Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan
Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan
EP.161 - Dylan Garand_New York Rangers prospect and AHL All-Star Goaltender - "Mental Game Mastery"
Dylan Garand shares his journey from a young goalie in Victoria to becoming a New York Rangers prospect and AHL All-Star, revealing the mental techniques and training approaches that have elevated his game.
• Moving to Delta Hockey Academy at age 14 marked the moment Dylan committed fully to becoming a hockey player
• Understanding what works personally for mental preparation is crucial for goaltenders
• Practice intensity directly transfers to game performance - Dylan aims to stop every shot in practice
• Purposeful intent behind every drill helps develop technical skills while maintaining competitive mindset
• Self-talk using simple cues like "compete" and "work hard" helps maintain focus after goals or during tough stretches
• World Junior experience included winning gold medal in dramatic overtime fashion
• Transition to pro hockey required adjusting to players making more calculated decisions
• Finding ways to play well when not feeling your best is what separates professionals
• Training specifically for goaltending involves edge work, ankle stability, and lateral movement rather than traditional player workouts
• Patience in development while with the Rangers organization (behind Igor Shesterkin) is building a foundation for long-term success
If it was a game seven, how would you want to play? And then boom, you just build those habits, not only physically but mentally, Like how you're, you know, you just kind of get on the ice and you flip a switch and you know what. Okay, I don't feel good today, but I'm just going to create my balls off. Or, like you know for me, sometimes I go into practice and I'm not maybe executing the way I want to technically or whatever. I'll just go into practice and say, okay, you know what, I don't care about anything. My only goal today is just to be absolutely bagged when I get off the ice because I'm working so hard, Because I know that when I work hard, I want those habits in a game.
Speaker 2:That was New York Rangers prospect and AHL All-Star goaltender, dylan Garand, and you are listening to the Up my Hockey Podcast with Jason Padola Just watch me now.
Speaker 3:Just watch me now. Welcome to Up my Hockey with Jason Padolan, where we deconstruct the NHL journey, discuss what it takes to make it and have a few laughs along the way. I'm your host, jason Padolan, a 31st overall draft pick who played 41 NHL games but thought he was destined for a thousand. Learn from my story and those of my guests. This is a hockey podcast about reaching your potential.
Speaker 2:Hello there and welcome back, or welcome to the Up my Hockey podcast with Jason Padolan for episode 161 with Dylan Garand. It's great to have you here, uh, and you are in for a pretty fantastic episode, if I do say so myself not that I had much to do with it, because Dylan was the star of the show. Awesome to talk to guys that are thoughtful, insightful, uh, communicative. Oh my gosh, I actually said that word right, I thought I was going to stumble all over it, like I usually do, but Dylan is very eloquent in his description of what it takes to be a goaltender and his process of becoming a goaltender. And for those of you who aren't goalies or don't have a goalie in the family, don't worry, this episode is for you, because everything is applicable to players being forwards, forwards or defensemen, the mindset you bring into your development, into your games, how you transfer from practice to games, uh, all these things, uh, is what we talk about here in the episode. Uh, as well as some of his transitions, you know, like some of his choices of being a 15 year old or 14 year old, uh, making a choice of where to play for his WHL draft year, uh, talking about his transition into junior hockey? Uh, we talk about his transition into pro hockey. Uh, the mindset around becoming an NHL or these are all very relative, regardless of where you live, uh, what league you're in or what position you play. Uh, and Dylan, by the way, as far as, like a resume is concerned, you know he was 58th overall in the WHL draft. He was 103rd overall in the NHL draft. He was goalie of the year of the CHL, which obviously puts him as goalie of the year in the WHL. He won a world junior gold medal with team Canada. He has now been an AHL all-star.
Speaker 2:You know this guy is upper echelon of the goalie world and, uh, potentially just because of where he is playing, meaning the New York Rangers organization, with somebody by the name of Igor Shosturkin as the number one goalie and another hall of famer by the name of Jonathan Quick as the backup there isn't much opportunity there right now and you know Jonathan Quick has not got hurt, igor Shosturkin has not got hurt and Dylan Garand has not, therefore not played any games. But you know his last season in Hartford and a team that did not make the playoffs, dylan posted a 2-7-3 goals against average and a 9-1-3 save percentage. These are big time numbers. Well, those are big time numbers on a team that made the playoffs and a team that is, you know, in the upper echelon of the league, let alone on a team that didn't even get to the promised land. You know, dylan was 20-10 with those types of numbers.
Speaker 2:So, obviously, flexing his muscles there at the second best league in the world, honing his craft, and I think that's a testament to, uh, you know, his mindset, his mental game, his approach, uh, which he uh which is at the forefront here during this interview. So, um, it was nice to get uh, to get Dylan here, uh, get him on the pod. I mentioned early on here in the episode, uh, how easy it was uh to get Dylan uh as a guest, much easier than uh, than some other people that I've been dealing with or still dealing with or have stopped dealing with Uh. So it was a breath of fresh air to have Dylan come on and make it so easy for me to to get in touch with. So I'm a fan. I was a fan when I was able to watch him here recently, which I should probably bring up.
Speaker 2:We have the, you know, dan DePoma is in Kamloops. He's with the Kamloops Blazers, has been there for a while. He's also the world junior goalie coach, so he's here local in the Okanagan. There's another gentleman by the name of Lyle Mast who is a NHL-level goalie coach as well, who works with a lot of NHL goaltenders, also consults for goalie coaches of NHL teams, and they're both local here. So, lucky for us, dylan and Dustin Wolfe were on the ice with Dan DiPoma and Lyle Mast training here this summer, so I had the opportunity of meeting Dylan watching their goalie sessions from the bench with him and Dustin on the ice, to actually, in a strange, in a strange experience, dustin actually stayed at our house for four or five days while this was going on, so I had a chance to meet both of them and to watch their craft and to watch them interact with their goalie coaches and to see how damn good these guys are.
Speaker 2:So it was nice to be able to shake their craft and to watch them interact with their goalie coaches and to see how damn good these guys are. So it was nice to be able to shake his hand and and be able to make his acquaintance, which is, you know, kind of the precursor for him being able to come on the podcast. So awesome to get a good Western boy here on the on the podcast and see that he's doing so well. And without any more preamble, I will give you my conversation with Dylan Garand. All right, here we are for episode 161. Dylan Garand, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thanks for having me Really excited.
Speaker 2:Sweet. I really appreciate it. I was saying off air for everyone listening here. Dylan actually followed through on wanting to come on the show. He told me what time he could come on Any future guests there. Five stars for Dylan. That makes it so much easier for me. So, dylan, thank you so much for doing that. Of course, uh. Well, we'll see, hey, when you uh once you take over shisterk and we'll see if you're as easy to to reach.
Speaker 1:You know, in the coming years but just remember the beginning yeah, maybe a little ways away from that, so yeah, oh, maybe.
Speaker 2:Well, we'll get into that. That's a very interesting thing. My, my goalie son had a comment with that the other day. So I'll make sure we talk about, kind of, the trajectory of hockey and how it all works and you know where, where you get drafted and how it matters and you know all that stuff. But I want to start more a little early. Uh, I'm gonna start when it first starts to get big and first starts when, when, uh, uh, you know, when emails come to me, and that is generally when we're approaching the WHL draft, you know, or approaching that jump from U13 to U15.
Speaker 2:I kind of call it the time in life where you stop just playing hockey and you start deciding if you want to be a hockey player. Um, I don't know if that's an apt way to put it, but it becomes a little bit more serious. It's definitely not the end, all and be all a WHL draft, but it's when some decisions start being made around that. Can you put yourself back in those skates? You know, being 13, 14 years old, was it on your radar? Were you making decisions about the draft? What was your hockey world looking like at the time?
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely Honestly, that's probably the most pivotal point in my career, honestly. I think you know I grew up in Victoria and you know hockey's fine there. It's just, you know, not as big as Vancouver and you know, was pretty good and I knew I was kind of, when I just started hearing about the Bantam draft, like, uh, I played with a really good teammate of mine and he was like at the time touted as like a top five pick and I was like oh, like that would be cool to be picked, like I want to, I want to be picked.
Speaker 1:And then, so you know, I kind of begged my dad to like make the switch over to Vancouver. I ended up going to Delta Hog Academy. Of course, I had to make the team first and do a whole bunch of different tryouts and things like that and, um, yeah, I really wanted to go over because I knew for me that was going to be the next step to get me to where I wanted to go, which was to be drafted. And, and you're exactly right, I think that 13 going into 14 year old, yearold year, when I was 14 and went over to Delta, that's when you make the decision. If this is what you want to do. That's what I did.
Speaker 1:I think I was 14 and it was full-time hockey. I didn't want to do anything else, I just wanted to be a hockey player, whereas the year before I was still living at home and seeing friends and things like that. That. I'm not saying you still can't do that, but for me I really felt like I made a pretty big sacrifice to commit to my hockey career and, uh, yeah, I ended up paying off. I think that, uh, bantam draft years is a really fun year. There's a lot of things that go on, you know. You're doing interviews with scouts, whether it's questionnaires through the email or on the phone, talk to them, all sorts of things. It's it's pretty exciting and uh, yeah, no, that was a pretty big year for me in my career, for sure.
Speaker 2:Uh, so let's, let's walk us through that. So it obviously worked out for you. Um, I'll put a little context behind it, because some, some parents, get like quite stressed out about that idea, right, that we have to be in this right league, and sometimes this right league is a heck of a lot of money, you know, and there's a lot of sacrifice that gets made on the parental standpoint as well. Um, obviously you sound very fortunate and grateful that it worked out, that you were able to go. Um, maybe let's put the flip side of that, like, could you be where you're at if that didn't happen? Yeah, that's a great question.
Speaker 1:Um, you know what I've thought about it for before, for sure, and you know I've actually thought about too, like if, if I was a parent and my kids at that age, like it's a very big sacrifice to pay all that money to put your kid on a good league and a good team. And you know there's no guarantees, like, yes, it worked out for me, but when my dad did that for me it was not guaranteed, you know. So I was very lucky that. You know he did that. I know my mom and dad got divorced and they sold the house and he used kind of that money he got from the house to pay for my hockey, like all kind of that money he got from the house to pay for my hockey, like all kind of his savings. So that was, uh, yeah, very fortunate.
