▁League ▁( E CH L ) ▁and ▁American ▁Hockey ▁League ▁( A HL ) ▁through ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁When ▁V ali qu ette ▁made ▁his ▁playing ▁debut ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁tall est ▁go alt ender ▁to ▁ever ▁play ▁a ▁game ▁in ▁the ▁N HL ▁at ▁ 6 - foot - 6 . ▁Ben ▁Bishop , ▁standing ▁ 6 - foot - 7 , ▁has ▁since ▁sur pass ed ▁V ali qu ette ▁as ▁the ▁tall est ▁N HL ▁go alt ender . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁V ali qu ette ▁signed ▁as ▁a ▁free ▁agent ▁with ▁the ▁Ed mont on ▁O ilers . ▁Three ▁months ▁later , ▁he ▁was ▁claimed ▁on ▁wa ivers ▁by ▁the ▁Florida ▁Pan thers ▁in ▁the ▁N HL ▁w ai ver ▁draft ▁on ▁October ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Six ▁days ▁later ▁he ▁was ▁claimed ▁back ▁by ▁the ▁Ed mont on ▁O ilers . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁one ▁game ▁with ▁Ed mont on , ▁playing ▁ 1 4 ▁minutes . ▁V ali qu ette ▁spent ▁the ▁balance ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 – 0 4 ▁season ▁with ▁the ▁Toronto ▁Road run ners ▁of ▁the ▁A HL , ▁playing ▁in ▁ 3 5 ▁games . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁V ali qu ette ▁was ▁trad ed ▁by ▁the ▁O ilers , ▁along ▁with ▁forward ▁D w ight ▁Hel min en ▁and