“Are you ALL IN?”
That was the question asked to 22 of Canada’s top U18 players. After a grueling selection camp that ran from July 26-30 in Calgary, Blazers goalie Dylan Garand’s answer was easy — Yes.
“It was tough, especially not being in mid-season shape, obviously. (You) definitely find yourself catching your breath sometimes, it’s high-intensity, but it’s a lot of fun.”
This wasn’t the first time Garand found himself in a high-intensity situation with Team Canada. The Victoria native went toe-to-toe with Swedish phenom Jesper Wallstedt at the 2018 U17 World Hockey Challenge. Each goalie collected 45 saves and a .935 SV during a 4-3 shootout win for Sweden.
At selection camp, the focus was simple: “I think it was just not worrying about what other guys are doing, just focusing on myself and be the best goalie I can be.”
Hockey Canada prefers players that are groomed through their program at every possible level. Garand’s outstanding performance in the Bronze medal game was noteworthy, but his experience with the program was likely a bigger factor in his selection to the roster.
After a whirlwind travel day, Garand joined the team in the Czech Republic for his first practice.
As for any difference in approach while wearing the maple leaf: “I think it’s a little bit more, not pressure, but expectations because you wanna do more on the ice and you wanna push yourself hard, but I try not to overthink it.”
Cool and collected
Pressure is unavoidable on the international stage, but the Victoria native already had his cool demeanor on full display with the Blazers last season.
Dylan Ferguson’s injury on March 6th set up an end-of-season run that saw the Blazers win five of their final six games, during which the 17-year old accrued a .935 SV. The seemingly-improbable playoff appearance required one more challenge for Garand and his Blazers — a tiebreaker with the Kelowna Rockets. With Ferguson still injured, Garand answered the bell by allowing just one goal on 28 shots.
It is no surprise then what Garand reveals as one of his greatest strengths: “Being calm in the net, bringing a calm presence.”
By the numbers
The Hlinka Gretzky Cup has been played under a variety of different titles since its inception in 1991. Over that 28 year span, Canada has won the tournament 22 times and featured 11 Blazers on the roster:
1991: Jarrett Deuling
1994: Jarome Iginla
1995: Randy Petruk
1997: Robyn Regehr
1999: Jared Aulin
2001: Tyler Boldt, Jarret Lukin
2003: Devan Dubnyk
2005: Keaton Ellerby
2008: Jimmy Bubnick
2017: Jackson Shepard
With the tournament officially kicking off on August 5th, Garand will become the 12th all-time member of the Blazers to join Canada’s quest for Gold.