Speaker 1:But you know what, at the end of the day, if you're good enough, the scouts will find you. There's scouts everywhere. You play tournaments, especially if, if you know, you believe that you're good enough to be drafted like, they're gonna find you. So I, it's definitely an interesting question.
Speaker 1:I mean it's. It's tough to say, you know I could say the same thing as if I played junior somewhere else in Kamloops, if I would be where I'm at today and I don't know that the question is is the same. You never know, but I'm I'm definitely glad that you know things went the way it went, not only in Delta and Kamloops as well, like I got really fortunate to be a part of some really good programs that developed me a lot.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the one thing I'll add a little color to that for those listening and just for you, so you understand my context too Like I really believe strongly in being your best, you know, in in whatever that may mean, and I think that as a parent, or as parents of of kids amateurs that want to be great hockey players, there's a gift involved in that right that, yes, okay, now there's so many things that we can teach. Hopefully we can support the pathways provided to allow them to do that. But, through my lens, it's not necessarily about, you know, making the nhl right. It's. It's, it's hopefully that this is a pathway to teach them about themselves, their self-discovery. In there You're learning all these things required to be great at something, and that's going to be transferable to whatever the heck we want.
Speaker 2:So when I talk to parents, I do use that lens. I'm like are you making this decision so they will play or can play in the NHL, or are you making a decision to support them being the best they can be? Because there's kind of two different decisions there, right, because one is like a pass or fail and the other one is just hey, we're just a part of the process, you know. So I don't know how that sits with you, but but I think, you know, I think we got to be careful about how we measure success when it comes to those decisions. Right, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1:I agree, I think you know, obviously I'm still young and I don't have kids and I won't have kids for a while, so I don't really understand. But yeah, I think you know, as a parent I wouldn't say your job, but ideally, like you, just want to give your kids opportunity and, like you said, it's not about playing in the NHL or not. I think, at the end of the day, if you do want to play in the NHL, it's the kid's decision. He's going to have to commit and make sacrifices and put in the work to do that, but that's not a decision the parent makes.
Speaker 1:That's something that, like you talked about earlier finding yourself and your identity. That's all part of development and growing up, especially around that age, going into junior and draft year and stuff like that. So, yeah, I think just the opportunity if you could afford your kid would be, you know, unbelievable. But not everyone can. So, yeah, like you said, just about being your best every day and if you are good enough, they will find you. It's yeah, it's going to, it's going to work out.
Speaker 2:And the one thing I do say, too, is like the investment needs to be clear, in my opinion, that the player is invested right like I know you played with players and you don't. I'm not asking you to mention them, but players that are in the academy because they like hockey, or maybe their parents like it a little bit more and they think that they're doing the right thing, but the player isn't really there, mentally and physically absolutely, it's like that at every level you get to, even at the NHL level.
Speaker 1:There's some guys like that too. So it's yeah, it's big time on the player?
Speaker 2:for sure, yeah, with that decision. So you guys made the decision. There was some academies available to you on the island. You ended up at Delta, which is a very respected academy out here in Western Canada, for sure. How did that process happen? How did the decision happen? Uh, yeah, was it yours to make? Obviously, you said you had to make the team, but how did that work from a family choice?
Speaker 1:Uh, yeah, I think it just came about. I don't even remember exactly how I found it, but I remember finding it and looking on the website and, um, you know, it showed their prices and stuff. I was like dad look like it's.
Speaker 1:It's not that much, Obviously, you know very young and naive, like it was a lot of money. But yeah, I just remember I really wanted to go and you know, I actually had one of my teammates who was really really good that guy I was talking about earlier. He was like top five touted. He went, he was going to. So we kind of got his dad or whatever to talk to coach just to put in a good word for me or whatever, as I was going over for tryouts and went for tryouts nobody really knew who I was, um, just fine, and they actually kind of had their two goalies kind of set, because they played at their 13 year old year on the varsity team before right, which is usually like a stepping stone to play prep the next year and they're good goalies. So I kind of came in and yeah, they, uh, they like what they saw, and started hearing about me a little bit and after the weekend of tryouts actually they wanted to see me more. Um, so there was a spring hockey tournament I think it was two weeks later and I played for this like random team, didn't know anybody on the team, just like somehow got connected and and they needed a goalie. So it it worked out and we actually played against like the bc bears, the selects I'm not sure if those are still teams or not, I feel like they are. But yeah, and actually the coach for delta was the head coach of the selects, so we ended up playing them in the tournament.
Speaker 1:I remember that tournament pretty clearly. I played. I played really well. I think I mean our team wasn't very good and you know, the Bears and the Slacks are always good. I think we lost to the Bears like 2-1. And I had like 50 shots and I think we almost beat the Slacks. I think it might have been like 3-2 or something like that. I was just playing really, really good. And yeah, the coach ended up after that weekend. He called my dad and was like yep, you're, you're on the team. So I just remember my dad picking me up from school that day and he told me the news and I was super pumped up like it was some of the best news ever and and yeah, and then just kind of started, uh, going there the next year sweet.
Speaker 2:I looked at the stats. You mean they're in front. I got your ep up. You know you didn't lose that year. 13 games, 13 wins, a 1.15 GAA everybody listening and a 9.59 save percentage. Those aren't the most. The save percentage I found in the CSSHL isn't the most reliable. It depends on where you're stopping the puck sometimes and who's counting the shots. By all counts, whether those are right, uh, or inflated or not inflated, it could be the other way around. Those are ridiculous numbers. Um, you guys always had a pretty strong team that year, I assume yeah, we were really good, I think we.
Speaker 1:We won a lot of tournaments and we ended up losing in the final. But, um yeah, we. I think we had 13 players drafted, which is a lot. It could be more, I don't remember, but I think it had 13 players drafted, which is a lot. Wow, it could be more. I don't even remember, but I think it was 13 of our whole team got drafted.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's wild. Are any in the A or in the N now? Or did anyone move on other than yourself?
Speaker 1:Justin, sort of, is the only one playing pro with me on that team.
Speaker 2:Cool. Well, that's still. I mean two is more than most programs have, yeah, for sure. So you said that was one of the most impactful years. So I mean the idea of moving away from home. You know you're playing hockey every day, you know like the way the academy schedule works. What do you remember most from that year as far as life change, transition change.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I just remember. Yeah, I mean it was hard. You know, I moved away from my family. I stayed with my aunt that first year, so that helped with a little bit of familiarity. But yeah, I mean I left everything. I left all my friends started, you know, new school and didn't know anyone on the team. Everything like it was a.
Speaker 1:It was a big shock and like I feel like at that moment is kind of where you realize like how much your parents do for you and stuff. And I remember like at that moment is kind of where you realize how much your parents do for you and stuff. And I remember coming home from school one day I was like man, I miss my parents, I didn't realize how much they do for me and stuff, like that. So yeah, I mean I feel like that's pretty normal probably for every person at that point in their life. And yeah, after I got over that, which didn't take too long, a couple of days but yeah, I just remember like the way the program was run there was unreal, like it was led by Ian Gallagher and really the culture there was.
Speaker 1:You know, I mean we had a really good team and you know, a lot of elite players. It was just about getting better every day. Like we all just like pushed each other to get every better every day. I think like we would kind of poke fun at each other if, like you know, someone didn't work out or something like that, or do some extra reps or whatever, even like school work, like hey, I did my homework today, like, like what if, like you didn't do yours, and stuff like that, like we just push each other get better every day and like we all worked really hard. Um, and yeah, I mean, I just remember that's where I really kind of found my identity as a hard-working person and you know, to be, at the highest level at the time and to try and outwork everyone there.
Speaker 1:Like that's really what you know I kind of found my identity through and, you know, helped me have a lot of success. Obviously you know you read my numbers out there a little bit like I had a really good year. Um, I wasn't really expecting that, but yeah, I mean just the way that it was run and um the quality team we had, like I really just developed kind of my identity and I still stuck with that moving forward. So that was a big year for me. Love it?
Speaker 2:how do you? How, in in the goal world of a goaltender which I've said to people, I mean I, I, first of all, I love goalies, I, I love the position, uh, once I retired, I retired pretty young, at 30 and, uh, and I still wanted to play at the time I was I don't know how to put it, like modestly, but you mean too good to play beer league right here in vernon. Uh, so I was, and I'm a competitive guy. So for me not to try it, something doesn't make sense. You know, I just don't won't enjoy it. So I bought pads like I was a goalie for like the next seven years, right I?
Speaker 2:was like okay, I like this, I want to be a goalie now. So so I was a goalie. So I mean I like the position that much and actually I'm grateful I did that. I wish I would have done it earlier because then I might have been an even better goal scorer by understanding what's hard and stuff. But I want you to tell us, the listener, like, how does a goalie be competitive, or how does how does that show up for you every day? What would it look like?
Speaker 1:I think the biggest thing is practice. I think the biggest thing is practice. Like every, every shot that comes down, doesn't matter the drill If it's a warmup drill or if it's a drill that you know quote, unquote is not friendly for the goalies. You know the guys walking in the hash marks and you know doing unrealistic game stuff, whatever. Every single shot, like I want to stop when I get scored on, like I'm I'm upset and like I'm just a competitive person, like through that, and I think if you find a way to do that in practice, it's going to pay off in games because you know, theoretically for a goalie, practice is harder than a game. So if you can get good in practice and compete, games should hopefully feel a little easier anyway.
Speaker 1:But um, yeah, I mean teammates are a big part of it. Like you want to compete and shut your teammates down, it's going to make them better because they're going to want to come down and score, so they're going to give you your best shot and then you're seeing their best shots. Like that's going to make you better. So it kind of goes hand in hand. But yeah, I mean just the willingness to stop every putt you never do.
Speaker 1:I mean I probably had a maybe could count one hand the amount of practices where I've let in zero goals like doesn't happen very often, but I try to anyway. So that's that's kind of always my mindset going into practice. And you know, that's kind of the way I want to play too. Like if you're playing in a game seven, like how would you want to play? Like you want to make every save, it doesn't matter if it's a break, where or whatever, like it's game seven, you got to stop it.
