ESTERO, Fla. — Jake Hildebrand has been trying to get on the highway toward an NHL career for a few years now.

He may be approaching the on-ramp soon.

Hildebrand, 27, a Butler native and former Center Township resident, is in his sixth year as a goaltender in the East Coast Hockey League after a stellar collegiate career at Michigan State University.

He is playing for the Florida Everblades, his fifth ECHL franchise in six years.

“I didn't think I'd be playing at all this season,” Hildebrand said. “Everything happened pretty quickly.”

Hildebrand was prepared to play his third season with the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Wings, but the team opted out of this season in December.

Approximately half of the ECHL franchises followed suit.

“We were waiting for the season to start when we got the word,” Hildebrand said of the opt-out. “I have a house just outside of Detroit. I went home (to Butler) for Christmas, then found out when I got back to Michigan on that Friday that the Everblades wanted me.

“I left for Florida that Sunday.”

He's been flourishing ever since.

Hildebrand is leading the ECHL with a 2.03 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage. He is 10-2-2 with the team, which is 25-8 overall and in first place in the league's East Division.

Hildebrand was recently named the league's Goaltender of the Week, going 3-0 with a shutout, 1.28 GAA and .962 save percentage from March 8-14. He's received that award twice this season, five times in his career.

The Everblades are a minor league affiliate of the NHL's Nashville Predators. The Milwaukee Admirals are the Predators' American Hockey League affiliate.

“The Predators have a goalie prospect (Devin Cooley) who they sent down here and I was splitting playing time with him,” Hildebrand said. “Nashville recently had an injury situation, so they moved Devin up.

“I've been playing most of the games since.”

At 5-foot-11, Hildebrand is not a big goalie by professional standards.

“When you're 5-11 and not 6-foot-7, not as many pucks hit you,” Everblades goaltending coach Josh Robinson said. “NHL teams used to trend toward larger goalies for that reason, but they're beginning to trend away from that.

“If you're winning games, that's all that matters to them. And Jake is winning games.”

Robinson added that Hildebrand “manages the game well. His movements are powerful and he has great rotation in the net. He's locked on the puck and he's learned from his experiences.”

During this COVID-19 pandemic, most NHL and AHL clubs are keeping three goalies around. Robinson figures it's a matter of time before Hildebrand gets a call to move up.

“When teams go looking, they look for the top goalie in the next league down,” the coach said. “In the ECHL this year, that's Jake Hildebrand.”

While Hildebrand has proven to be a good fit in Florida, the Everblades have been a good fit for him.

“Most of the Northern area teams shut it down, but other areas kept going,” Hildebrand said. “And the weather sure is nice down there.

“The Everblades play a more defensive style. They don't lean on the goalie as much as other teams and I've benefitted from that style of play.”

He still coaches some younger goalies in the Kalamazoo area as well.

“At some point, of course, I won't be playing anymore,” Hildebrand said. “Guys tell me I'll know when the time to retire is here. It's not here yet.”

Hildebrand is 86-78-20 with seven shutouts and a 3.39 GAA in his ECHL career.