Breaking into the Western Hockey League isn’t easy for a lot of players and when you’re only 16 years old, your work is surely cut out for you as was the case for goaltender Chris Driedger.
Now 18, Driedger is getting his first chance as a starting goaltender for the Calgary Hitmen, a role he says puts him at ease.
“It really just helps me focus on the season to come,” says the Winnipeg native. “Right now it’s just prep, getting back into game mode and working towards a big season.”
He was originally drafted into WHL in the 2009 Bantam Draft, 80th overall by the Tri-City Americans but, because of his age, didn’t break in until the following season.
As the back-up goalie in 2010-2011 with the Americans, he made 22 appearances, ending the season 6-6-1 only to be traded in July to the Hitmen.
In his first season in Calgary, Driedger split the netminding duties with former Hitmen ‘tender Brandon Glover and improved his goals against average to 2.87 from 3.50 and finished the season 23-12-3.
However, despite starting the season strong, Driedger struggled through November and December and said the dip in performance took his self-esteem with it.
“You know, during that stretch, I went back to Winnipeg and just thought about things and I realized that if I keep playing like that, I’m not going to get drafted at all, so I tried to pick it up and I kind of got more hopeful.”
Although questioning his own abilities, Driedger finished the season more align with the way it began which quickly brought confidence back to the goaltender’s mindset.
He was selected 76th overall in the 3rd round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators and was ranked the 12th goaltender in North America ahead of the selection date.
“It was great for my confidence, just knowing that Ottawa wanted to me and to take me in the third was pretty huge. It’s given me a new motivation to do better and make it further because the WHL cannot be the end of the road for me.”
The confidence boost continued during the off-season, when it became clear Driedger would hold the starting goaltending position come September, which he says has also given him the ability to wholeheartedly commit himself to his game and consistency, a skill he continues to work on.
“It’s nice for me because it’s not going to be me constantly worrying about ice time with Glover like last year, it’s just a new focus on the game. [Mack] Shields is going to be a really good back-up and I think he’s going to be a really good goalie so it’s nice to have him. It’s going to be cool mentoring him and showing him what I can.”
Knowing his role would change in September, Driedger says he took every chance throughout the summer to make sure he is ready to be the number one guy.
“I just wanted to make sure that I could capitalize on the opportunity because nothing is worse than having the job and losing it when you’re expected to take it. So, I made sure I was mentally and physically ready to take this job.”
While the official roster has yet to be named, the Hitmen look like they’ll have a strong lineup to start of the preseason, and Driedger smiled as he told media after the annual intra-squad game Tuesday, that the team looks really good.
“It’s one of the best groups I’ve seen in front of me in a while. I think we’re going to have a lot of good veterans and the young guys coming up are going to contribute a lot too, so I think it’s going to be nothing but good things this year.”