Speaker 1:So just kind of that mindset and yeah, just competing is a really good way to prepare for games. Anyway that I've found.
Speaker 2:Freaking love that answer. I mean I coach too, like on ice. Now I'm going to be at Coeur d'Alene Academy, hopefully here in the coming year. We got the visas thing sorted out, but doing the UA team prep team year in the coming year. We had the visas thing sorted out, but, uh, doing the u18 prep team.
Speaker 2:But uh, like, when I talk to my goalies, I I think that they are the most important person for a practice period. Like you have your drivers right. Like you have the guys that are your best players and you want those best players to be your hardest workers. So guys fall in. But I think that if the goalie is how you just described, right, like is on, is on, is competitive, wants to stop, everything has fun with the competition. You know what I mean. You are a key piece of how that practice goes and a lazy goalie can absolutely kill a practice and a team environment in my opinion. Not sure if you've had a partner like that. I've had some guys that I played with that are gamers right, like, unbelievable in the game and actually terrible in practice, like it's very rare, very rare, but I have seen it and it sucks, like it totally sucks, it's not fun and and so, yeah, I love that you bring that, that attitude. I'm sure there's a lot of guys that have played with you that would. That would echo the same thing.
Speaker 2:I will say the one guy that I played with in Germany, christobal Huey, came over during the break and he's actually been a former guest on the podcast too and his nickname was Disco and frickin' Disco. You can relate to this now, I think Any show level goaltender, right, he'd been on the show for three or four years, maybe more, like all-star caliber goaltender during the break, trying to find reps right and stay sharp, but knowing that there's probably not going to be a season, right, so it's kind of a throw in a little bit. He was the fricking hardest guy to score on ever for me and I'd been in, you know, I'd been in the NHL too Like he tried so fricking hard he made me he tried much better, right, because I wanted to score him so bad. And um, just like seeing him every day, like the professionalism that he brought to the german league when he was an nhl goalie was freaking inspiring to me, you know. And um, and he was unbelievable too, like it showed in his work, right, how good, this guy was um.
Speaker 2:The one question I have on that, though I'm going to split hairs here how do we work on something in practice yet still keep that performance mentality of like I want to stop a puck first and foremost? Uh, present like, how do those balance, or do they?
Speaker 1:yes, it's definitely interesting. I think I mean there's ways to do it. For sure. I think the most important thing is you got to understand your game and what works for you. Um, obviously, the drills, you know they're different, they vary, like you know, a lot of the times, at least the first couple drills are just guys coming right down and shooting. So I mean, how much can you work on maybe just technically, like the way your save execution is and stuff like that or like rebound goes in the corner? Make sure you follow it, building those habits.
Speaker 1:Um, but yeah, I think for me, like the biggest, I guess, thing that I kind of realized, which was in my last year of junior where I took a really big step, was was purpose and intent to every drill and every rep in practice. And, for example, like we did this drill where you kind of come down like three on o or whatever, like simulating a line rush and they'd like seen pass it for a shot. So for me I was just focusing on beating that pass, like getting a good push and getting a good track on the puck, just those things where you know if you're not thinking or you know you're kind of going through the motions. In practice you just see it as a three on O and a shot from the slot. In practice you just see it as a three on oh and a shot from the slot, whereas I'm thinking about my push and my track, just those things, which is part of the process. And you know, hopefully, if you execute on that part of the process, the save, you know, kind of makes itself.
Speaker 1:But uh, yeah, I mean, I think you just got to have a big understanding of of your own game and really just take your development into your own hands, like if if you go through the motions every day in practice, um, you know you're probably not gonna get a whole lot better throughout the year. Like practice is where you get better, practice is where you improve the most and then you can execute games and perform well purpose and intent.
Speaker 2:I love that.
Speaker 2:Uh, that is something that I preach, and it's amazing how many guys, even at the junior level, have never really understood the premise or don't know how to execute on it and and so what what Dylan just said there, speaking to to those who are listening right now, is is what has been termed the coined kind of deliberate practice, where, where you can go out into a team, especially like hockey remember it's a hockey podcast, we're dealing with a hockey setting, so it's a team environment that the coach has a drill in practice that he feels is good for everybody.
Speaker 2:Yet there's 20 guys in the ice, right, dylan? So, like, this drill could be better suited for somebody, it's better suited for not you mentioned, like a bad goalie drill. Maybe some guys aren't I don't have goalie drills but if, but, if each individual player on that team comes out with their own intent for what they want to improve that day and practice that deliberately within the you know the structure of the drill itself, everyone is getting a level of their own personal development to another layer, right, yeah, and? And my gosh, like I love that you're speaking that because I'm hearing it and those gains compound like if every time you go on the ice with some level of intentionality for you, how does your development not explode?
Speaker 1:yeah, no, absolutely.
Speaker 1:I think too, to add on to that, like, because I've been on the other way of it too, where I'm thinking too much and trying to get too much like stuff out of it where I'm, I ended up being terrible in the practice because I'm working on so which is not always a bad thing like it's okay to be vulnerable and, you know, fail when you're trying to learn new things and then practice things.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I mean, if you just work on one or two simple things that are, you know, I guess for me, like I try to work on the strengths of my game and practices and then post-practice or whatever, when we get a little extra time maybe, work on the things that I'm not so good at, cause if I'm trying to work on those things that I'm not so good at, then that's not really going to build confidence for me, like, um, but yeah, I think it's important to yeah, have purpose and intent, like we talked about before.
Speaker 1:But at the same time, like you know, I've I've been through practices where I'm thinking too much and I'm not good, and then I just kind of just say, okay, you know what, I don't care about my technique or whatever, like I'm just gonna bear down here and I'm not letting anyone score, like this is what I'm doing, because I know that that will pay off in games too, because at the end of the day, it's different in the summer but in season, when you're in practice, like you are practicing for games, like you want to work on in practice what you're going to execute in games and going to help you perform. So yes, the technical.
Speaker 1:Thing is very important, especially as you as you're, you know, developing and and getting older, um, but at the end of the day, like you've got to, you got to know what you need to do to get ready for the game. So it's really important to have a balance and a good mix of both.
Speaker 2:Oh great, I love that you brought that up and for those of you who do think too much, that's exactly the response. You know, like the action item is what Dylan just said there. You know you got to simplify what it is. You know you can't just like in a game when people have performance anxiety that I deal with people on that like you, you're trying to do everything right and by doing everything like, you end up overthinking or you end up doing nothing, whereas you know for a hockey player it might be like, hey, I'm gonna first on pucks, you know, and I I want to have uh, you know attack seams. Those are going to be the two things I'm focused on first on pucks and I want to attack seams. The rest is going to take care of itself. You start working about every run, run a face off and block a shot and you'll be this, do that. It's like you can't operate that way. So, yeah, if you're an overthinker out there as a hockey player, by all means like select something that you know is imperative to your performance. You know something that is a strong suit for you, something that you provide value with as a team, that you put your best foot forward on and execute on that. That's a total great performance cue there and I love that you're using that as well.
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Speaker 2:They do have ongoing uh programs there and as uh, as an affiliate of them, I definitely use their product. Uh, we use it all the time here at the house. Uh, they've been great to work with as far as from a promotional standpoint, supporting the umh 68. Uh, and why not support somebody that supports youth hockey in that capacity? I think it's a great option. Hydration is important and biosteel does their part. So go out there and grab your biosteel. Support somebody that supports youth hockey in that capacity. I think it's a great option. Hydration is important and BioSteel does their part. So go out there and grab your BioSteel today. Now let's get back to the conversation with Dylan Grand From the goalie standpoint. Was it always a goalie for you, like? Were you ever a player? Did you know from the get-go?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was a was a player, geez, I don't know how old it would be, but I remember novice first year I was, I was player, I was d-man, and then the second year I was kind of switch out goalie, like I would play two games out and then one game in, because there was kind of like a full-time goalie. But he also kind of wanted to play player. So that's how we did it. And then the year after that I was full-time goalie. But yeah, I honestly remember it was in like initiation. And again, I don't know the ages because I know they call it, you know, u11, u9, stuff like that. Now I don't know.
Speaker 1:But uh, I remember initiation when everyone takes their turn and plays goalie. And I remember my turn and this kid like usually kids that young they don't raise the puck, so you know you're not making. But this kid, I remember, came down and he raised it. It was like maybe this high off the ice, like not that high, but um, and it hit me right in the sweet spot in the blocker, like the perfect spot, and it felt so good and I just knew that I wanted to play goalie after that so yeah, oh the calling, hey the calling, the sweet spot of the blocker, I like it.
Speaker 2:Good thing it wasn't the palm of the glove, because you might have a very different response yeah, exactly 100% yeah, oh man, okay, so back to the WHL draft.
Speaker 2:So you end up, you you have. It looks like. Was there much adversity that year? I mean, judging by the record and your team, it sounds like maybe not. You know, I I assume there are some nerves along the way, potentially some bigger tournaments, but speak to speak to that like the mental, uh, the mental roller coaster that potentially a whl draft year is yeah, I mean, honestly, I was just like this the whole year.
Speaker 1:I was just kept getting better every game, every game and, like I said before, we had a really good team. I think, honestly, my first game of the season I had a shutout and I was pretty nervous for that game and you know, I didn't know much of the guys, like they weren't really talking to me too much because I was new and you know, that's kind of how it goes. I guess at that age, at least at the time and I got a shout out and I remember, like I started talking to me now and then liking me and stuff like that. I just, yeah, it was, I had an unbelievable year. Um, yeah, like you said, not much adversity.
Speaker 1:I, we did lose in the finals and I played really bad. I got pulled Um and yeah, that was bad. I remember that. But uh, other than that, yeah, I had a really good year, um, and yeah, I mean, I got drafted. I remember the draft like it was for me. I really I knew I really wanted to play at 16. I knew that I was going to be ready and that was a goal of mine. So I was kind of a little bit selective with the teams that you know, because you talk to them and you know they talk to your, your mom and dad at least I don't know if they still do anymore at the time they would call my dad, like they would call me for an interview, and then they'd call my dad and talk to him because they got to figure out too, like when, when they're drafting, they're not going to draft you if you're not going to go, especially the smaller market teams like that's just a waste of draft pick and really hurts them.
