Dylan Garand talking with Blazers' goaltending coach Dan DePalma before he left for the world junior selection camp (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

DAN DEPALMA

Garand poised to start for Team Canada, credits DePalma for success

Dec 10, 2021 | 11:54 AM

KAMLOOPS — It was pretty obvious from the time Dylan Garand suited up for the Blazers, playing a few games as a 15 year old, that he was going somewhere in his hockey career.

“We brought him in here at 15. We were a little bit challenged with injury and he got thrown into the net at 15, which is uncommon. We just felt he could do it,” said Blazers’ goaltending coach Dan DePalma. “You never know. It’s easy to say in hinesight, but when we were sitting there trying to make decisions at the beginning of that 16-year-old year, I think we felt this guy had the ability.”

Now deep into his junior hockey career, he’s made two World Junior teams and is poised to start for Team Canada at this year’s tournament.

“I see a really committed young man,” said DePalma. “He’s driven. He’s taken it upon himself to hone his game and hone his improvements, so we’re just facilitators for him. At the end of the day, Dylan gets all the credit. He’s put in the work, and he’s really made this community his home.”

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Garand, along with Blazers forward Logan Stankoven, are at the world junior selection camp, which runs until Sunday in Calgary.

Garand says working with DePalma has been a pleasure and has helped him get to where he is today.

“He’s been huge. I honestly wouldn’t be where I am today without him,” noted Garand. “He kind of goes under the radar a little bit and doesn’t get all the credit he deserves, but he’s been great for every goalie who’s been here. You can ask anyone — he’s the best. We’re super lucky to have him.”

DePalma has been with the Blazers for the last 13 years, helping tailor some of these goalies into elite prospects.

Garand is the second goaltending under DePalma’s reign to make the world juniors. The other is Connor Ingram, who made the team in 2017.

“There’s been a long run of goalies here, Dan being a big part of their development,” said Blazers assistant GM Tim O’Donovan. “He focuses on a lot of different things. I think work ethic is really important, tracking’s an important thing with goaltenders. They have to have good hands and good feet. Dan does a lot of scouting for us, and obviously Jesse Sanche (Kamloops goaltender drafted in the Prospects Draft on Thursday) is a kid we just selected and Dan was really high on him. We want to keep that pipeline going here.”