something else.”
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