Speaker 1:So they got to do their due diligence um you know on it so yeah, for me, I knew knowing that I wanted to play at 16, I did my research and, you know, kind of looked at the goalies that they had and the prospects and things like that and where I'd probably get the most opportunity.
Speaker 1:So there's a couple of teams that I really want to go to and Camels was on that list for sure and you know, I ended up, you know, getting super lucky and was picked by them and yeah, I mean, couldn't be more fortunate to have had that happen to me. I literally don't know where.
Speaker 1:I'd be without if I didn't play in that organization. It was so good and I developed so much and, you know, definitely helped me become the person I am today and the player. So, yeah, I got really lucky and yeah, that's kind of how my year went.
Speaker 2:I love that. So, as far as goaltenders were concerned, in that draft, which number did you go?
Speaker 3:I was the eighth goalie picked actually yeah, I mean Eighth goalie at 58?.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember getting drafted For me I was looking like early second round was what I was hoping for. There was one team I really wanted to go to that had a pick there and you know I thought I was hoping for. There was one team I really wanted to go to that had a pick there and you know I thought I was going to get picked there and I didn't. And I slid like to like the late third round and honestly I was pretty upset about it, like it was pretty disappointing, but it kind of, I guess, let fuel under me and used that as motivation a little bit.
Speaker 2:Right, that's just wild to me, that like because motivational, that right, that's just wild to me, that like because that that's a lot of early picks on goaltenders, I would assume. I thought you're going to be like top three, top whatever four eighth holy smokes.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, man, I can relate to that. The draft is is expectation for sure? Right and where you know how you feel about it is generally based on your expectation going into it. Did you go earlier than you thought? Or did you go later than you thought or told you were going to go? But yeah, I mean that thing seemed to work out. You went to a great organization, I mean a historic franchise. There Was Dan there working with you when you got there?
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Awesome, you want to talk about Dan, Because I know that there's a lot of great things to be said about him and and and who he's working with now, and maybe you can talk about the impact Dan's had on on your career.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, absolutely he's. He's by far, without a doubt, the number one person who's had the biggest impact on me in my career. Like he, I got so lucky that you know I was drafted here and got to work with him for five years. Like, yeah, I mean, even now he's nhl. Like he's world junior school. He coached stuff like that. He's nhl.
Speaker 1:He's just not working in nhl honestly, yeah, yeah, I mean, he helped me so much, especially, you know, my first year. I had a lot of ups and downs and you know he was always there for me. He's. He's just really smart. Like he's so good at the life side of you know life, but also within hockey too, and he really understands you know how you feel and you know what you know tactics work for you and he always says the right things every day and he is, yeah, by far like the best goalie coach I've ever worked with and I still come back. I've lived in Camelos for the last five years in the summer because I want to work with him and you know he really helps me out in the summer and with ice times and things like that. And yeah, he's unbelievable. And you know, in my opinion he's NHL for sure.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. Yeah, you find that right guy. You know it totally makes a difference and can be a really impactful position. You talked about the life of hockey. I just want to maybe ask you a follow-up question on that, because I talk about building the human behind the hockey player. I think that's such a great place to start because I know as a former player myself, at the time I didn't connect the two at all. Even as a pro I was a hockey player and then I was the guy that wasn't playing hockey and I didn't see how they really connected. I wish I did a better job of that actually now, but I do help, try to help players connect with that. Like how, how impactful is dylan grant, the non-hockey player, to dylan grant, the guy that stops pucks?
Speaker 1:yeah, big time I think you know one quote that's really like resembling of of that is is is how you do. Anything is how you do everything. So for me, all my habits off the ice, I mean.
Speaker 1:I'm always thinking about hockey and people say you should separate the person from the player and things like that, and I agree. But I want to be a hockey player. That's why I want to be. I know one day that when it comes to an end I'm going to struggle A lot of NHL players do when they retire but I'm not really thinking about that for for a while. I'm just I want to be a hockey player and that's what I do right now.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I mean all my off ice little habits, whether it's you know, discipline with eating the right food, um, you know, going to bed on time, taking care of my body, all sorts of things like that feed into your on ice performance. Like you know, there's a lot of guys that just show up to the rink and practice and work out, whatever, get their work in and then they're done. And you know they just go home and be lazy and eat junk food and play video games and stay up late and things like that. And you know it really affects their on ice performance when, especially in crunch time, like when you know it's time to perform, you know they don't always show up because you know they're a little undisciplined off the ice. So for me and that's something I learned through in Delta.
Speaker 1:Like I said, it was really good program for me to find my identity and you know develop was the off-ice part of it and just being more disciplined and you know it kind of goes into the work ethic thing, like the office is just as important as as on the ice, especially, you know taking care of of everything that you need to, so you can just go on the ice without you know worrying about how you feel because you didn't sleep, get the right amount of sleep that night, or you didn't eat the right food, or all sorts of things. So that's, that's kind of what my approach is on that.
Speaker 2:No, that's excellent. When it comes to the position, like I said, you guys seem to be playing a different game really back there Still called hockey, but you're the only one doing what you do. The mental side of it is unlike any other in the game as well, and I have always been close to the goalies that I've played with, for whatever reason, and so I've had the conversations and I enjoy the conversations and I find that, I mean, everyone's different, just like humans. We're all different. There is kind of a little bit of a stereotype. But how do you respond to that position and what some people view as a very stressful position being the last line of defense and you know mistakes are magnified Other people don't view it that way. Like, how do you view what you do? What's your belief about it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean honestly, it's an individual sport within a team sport, you know, at the end of the day playing goalie, you get to make the biggest difference within the game, whether you know, at the end of the day playing goalie, you get to make the biggest difference within the game.
Speaker 1:Whether you know, sometimes it's not always good, it's like you let in a soft goal in the wrong time and you lose the game and it's tough. But you know, for me there's no better feeling as when you know time's winding down and you know the other team's putting pressure on you, you're up by one and you make this big save to close out the win and you know you are the guy who made the difference. So for me that's that's kind of what I love about the sport. And and yes, you do sometimes get too much hate when it's not really warranted or you get too much glory when maybe it's not warranted either.
Speaker 1:But uh, you know, that's all part of it and and yeah, I mean just the the the effect that you have on winning and losing games is really fun, because you know every night like you are the most important player on the ice At least I think so. I'm a little biased, of course, but yeah, I mean goalies. For me to have that impact is really fun.
Speaker 2:And was that part of what you think drew you to the position in the first place?
Speaker 1:Maybe Probably I wasn't really thinking about that when I was young, but it's definitely like you know what I love about it and I feel like when I was 14 there and went to Delta, like that's kind of when you really fall in love with hockey and want to do it for your career and yeah, I mean I love winning and you know, I think playing goalie is a big part of that. Sometimes it's not. Sometimes you know you have a teammate. He scores four goals in one game and you win four, one or whatever.
Speaker 1:but you know, a lot of times you know you got to make some big saves and you know it's kind of it's not up to you completely, but you're a large part in winning and you know I just love that.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah yeah, there's a natural like. I feel how do I put this? I think there's a natural disposition for those who do it well, that they aren't affected by the negativity or the potential even of it being negative, right, the potential of letting in a goal. Uh, so I do believe there's an aptitude there, if I could call it that right. I also believe all things are learnable and teachable. Right, that you can learn some of these habits and some of these things. But your starting point, I think, does matter. Have you seen in your journey so far, like where maybe there's been a dip and you haven't been stopping as much pucks and your perspective of things has changed? Or have you seen, maybe, if it's not you like a partner, where somebody's gone through that?
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure I mean, my first year pro, I definitely struggled, like I was, you know, kind of a big time guy coming in and you know, I was CHL goal of the year, world junior starter.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, I mean I was good and boom, I went into pro and it was definitely challenging, I think, you know, especially if you're not on, you know, the number one team, it's, it's hard. Um, so I think, yeah, I mean everything that that happens I think you can just take with a grain of salt, like maybe you're not on the best team or maybe you're not playing as well, or whatever the scenario may be, there's always things to learn from it and get better. And you know, take, for example, this last year like we were probably the least best team that I had played on throughout my pro career and I had my best season ever because I just kind of embraced that I learned from my last two years of struggling and and stuff like that to just kind of own my own development and say you know what, yeah, we might have to win this game 2-1 like, okay, let's go, I want that challenge and things like that.
Speaker 3:So I think you know hard times are going to happen throughout hockey.
Speaker 1:It it happens for everyone, even the best in the world. It's about you know, learning from those, taking what you can and getting better and moving forward. You know, as you get older you try and make those dips. You know shorter and shorter as each time they come up, and you know, you learn what works for you and what you need to do to get out of it. And yeah, I mean, there's always things to learn from when things aren't going good.
Speaker 2:I love that. That is one of the things like when you start studying, you know growth mindset versus fixed mindset, which is some of the things that I like talking with my players about. We can actually become students of that right and we can get into practices that get us more process-driven instead of results-driven, and I find that when we are more naturally inclined to be process-driven like those games that maybe don't go well or the seasons that don't go well from a stat standpoint we're still getting better in that process and there's not as big as emotional dips and letdowns right where it feels like the sky is falling. Do you have any personal practices that keep you aligned with what you just talked about there? As far as you know, there's always something to learn. Yeah, I mean for me, I think.
Speaker 1:I think every person is different. I think one of the most important things is is to find out what works for you individually, because you know, I know for me, like I would always watch YouTube videos or watch interviews or whatever, and see what other guys were doing or mentally, or asking people questions and things like that, and then maybe you go try it out in games and it doesn't work for you. You got to find out what works for you Because, at the end of the day, you are the one who knows what's going to work and that's what's going to help, not trying to do something a different way because someone else told you to or wants you to. You got to do what you got to do and what works for you. So, yeah, I think. Sorry, I lost my train of thought. I don't remember the question.
