One of the major storylines heading into training camp for the Prince Albert Raiders is who will win the backup goaltender position.
Last season, Max Hildebrand took firm control of the starting role posting a 25-20-2-2 record, a 2.88 goals against average and a .907 save percentage in 51 games played.
In the offseason, Nathan Preston, who was the backup goaltender to Hildebrand for the second half of last season was dealt to the Tri-City Americans in the Lukas Dragicevic trade.
Three main candidates are looking to earn the backup position in 16-year-old Steele Bass, 17-year-old Cooper Anderson and 18-year-old Eric Kahl.
Bass was selected by the Raiders in the third round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft and spent last season with RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna posting a 10-3-0 record, a 3.43 Goals Against Average and a .879 save percentage.
Entering his second camp with the Raiders, Bass says he knows what he needs to do in order to win the backup position.
“It’s really exciting talking with all the guys. My second camp here now I’m familiar with lots of the faces and got some buddies around the room so it’s really good to be a part of that and being part of the environment and so it’ll be a good good time here.”
“I know what to expect now from the type of games we do and what they expect out of us goalies and what they’re kind of looking for. It’s just the battle and compete that’s got to be there and I know that I got to show up and I’ve been working all summer for it so I know what to expect going into it and what I got to do every day.”
During the summer months, Bass was often training at Crash Conditioning in Calgary and was training on-ice with several other WHL players including Saskatoon Blades prospect Ryley Budd and former Red Deer Rebel captain Kai Uchacz.
Bass says seeing more high quality shots during training will help him when he sees more pucks at a WHL level moving forward.
“It was a big season, a big summer there too, and helped a lot with getting out with lots of pro guys, especially in my area in Southern Alberta. Lots of guys younger my age, we have a really good prospect pool coming up. Working with guys like Krebs and certain guys like Kai Uchacz, getting those pro reads and pro aim. It’s just completely different when you finally get into camp, then you know what to expect.”
When asked about what he needs to improve on to make it to the WHL, Bass explained that part of the challenge of being a goaltender is anticipating the play before it can happen.
“I think it’s just going to be reading the plays off the rush and stuff. This is a lot faster hockey, faster passes. They’re coming down the wing a little quicker. It’s just going to be getting some reads in and understanding what they’re doing and reading their body language and sticks and everything from tracking all the players coming down the ice is going to be huge.”
Anderson looking to win backup battle
Entering his third training camp with the Prince Albert Raiders, Cooper Anderson is hoping to stay long-term in Hockeytown North,
The Sidney, B.C. product was selected by the Raiders in the 10th round of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and spent last season in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) posting a 14-2-2 record, a 3.05 goals against average and an .880 save percentage.
After an injury to Hildebrand early last season, Anderson was called up to the Raiders on an emergency basis and dressed for a few games backing up Chase Coward.
Anderson says the experience of being around the team during the WHL season was invaluable because it showed him what is expected at the WHL level.
“It helps a lot. Just with the connections with the team, you have those relationships built already and you’re familiar with the building, you’re familiar with the routine. You get some experience that the others don’t get.”
“It feels nice because I’ve kind of got my toes wet a little bit. Nothing solidified, just like my first camp was coming in trying to get signed. Now I’m trying to come in and make the team so it’s just a battle every year.”
Anderson wasn’t just busy on the ice this summer. He also played lacrosse for the Victoria Shamrocks for their Junior B Tier 1 and Junior A programs.
Anderson says he had full support from the organization to play during the summer.
“Lacrosse is awesome. It really worked out well just with, it was great to hear that Curtis Hunt with the Raiders, he was encouraging me to play. I know it’s not the same for lots of guys around the league. It was great that my team was very accepting of when I had the times I had to miss for hockey. That was great. I just got on the ice lots, training lots, and trying to enjoy the summer a little bit.”
A goalie by trade in hockey, Anderson takes his talents outside the crease while playing lacrosse as he played defense for the Shamrocks.
“The big thing as a defender in lacrosse is it’s all about communication.” Anderson explains. “For the unfamiliar lacrosse fans, there’s picks and stuff that you have to talk through and it’s all about talking to your co-defenders and so that’s kind of a big thing as a goalie is communicating what you see so that correlates quite a bit.”
Raider training camp begins on Friday with on-ice sessions beginning at 2:15 p.m.
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