Speaker 2:No, it was just like if you have any cues or practices, like maybe post-game, pre-game or whatever, just stay in that process-driven mind. Yeah, yeah absolutely.
Speaker 1:I think for me, like my self-talk is what I have developed the most and you know, a lot of positivity, a lot of cues.
Speaker 1:Like when I play games, I think of like two or three keys and I just keep repeating them to myself, like over and over, over and over, all night long, especially after a goal, like just to forget about it and keep focusing on my process and what I need.
Speaker 1:And, yeah, I think like that self-talk is is the most important thing, because if you land a goal or you know as a player, you have a bad shift or whatever the case may be be, and you're negative on it and you're thinking about it and you're letting that affect your next shift, then you're in trouble, especially for me as a goalie, like I let a goal and I'm still thinking about on the next shot, then you know that shot might go in and then I'm really in a bad place. So it's it's really important just to be positive. You know, understand that that stuff happens and you know, I think the biggest thing is is belief, belief in yourself and belief in your process, and that you know throughout a game at least going into a game and during a game should be enough to get you through. You know whatever the scenario may be and get you back on track. But yeah, just that belief in your process is really big.
Speaker 2:Can you give one example of a self-taught cue that you've used in the past?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think you know two. I guess would be like, okay, I'm going to work my ass off and I'm going to compete, Just those two. That's all I'm thinking about. I'm not thinking about my stance, my glove positioning, you know how my T-pushes are, my save execution, how I'm playing certain scenarios, nothing.
Speaker 2:I'm just thinking about working my ass off and competing and you know, that's it and would that be like when you're talking about self-talk and again I am asking the questions, but I'm asking it more for the young boys that are listening are you saying that like in first person? You're saying I am a competitor, I work, I will work my ass off, or how does that show up for you Like in that turn? Internal dialogue.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, definitely in that first person there. Like I'm going to compete, like like right after goal you go uh, you know what, like it's okay, like I'm just going to like, okay, I'm just going to work and compete, like just keep doing that, cause I know I believe in that and I know when I compete that I'm going to make saves. So I just keep hammering that belief in those self cues and and stuff to you know, keep me present, honestly Love it.
Speaker 2:This break in the action is brought to you by iron ghost construction. Platinum sponsor of the UMH 68 and friend of the Up my Hockey podcast, iron Ghost has provided player scholarships at all four UMH 68 events, helping young athletes chase their dreams on and off the ice. Iron Ghost is where quality and safety lead every build. Since 2014,. Iron Ghost has delivered quality, safe construction from structure to mechanics start to finish. Iron Ghost. Iron Ghost has delivered quality, safe construction from structure to mechanics Start to finish. Iron Ghost solid, skilled and proven. A proud supporter of youth sports in their hometown of Vernon, bc, and beyond, iron Ghost is committed to building more than just structures they are building futures. Big fan of Iron Ghost construction and the McKechnies here in Vernon, they have been a part of the Vernon. Here in Vernon, they have been a part of the Vernon Viper Organization. They have been a part of youth sports here, whether it be lacrosse or Vernon minor hockey, the spring programs, my spring program, the UMH Compete, and also in the Western Canadian event of the UMH 68, which is coming to potentially a state near you. So stay tuned for that. The UMH 68, iron Ghost has been an awesome sponsor of them, so we want to support what they're doing here in the oil fields, in forestry, in the mines. They build structures. If you need them, they will do it for you and I hope that this word of what they're doing and how they're supporting gets out there and you can support Iron ghost construction as they supported, uh, the young athletes here in uh in Western Canada. Now let's get back to the episode with Dylan Garand A little deeper dive here into the self-talk and and I just had a coaching call with a guy this morning and we talked about the four stages of learning.
Speaker 2:So I'm not going to bore you with them all and maybe you even kind of know them in some capacity. But there's, like in stage one or two, there's an awkwardness to learning something like a new skill. We're not good at it, so we feel uncomfortable. I find that when I work with athletes on self-talk, if they haven't worked on it before, it feels awkward, it feels fake, it feels a little bit phony. Right that we're talking to ourselves, almost right. Did you ever experience that? And have you gotten to like what I would call stage four? Is it more awesome and automatic now where, like it is a habit that you've developed that feels, that feels natural?
Speaker 1:yeah, it's definitely a habit now, for sure, I think you know that's. Part of your development is learning. Like I said a million times today learning what works for you, and you know self-talk's a's. Part of your development is learning. Like I've said a million times today learning what works for you. And you know, self-talk's a huge part of that, like those cues and things like that.
Speaker 2:Did it work for you right off the bat, Like however it was exposed to you?
Speaker 1:Definitely not.
Speaker 1:And, like I mentioned before, like I tried a lot of things that you know I'd seen other people do, whether through interviews or you know whatnot, or people tell me to do and things like that, or and it just feels, yeah, it just doesn't feel like me and feel like I'm forcing it almost, and you know it's not natural and that's why I think, like I've said again a million times, like to really understand yourself and what works for you, because that is what works, there's no question about it, you know that it works and then you can just believe in it and sometimes, like sometimes, I'll go over my cues and maybe I'm not executing like they're not. It's not working, so to say. But I mean, I feel like everyone goes through that, and then you're kind of scrambling to you know, figure something out or whatnot that's.
Speaker 1:That's where the most important thing is Just just stick with it and believe in it because you know that it works and you know that that's what you do. So I mean just to trust that, because I'd rather do that, I'd rather go down with the ship sticking to my process and then being true to myself, than to go down with the ship, ship sticking to my process and then being true to myself and to go down with the ship trying a bunch of shit that you know it's not me, or, or, you know, was hoping that it was going to work, like you know.
Speaker 2:so there's, there's two sides I love it I love it because what I call that when I'm talking with players is like your personal operating manual, right? Like how you do you, how dylan garan plays his best hockey is not the same way that you know Dustin Wolfe plays his best hockey. Right, you have your manual and you got to use that manual. Now I do encourage guys to be creative within that process, right, because there might be something you can pick up, you can tweak, you can augment, um, which I think it's important to stay curious about that kind of thing. But I I am I'm going to split hairs with you on this because I think it's important for for the younger players out here to be able to hear whatever it is.
Speaker 2:Your answer is so there is an awkwardness when we're trying something new. You agreed to that, right, like, whether it's new or not, so you might like the idea. Maybe there's a young goalie out there that likes the idea of self-talk and he wants to. You know he wants to maybe try it. But we're both recognizing that there is a period of awkwardness there. If we are trying it now, when do we discard this as being, like to your point, this isn't working for me or it's not my thing, right? How do we, how do we know, or how do you know? This is something that I want to persevere with, to see if I can, you know, find it and make it work yeah, I think it starts in practice.
Speaker 1:um, like, my cues in practice are not always the same as my cues in games, but they're similar. And I know that games are different than practice. And, you know, for me I really believe in that when, when game time comes, I know I'm going to be at my best and I know I'm going to be mentally sharp and sometimes I'm not, but know, you know, because I like to think of myself as a gamer I know what I need to do to play games and it's different than practice but yeah practice is, is for sure, the time to think about, unless I would say you could do it in a game, unless you're only if you're really committed to it.
Speaker 1:Like if you're trying something new going into a game, you have to commit to it. Because the worst and I've done it before is you know the game starts and you know you're thinking about this cue or whatever you're you're trying to do or think of, or, and then you know stuff doesn't go your way, and then boom.
Speaker 1:Like I said before, you're scrambling and you're trying to find something and that is the worst feeling for me and I hate playing that way because I know I'm not good. And like I don't like playing if I'm not at my best and you know, it's a really important.
Speaker 1:You know I don't enjoy playing when I'm not my best, but it's really important to find a way to play good when you're not feeling good, especially in pro. I've really learned that you know just to be comfortable being uncomfortable, and I think that's kind of the same thing with the self-talk. Like, you know, there's going to be times where it's not comfortable, but you got to stick to it, like because you believe in it and you know that. You know it's going to give you the best chance to to perform boy, isn't that the?
Speaker 2:isn't that the hallmark of being a professional? What you just said right there? Yeah, because as many games as we play we I don't play them anymore. I shouldn't have said them as many games as you play now, uh, like you're on the road, there's, there's well, I don't know if you guys play three and three now, but you know what I'm saying like there's two, there were new city. New city didn't get the best sleep. The bus rolled in late.
Speaker 2:You know this, that and the other, your, your metrics, your stats, like your, your resume, is the, the whole broad, uh, bandwidth of that season, right, and and obviously you want to mitigate the values as much as we can. And you got to find ways to play good when you don't feel your best. Yeah, and that's where, like the best of the best, that's like how the hell did they do it? And like. And you got to find ways to play good when you don't feel your best. Yeah, and that's where, like the best of the best, that's like how the hell did they do it? And like, and it's. It's amazing that you're talking about that, because I think that when I'm talking with players like, that is like when you can be competitive with yourself in those moments and like really recognize this is my time to be a professional right now. Right like not when I'm feeling great and when I'm on a roll and yeah, that's fun, that's pretty easy, right. But how do I be really good right now when I feel crappy?
Speaker 1:yeah, absolutely, and I think I think that, like for sure in games and also in practice, you can do that too, because I know there's been times I go to the ring for practice and I am tired, I am sick, whatever it is, and I don't feel good. But I know, practice is where you build your habits and your, I guess, yeah, your habits for games, and I know, like that, when game time comes, it's a product of my practice habits. So, yeah, I'm not feeling good today, but you know what, if it was a game seven, how would you want to play? And then boom, you just build those, those habits, not only physically but mentally, like how you're you know, you just kind of get on the ice and you flip a switch and you know what. Okay, I don't feel good today, but I'm just going to create my balls off.
Speaker 1:Or, like you know, for me, sometimes I go into practice and I'm not maybe executing the way I want to technically or whatever. I'll just go into practice, say, okay, you, okay, you know what, I don't care about anything. My only goal today is just to be absolutely bagged when I get off the ice because I'm working so hard, because I know that when I work hard, I want those habits in a game. So yeah, I mean, and that pays off when you go into a game and you're not feeling comfortable.
Speaker 1:It's like, hey, I'm not feeling good, but you know what? I know that it's going to be fine. I just trust it and let it come, and you know it's going to be fine.
Speaker 2:Yeah that I listen to you talk. It's like when I get questions about you know, how does mindset impact a game or a practice or a development or the journey of an athlete? And it's like, how doesn't it, you know, like what you just said, there is, like, if you don't have that mental approach to that moment of practice that you just talked about and there's players that don't right like you're, you're completely missing that opportunity, that recognition to make a new choice, to become better, right, to be a different player. I feel shitty today. Today's a practice day and wednesday I don't play for three days, but there might be a game seven down the road where I'm going to feel like this and I need to prove to myself that I know how to show up. That's a mental mindset decision.
Speaker 1:Exactly. And it's honestly, a lot of the times too, when you play the important games the game sevens or you know your first NHL game, whatever you're not going to feel good, like those are the games that happen to. You don't feel good and you know you got to find a way because you know you can't just go out there and fall flat on your face and you know then you maybe never get an opportunity again or something like that.
Speaker 2:So yeah, so, okay, when we talk about this personal manual and I've always been interested from a goalie perspective because you have such specific coaches, right, Like so you talked about Dan and what an impact he has. Well, Dan doesn't work for the New York Rangers either, or the Hartford Wolfpack, right? So now you have your guy in Kamloops that you work with. Now you have a guy in Hartford. A lot of times there's a different guy at the NHL level. How do you bring your personal operating manual to these different coaches and how do they all blend together?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's definitely an interesting topic. For sure. I've been really lucky to have worked with some great coaches, especially, you know, in the new york rangers organization. Um, I think at the end of the day you know at least at my level it's different than growing up because I have developed, I know my game, I know what works for me at the end of the day, like, yeah, these guys can tell you a bunch of different stuff, but you're the one in the net and you're the one who's in the crease during the game and has to stop puck.
Speaker 1:So you gotta, you gotta stay true to yourself and then know what you need to do and stuff like that but at the same time, like I have great coaches where they really understand my game and what works for me and they don't try and change anything.
Speaker 1:Yes, we talk about a bunch of different stuff.
Speaker 1:When it comes up or like, hey, did you like the way you played this, or what do you think about this, and, um, you know, I think maybe you could maybe do this a little better, and stuff like that, we just kind of have a back and forth conversation and, um, I think that's that's really key. Obviously, you know I don't have the perspective of a goalie coach. I know that it would be hard for me because I know the way that I like to play and I'm probably not the best at understanding what works for other guys, so that would be hard. But that's why they are where they are. And you know pro goalie coaches, because I understand that you know every goalie is different. Every guy does certain things different ways and you know every goal is different. Every guy does certain things different ways and you know they like doing things a certain way or they like certain drills in practice and and stuff like that, and it's really just about maintenance, like they really just help you get ready to play and what you need to do.
Speaker 1:you know to feel good going into games and you know execute on the way that you play the game.
Speaker 2:So yeah, yeah, I think the guys that do it well are the guys that do it just how you said. They're not trying to make everyone play the same style or a similar way. There's going to be technical, I guess, perspective things that maybe would apply to everyone.
Speaker 2:But, as far as getting from point A to point B. Maybe there's a style that you have and they let you do that. Point A to point B. Maybe there's a style that you have and they let you do that I have had. I mean, it is tough when you do have somebody that is trying to, you know, breathe, force you into something. We won't get into that in this conversation because it sounds like you've never had to deal with that, but it's tough on goalies when that does happen.
Speaker 2:You know for sure it's a really tough position to do. I did share with. I was roommates with Rick DiPietro, my whatever it was third or fourth year pro, so and we had Billy Smith as the goalie coach for the Islanders at the time and Billy was an awesome, awesome guy, like he was so fun to be around. And this doesn't mean to disparage Billy, but Billy did or at least he may not have thought he was doing it but ricky thought that billy was trying to change almost everything about him. You know, yeah, like because ricky was really athletic right and and anyways, and billy wanted to be a different style and play deeper in his net and all these, all these types of things and and uh, and he just really struggled, right, like, with what his player identity was or what he felt he was to mean. Boy, this hall of fame goaltender is now wanting me to do this. Like what, what do I do? Right? Yes, and uh and talk about a mental struggle.
Speaker 2:So I, uh I I don't have any advice in that scenario, uh, but it is. It is something that that can be, that can be challenging. So I just encourage people to try and find somebody that relates to them as a human and as a goalie. I think that's the best place to start. Yeah, for sure. How was that transition? I should talk to you about the World Junior. So that's that jersey right over there. So I was fortunate enough to play on them too. We won in Boston the year we did it. I saw that in your EP that one of them got canceled. Is that right? Were you in one of the ones that got?
Speaker 1:canceled. Yeah, so I played two years. My first year was the bubble year in Edmonton no fans, I was the backup goalie. That year we lost in the finals. And then my second year came back At Christmas time. We played, I think, two games and then it got canceled. So then we had to go back in the summertime and play.
Speaker 2:So you did play in the summer, yeah, and we won Sweet Okay. So you got to experience the bitter taste of defeat as a backup and you got to have the exhilaration as the starter and winner.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you remember, but that save that Mason McTavish made on the goal line yeah, that was me the goalie. I was at the hash marks, so that was. Yeah, that was pretty cool.
Speaker 2:That's epic. Oh my gosh, what a great season. Yeah, that's wild Talk to me about that, Like, oh, you had two kicks at the cat there. I'm sure making it your first year was well, I shouldn't say I'm sure.
Speaker 1:I'll leave it to you. How was that experience from first year to second year and representing your country? Yeah, I mean, it was good, I think my first year. Like there was five goalies at camp and, honestly, there was no clear-cut starter, like no clear-cut three goalies for the team. Like it was all battle and I think maybe I put a lot of pressure on myself to because I knew that maybe I had the upper hand to be the starter and you know, I mean yeah, it's a lot of pressure at that age and it's hard to deal with when you're that young and you're not really equipped um for it.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I mean I had a average camp. I ended up, I made the team um and then, yeah, I mean I didn't really get to play. I played the third period of the first game because I mean it was at that time nobody was really playing, so they wanted to pick their guy and let him play just to kind of get the rust off and play games and get in a rhythm. And yeah, dev was definitely better than me. He was devon levine talking about um. He was my goalie partner and yeah, he was unreal. He had a really good camp, really good exhibition games, whatever, and he was unbelievable.
Speaker 1:That tournament, like that was some of the best hockey I've ever seen. It's too bad that we lost in the finals because he definitely deserved better with the way he was playing. Like he was unreal. I think he had a 961 going into the final game. Like I think he might have the same percentage record for that tournament or something. Like he was lights out and yeah, I mean we lost. It was something like he was lights out and yeah, I mean we lost. It was tough, it was. It was really disappointing for our whole group and you know, I just remember. I remember telling him he was like dude, you have to come back next year to win this thing. And I promised him I would. And yeah, I mean that was that was really disappointing to lose and that definitely fueled the fire to come back and win.
Speaker 1:And my second year I felt a lot more ready like I was having a really good season and you know I knew that coming back I was only returning or there was three returning guys win and my second year I felt a lot more ready, like I was having a really good season and you know I knew that coming back.
Speaker 1:I was only returning, or there was three returning guys on the team, there's only I was the only returning guy in the summertime. The other two didn't end up coming back. But, uh, yeah, I knew as a returning guy that I probably would have the upper hand to be the starter and I was having the best season. And, um, yeah, I mean, I was still put a lot of pressure on myself to actually be the starter. Was was a lot and, um, you know, I think I we won the first game and I think I led in three goals in the first period.
Speaker 1:Like I wasn't playing good, I bounced back, I didn't let in a goal the rest of the game, but that was, uh, that was definitely made me a little nervous. Um, and then, yeah, it ended up getting cancelled, which is heartbreaking, honestly. Like I remember, it got cancelled and I ended up flying back to prince george instead of camps, because that's where our team was playing. I met the team there and played, uh, the last two games and then, you know, actually our whole team got covered. So we had to take a two-week break as well but uh, yeah, that was tough.
Speaker 1:And then in the summertime, going back in the summertime, I was really ready. I was really ready, I knew what to expect, I knew how it felt. I still I didn't play as as unreal as I would have liked to like. But the thing about that tournament is you don't have to be unreal to win. You just got to be good because you know you know the team's good. So yeah, I mean that was a really fun tournament. That was a really really fun month of hockey. You know memories that will last a lifetime.
Speaker 1:That gold medal game was unreal, I think it was 15,000 in the crowd at the Rogers Arena there in Edmonton. Yeah, I mean, we're up 2-0 going to third. They tie it, we're going to sudden death overtime and you know there's no more shootouts anymore. So it was overtime, was had to win and yeah, I mean that big save by mctavish to in overtime to, you know, save our lives and then we go down and score. It was, I just remember when we scored, it was the best feeling ever, like that was kind of the first real championship that I won. Yeah, and there was no better feeling. If I would remember that for the rest of my life. There's some funny interviews that I did after the game because I was just so jacked up and my buddies will send them to me because it's super embarrassing, it's so bad. Yeah, just that feeling of winning was unreal.
Speaker 2:Is there any type of connection, like a longer-lasting connection now with McTavish in any capacity because of that moment?
Speaker 1:Definitely. Yeah, I mean, we don't talk a ton, but yeah, we always have that together and we know that.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, it's. Yeah, it's pretty special. That's wild. Well, congratulations on that. That's pretty fun.
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Speaker 2:Now let's get back to the conversation with Dylan Garand. What's the biggest transition for you from? Well, you know what I'll talk about what I opened with actually. So, gunner, my son, we were watching, uh, well, she may even be a two-part question. Gunner, my son is a goalie. He's he's not on. He's not the tallest goaltender right now at his age, like, obviously we don't know where he's going to end up, but he's on the shorter end of the spectrum. Uh, you are listed at six feet. You're on the ice here this, this, this summer with Dustin Wolf, who is, you know, I think he's listed at six feet too. I'm not sure how tall either one of you are in reality. Maybe you are six feet, I have no idea but, it's.
Speaker 2:It's rare and rare to see a 6.0 on anybody's hockey card anymore when it comes to the goaltending category, and a five at the start is even more rare. Um, can you talk about that?
Speaker 1:I mean just how tall you are, what it means in pro hockey today, how it has affected you and um, and what it means going forward, if anything yeah, it's definitely an interesting topic for sure, um, and you know it's always talked about, uh, you know I'm 6'1, generously, uh, but uh, yeah, I mean, everyone has their opinion on it. I know, I don't know, I don't know how to put this, but the maybe the player side or the management side, like like size, because, yeah, maybe the goalie looks bigger than that for me I I always think that smaller goalie they're goalies are better because you can move better and you got less holes, and that's important.
Speaker 1:And yeah, take a guy like Dustin Wolf, for example. I think he's maybe 5'11", he's pretty good, he's hard to score on, and guys will say that. And then you see a 6'5 guy and he doesn't move very great and he's got a bunch of holes and things like that. I five guy and he doesn't move very great and he's got a bunch of holes and things like that. I'm not saying tall goalies can't be good. There's tons like jake onger vasilevsky. You know they're unreal, but uh, you know, for me I never looked at that as a challenge on the ice. Maybe there's some opportunities that you know haven't come my way, maybe because people don't see me as a tall guy and you know they're a little hesitant, a little bit, but for me I mean, that's out of my control. Nobody can control how tall they are. Um, yeah, I mean it's just about, at the end of the day, making saves and stopping pucks, and you know, if you do that, then it doesn't matter, doesn't matter what height you are right.
Speaker 2:Well it, to me it should be that simple, like it really should be that simple. Do you stop the puck or not? Like that's, that's your job, and and it just kind of seemed like it got so out of skew there. Like even even I'm a little more familiar with, with dustin wolf, just because of proximity and lyle and everything else, right. So I saw his body of work and then I also saw where he got drafted the year he got drafted, right, like he was seventh last player taken. He was the best stats in the WHL, yeah, so something's not adding up there, right, except for his height.
Speaker 2:So somebody thought that that wouldn't translate at another level, right, or it wouldn't translate at the NHL level. Well, he's, so far he's proven everyone wrong, cause he was, you know, go tend to the year the HL twice, and now he's looking like a pretty good starter at the NHL level Again, pretty good. I say that tongue in cheek, cause he did unbelievable last year. Um, but why? Why is there like I'm kind of rambling, but I, I love the UC Soros, I love the UC Soros, I love the Dustin Wolf, I love yourself and, like we can say, undersized in this world, right, that are doing well, because hopefully it's opening the eyes of some of these decision makers to say like, yeah, just let the guy stop the puck and, if he can, give him an opportunity.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, and I think you know something that someone pointed out to me when I was drafted by the Rangers is a good point, Like. Henrik Lundqvist is 6'1" and.
Speaker 1:Igor Shostakhin is 6'1" and you know pretty good goalies Hall of Fame. Yeah, like man, like it, really it doesn't matter. Like it's. You're right. That's the question should be can you stop the puck or not? Like, would a coach or a manager be more comfortable seeing a guy 6'5 in the net? Maybe a coach or a manager be more comfortable seeing a guy six five in the net? Maybe. But is the coach gonna be upset if the guy's six foot five doesn't play well over the guy? Well, I don't know. I mean, I'm just rambling on.
Speaker 1:Maybe I'm a little upset about it, but uh, yeah I mean at the end of the day you gotta stop the puck and you know, maybe you get hit a little more if you're bigger, but you know, if you're smaller maybe you can move a little faster. And you can move to make saves, like there's pros and cons to both heights or whatnot, and I mean, at the end of the day, if the puck doesn't go in the net, that's your job.
Speaker 2:You did your job. Now, when it comes to goalies, I mean, it's pretty well known that the the road is usually longer to the NHL they talk about. You know, a goalie not reaching his peak till a little later than than a player. Uh, as an individual in that ecosystem yourself, you know, I know as a player, I wanted to be there yesterday. You know I wanted to be there last week, like, I'm sure you have that, that mindset, um, but how do you balance that with this idea of you know, I need to continue to get better, I need to continue to work on my craft, because my prime is still in front of me yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:You hit it on the head. I think everyone wants to play in the nhl and everyone wants to play right now. I would love to play in the nhl right now, like absolutely. I would love to play in the NHL right now, like absolutely. But I know that you know there's, you see, guys that get to the NHL especially from a goalie's perspective, maybe a little early and they're rushed into it a little bit and it affects their career down the line and you know, I mean, the NHL is a hard league, especially if you're young and you know you maybe don't get off to the greatest start and then your confidence is down and it's really really hard to build that back up.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I mean for me. I know a lot of it's situational and opportunity. Like you know, I haven't been given any opportunity because there hasn't been any opportunity for me to play in the NHL.
Speaker 1:So for me, like, yes, I want to play in the NHL and I know I'm ready to play in the NHL and I know I'm ready to play in the NHL, but I also know that the more time I spend in the American league and playing in Hartford and playing more games and practicing more, it's just going to make me more ready to make that jump when it is time to come. So yes, I want to play in the NHL, but I know that this time that I have right now to develop is really going to make me really good for a lot of years moving forward, because I'm not rushing right, really mature approach.
Speaker 2:And that was like the part two of my question with gunner, because gunner gunner was like he got drafted by the rangers. Like you know where, if, like, who knows? Like, pick a team, right, you're not drafted by the rangers that any team that doesn't have shisterkin locked up for eight years, making 12 or 14 million a year, right, like, who knows? Right, are you a backup, are you a starter, are you whatever? And and like, when that position is so solidified in the organization that you're in that you got drafted by. How is the mindset when it comes to that? Like, yes, definitely waiting for an opportunity. Do you feel like you're in a constant audition with other teams? You know how do you handle that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely a little of both, you know. I know for me that, like I know I'm going to be in that NHL one day and, like I said before, I really don't want to rush, I want to make sure that when I go I'm ready and I don't struggle because I've developed and I've put all this time and I've played all these games and I'm in the American League and I know my game, like I'm not searching for it at that level. Obviously, the NHL is different than the American League and there's adjustments to make, but the foundational part and you know, know the execution, you know physically and mentally as well is is the important thing that you develop and yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean, I know. I mean I want to play for the New York Rangers. I'm part of that organization. You never know, down the road, one day, maybe you know someone needs a goalie and they see me as someone that they'd like to acquire, and things like that, like all. I can control is what I can control, and you know. For me, that's today you know, I got my workout in my skate in and now I'm getting ready for tomorrow. Just controlling what I can control that stuff down the road will take care of itself.
Speaker 1:I know, if I put in the work and perform the way that I know I can perform it and believe in myself that I can do, then you know things will take care of themselves and kind of like we talked about earlier, where you know, what do you think your career would be like if you didn't play at Delta or in Kamloops, like I don't know.
Speaker 1:So maybe I'm in that stage right now, maybe this is the best thing for me, maybe it's not, I don't know. But yeah, I mean, I'm just trying to get better every day and, you know, just trying to be ready for my opportunity when it does come, because I do believe that it's going to come yeah, that's great way of putting it.
Speaker 2:I I think albert einstein said it's one of the things I I talked about in my program, but saying, like, having the belief system that the universe is friendly, which means that, like, where you are is where you're supposed to be and what's happening to you is what is supposed to be happening to you.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, because I think a lot of time we struggle with the situationality of what we're in, right, like we're not in the line we want to be, you know, if you're a forward, or we're not in the deep where we want to be, and we're not. We're not getting the starts that we want. As a goalie, you know, potentially, I mean, there could be a lot thing. However, you've got 110 games underneath your belt and the second best league in the world right now is, as a goaltender, right, like honing your craft and getting yourself ready and and maybe there's a patience about that that has allowed you to become better, it's, you know, instead of chasing, chasing, chasing, like it's all perspective, and I think that aspect of that is worth noting is there's what I wanted to compound, that right, because, yes, you're where. Maybe you don't want to be, but because you are where you are. That might be exactly where you need to grow some roots and it's helping you in the longterm. Right, yeah exactly.
Speaker 1:And the American league is a funny league because nobody wants to play in the American league. We all want to play in the NHL. So you know, you see it, Guys will be up and they get sent down. And you know it's tough, it's emotionally tough, to be in a league that you don't want to be in because you want to be in the NHL and it's really, really easy.
Speaker 1:Just to, you know, sulk around and feel sorry for yourself and be upset and, you know, mail it in and practices and games and stuff, because you're not where you want to be. But at the same time you've got to know that when that opportunity does come, if you do that you're not going to be ready for it and then you're just going to be right back where you started. So unless you own your development and take advantage of the time that you do get and push yourself to dominate and be elite at that level, then you're going to be ready when that chance comes and hopefully that's the best chance you're giving yourself, the best chance to stick at that next level when that time comes perfect.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that you took. Look at you statistically, usually the numbers don't lie. I mean you took a jump last year, you know, and that you, you seem to found your game a little bit more. Uh, what was that jump like from junior to to ahl, just in general, and and maybe uh, put a little color on on what your game was like as the jump you took last year to that, to that becoming a, uh, you know, certified pro, level quality ahl level goaltender yeah, it's definitely different coming from the western league to pro.
Speaker 1:I mean, like I, like I said earlier, I was, I was, you know, the best goalie in the Western League and the CHL. Like you know, I was, you know, feeling good about myself.
Speaker 1:I was pretty confident that I could, you know, play at that level and and be good at that level. And you know, I kind of came into a backup role a little bit. I played a decent amount of games but I wasn't playing as much as I was used to and that was pretty hard for me and and it's interesting too because you know, usually when guys get to the hl, that is, you know, you start in a backup role like it's, it's gonna happen to me again.
Speaker 1:I know that, but that was definitely, you know, a little hard and yeah, I mean I wasn't playing the best. The game is a lot different. Like just the reads and the certain scenarios. Like in the western league, guys will get over the blue line and throw it on net like just and pro. That would be considered a terrible shot. Like you gotta come in like find a better option or delay and wait.
Speaker 1:Like there's a lot more waiting to make plays rather than, you know, forcing plays or just throwing it at the net like there isn't junior and just a lot of adjustments like that just getting used to. And it took me a while. For sure and you know I was I was pretty frustrated the way that year went until the playoffs, and playoffs I was outstanding, like I had a really good run. You know, the our other goalie got called up to be the third string for the Rangers in the playoffs, so I got to play all the games and played really well and, you know, kind kind of carried that into my next year.
Speaker 1:And you know, my next year the numbers aren't great, as was either, but I think I played a lot better than my numbers show and ended up playing really well in the playoffs again and just carried that into this last year. And you know, like I said earlier, maybe our team last year wasn't the greatest that I played on in my three years there, but you know, I really just kind of owned my own development and embraced that challenge of you know trying to win us games by stealing them and, and you know, winning games 2-1 and and stuff like that and yeah, I mean I just really competed hard last year and, um, you know, really found my game and really what worked for me, and you know I got to play a lot and you know, unfortunately we didn't make the playoffs.
Speaker 1:We didn't have a great year as a team, but I definitely developed a lot and you know, opened opportunities for me moving forward.
Speaker 2:Yeah, congratulations. It's awesome to have like that big game experience. Like that is the one thing that they say you, you know, I don't know, you can't make it up right. I mean, you've been, you've been in net for a gold medal game for team canada. You, you've had playoff experience at junior level and and at the hl level and performed well. You know it's when you're saying to yourself now I am a gamer, right, I'm a competitor like you. There's a belief around that that you've built. You have something to to look back on and know that you've done it. You can do it again. So, um, that's a really, that's a really cool thing to have. Uh, as a goalie moving forward, what do you have? You have you played games in your mind at the nhl? Yet have you thought about like if, when that call comes and it will like, what is that how it feels, what it's going to look like? Do you play that game mentally?
Speaker 1:I've thought about it, but I really try to not think about it because I know that I don't want to put too much pressure on myself or force things For me. I really don't want to be thinking when I play in that NHL. It's just the same as any other game Start 0-0 and you're trying to win. Yeah, I mean just doing what I can to be ready for that and I know when the time comes I'll worry about it then, but I'm really trying not to worry about it until then.
Speaker 2:Is there anything you've learned from Shosturkin? I mean, I don't know how much proximity you have to him, you know at camp I'm sure you're obviously around him for an extended period of time. Is there anything with him, his habits, the way he plays that you've been peeking over your shoulder and and been wanting to try or or uh, or use yourself?
Speaker 1:yeah, a little bit, for sure. I mean I try to stay out of his lane a little bit and then, you know, let him do his thing and not bother him too much. But I think for me he's one of my favorite goal is to watch, so I always love watching him. And to get to watch him in practice and you know, see his work, ethic and and all sorts of things is is pretty cool. Um, you know, I think he's an unbelievable skater. So to get him to see him in practice, but also the stuff he does before practice, like he does a bunch of edge work and then stuff like that that I, you know, I love watching and I do a bunch of that stuff myself.
Speaker 1:So it's cool to learn from that and yeah, yeah, I mean just the way he approaches every day, like he's there early. He's one of the first guys there.
Speaker 1:He works out before practice, then he goes on the ice early and then he practices, you know. So it's pretty cool to get to see that and you know you really understand why he does have so much success because he does put in the work and it's it's pretty cool to be a part of the one thing that I haven't mentioned is that geez, jonathan Quick is a future Hall of Famer as well, who is unbelievable in his own right now, in a different capacity, as a backup.
Speaker 2:Between those two guys is there a? And I've never experienced that, so that's why I'm asking too like is there a goalie fraternity with three? Like, do they include you? Is there some camaraderie there? Or how does that work at the NHL level when you're at camp together?
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, absolutely. They're both really good guys, especially Jonathan Quick. He's a great guy, you know he's definitely older, so the way that he approaches practice is different than Shisterkin. Of course, because he's on maybe his last legs a little bit, he's got to manage a little bit, but he's an unbelievable guy, really, really welcoming.
Speaker 1:He'll come up and talk to you in the room or whatever, especially as a young guy when you get called up and you don't know everyone on the team. So for him to make you feel welcome like that is unreal. He's had a Hall ofame career. He's got three Stanley Cups Pretty good tandem there to try and learn as much as I can from and take as much as I can from both those guys.
Speaker 2:Who was your guy growing up? Carey Price, carey Price. So I assume you've had a chance to meet him because he lives in the Okanagan and you're here.
Speaker 1:I actually haven't. I never met him. Actually. I met Mike Smith a couple days ago at that Kelowna camp there, but no, I've never met Carey Price.
Speaker 2:Well, we've got to make that happen don't we yeah one day Any advice? I know you've got to run. I really enjoyed the conversation. It's been awesome to shoot with you on on all things. Goalie, do you want to leave with any advice for some younger goalies out there if you want them to follow in your footsteps? Um?
Speaker 1:I mean, yeah, just work hard and believe in yourself. And you know, if you want to be in the nhl one day, know that it's possible, as long as you put in the work. And and you believe in yourself. And you know, doesn't matter what guys think of you If you look a little goofy doing a little extra work or whatnot, like you got to stay true to yourself and really want it. And yeah, I mean, just work hard but also have fun, like it's. It's. It's pretty fun to be playing hockey and not everyone gets to play hockey for as long as they'd like, so just have fun in the moment there and work your hardest.
Speaker 2:I love it and you know what. I got to ask one more question, because it was one that was in my mental notes and I forgot to ask. I'm going to squeeze it in here. Training I get questions on that, even my own son, and I'm not good at it. Like hockey goalies train like players for the most part, but you guys aren't players, you guys are goalies and you do different things than players do. Like, when you talk about doing the extra, what, what is extra for you as a goaltender? How do you train outside of the practice, if at all? I mean, I don't know what your habits are like. They're outside. Like what is an extra session for dylan grant?
Speaker 1:uh, yeah definitely a little complicated to answer, but I think you know, as I've gotten older, I've really met some really good people that have helped me off the ice. And you hit it on the head. I used to do all the time, I used to train like a player and it's, it's way different. You know for a goalie, if you're in the gym and you're squatting or you're doing lunges or whatever like on the ice, you're never going.
Speaker 1:You know up and down you're in the gym and you're squatting or you're doing lunges or whatever, like on the ice, you're never going. You know up and down, you're going side to side. So you want to trade that side push. Also the foot stability. I do a lot of work on ankle boards and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:I've really learned a lot through James Winland. I don't know if you've heard of him, he's a, he's a Kelowna. He's been unbelievable. I've learned a ton through him. But yeah, I mean, for me Growing up I did a ton of ball drills like throwing the ball off the wall, a bunch of different goggles, a bunch of different types of balls and Then, yeah, I mean a lot of, a lot of the work. I guess that I put in is skating and that's before, after practice, like just finding time doing these ed works or these movement patterns and things like that, because at the end of the day, if you can't skate, at least I believe.
Speaker 1:And if you can't skate, you can't stop pox, like that's the most important thing as a goalie, so that's probably what I spend my most time on, but yeah, I mean a bunch of different training, a lot of stretching, a lot of taking care of my body. It's, it's a whole process.
Speaker 1:I'd be here for four hours trying to tell you everything I do, but it's, it's definitely been a work in progress because, like I said, I used to train like a player at the normal gym with the group, and then stuff like that, and I've really learned that that's not very effective.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I think that's a good takeaway for the guys out there that, yeah, you mean just don't follow what everyone else is doing. But you know, I mean train like, like the position demands, you know.
Speaker 2:Exactly yeah, and yeah I mean I think Lyle said that to me before like that, position stops pucks, you know, yeah, and what is position? Well, that's being to get to a position to be square to the puck and be ready then to stop it, right. So if you can't get to a spot to be in position, your skating needs to improve. So, yeah, I'm with you on that. I think that's a great thing to focus on for all goalies out there. So we'll leave with that, dylan. I really wish you the best at camp this year and I hope for another amazing season, wherever that may be, whether in the, you know, on Broadway there, or whether in Hartford and honing the craft a little bit. But yeah, I mean, I think we all know that your time's come. It a matter of when. So thanks for sharing all you did and being so candid with your responses. Really appreciate it. Yeah, absolutely Thanks for having me. That was a blast. Well, thank you very much for being here.
Speaker 2:Episode 161 was a blast. It really did my heart good to get back into a conversation and get back into the live stream here, with somebody chasing their dream who has already become a pro, who has done great things in the game and is essentially one phone call away from realizing that NHL dream and goal. And I couldn't be more excited about what's ahead for this young man, judging by the conversation that we just had and that you just listened to. What an authentic, mature, professional approach to what he's doing Driven, dedicated, passionate, and sounds like a great teammate too. The way that he was talking about things, and I just think I mean, when you line up enough blocks, when you stack enough blocks on top of each other, you not only get better but things work out. So the fact that he is doing what he's doing in the organization, that he's doing at honing his craft, waiting for his name to be called, I know that he is going to be ready when that name is called and the opportunity will be an exciting one when, when he gets it. So, uh, let's all cheer for Dylan, let's follow what he's doing there in Hartford.
Speaker 2:It's so funny. Like they're so good, these guys in the AHL. They're so good. And because you maybe haven't seen him or heard him, uh, with that Rangers jersey on, uh, you know, we can sometimes forget about these guys, and even you know I mentioned Gunnar watching them play. Like Gunnar knew who Dustin Wolfe was. You know Dustin Wolfe was almost won the Calder Trophy.
Speaker 2:He was, you know, at times up into discussion that maybe this guy might vie for Vezina at some point and, you know, was creating a stir amongst the hockey world. Yet Dylan Garand and him have a very similar resume. You look at their stats. What they've accomplished in the WHL, what they accomplished at the World Junior level, what they accomplished at the AHL level are similar. Yet Dustin is an NHLer now, dylan is an AHLer and just nipping at his heels. So let's not discount these guys playing in the AHL. They're very, very good hockey players and legitimately, one phone call away from being a very legitimate player at the NHL level. So can't wait for that to happen, can't wait to follow his career from this point on, and we wish Dylan nothing but the best, of course, moving forward. So until next time, you guys, play hard and keep your head up.