Raiders happy with pre-season play from starting goaltender candidates
The pre-season may be over for the Prince Albert Raiders, but competition for the club’s starting goaltender job isn’t.
Prince Albert Raiders GM Curtis Hunt confirmed on Tuesday the club will carry three goaltenders on its roster heading into Friday’s home opener against the Saskatoon Blades.
Import Michal Orsulak, 17-year-old Steele Bass, and last year’s back-up Dimitri Fortin are all in the running to replace Max Hildebrand, who was named WHL Goaltender of the Year in his final season of junior eligibility. Hunt said the club liked how all three goaltenders performed in exhibition play, so they’re taking their time making a decision.
“We’re still early in the season,” Hunt said. “I think it’s hasty to make a decision at this juncture. Certainly, no one deserves to go home at this point.”
Orsulak, Bass, and Fortin played almost an identical number of minutes in the pre-season. Fortin (2.59 GAA, .897 SAV) led the way with 93 minutes over two games, followed by Orsulak (1.99 GAA, .936 SAV) with 91 minutes, and Bass (2.03 GAA, .909 SAV) with 89 minutes.
Fortin was the only Raider netminder to win two pre-season games. Orsulak finished with one victory, while Bass was in goal for an overtime loss against Saskatoon.
“Steele, gave up a 6-on-3 goal to force overtime, and then a 4-on-3 goal in overtime, and I thought (he) was excellent against a very good Saskatoon lineup,” Hunt said. “That was very positive in how he played. We know Forts well. He won some big games for us last year down the stretch. He came into camp in shape and, I thought, with good energy and attitude.
“Michael was really the wildcard for us. We knew he had great international experience with the Hlinka tournament and of course the U18s, and maybe didn’t have the kind of event he was hoping for in Texas. That being said, he has experience on the smaller ice and I think has been very, very good throughout camp as well.”
Hunt said keeping three goaltenders on the roster is not a long-term solution. The plan is to give all three more time with goaltending coach Dan Ferguson, and enough reps in practice to stay sharp.
Still, Hunt said having three goalies on the roster isn’t ideal.
“It’s never good for a coach,” he said. “It’s not even really great for goalies.”
So what will it take for one of the three netminders to claim the starters role? For one, Hunt wants to see what they can do against tougher competition.
The Raider GM said many elite WHL shooters are still away at NHL camps. The level of competition jumps from the pre-season to the regular season, and Hunt expects it to increase again when those players return to their junior clubs.
Beyond that, the message is simple: just stop the puck.
“Goaltending is about consistency,” Hunt said. “It’s about giving confidence to your team. You’ve got to get the job done. Unfortunately, the spotlight shines on the position. That’s the last line of defence, but we do feel we have got a good group of veteran D to support our goaltending.”
While all three will be on the Raider roster for the foreseeable future, only one can be in the net Friday night. Hunt declined to name a starter on Tuesday, and hinted they likely won’t make the decision public until game day.
“We don’t have to make it right away,” he said. “We’ll continue to discuss it and have the guys run through practices.”
Raiders aim to build on early successes
Continue to keep building.
That was the message from Prince Albert Raiders coach Ryan McDonald as the team closed out the pre-season with a 7-3 win over the Regina Pats.
The Raiders enter Friday’s home opener as the frontrunners to recapture the East Division title, but McDonald said the club needs to keep improving every week to hit their potential.
“Keep managing our game and building our game,” McDonald said following the win over Regina. “It’s all about details and habits and continuing to work.”
The Raiders plan to raise an East Division championship banner prior to puck drop on Friday. Veterans like forward Brayden Dube are confident this year’s club can hit similar heights if they play together as a unit.
“I think we have a really good chance of winning the division again, but other teams will be hunting us,” Dube said following the win over the Pats. “We’ve got to find ways to get wins. I think it will be a really good year.”
The Prince Albert Raiders face the Saskatoon Blades at the Art Hauser Centre on Friday, Sept. 19. Puck drop is 7 p.m. The two teams meet again in a re-match on Saturday in Saskatoon.
Roster moves
The Raiders have traded forward Dayce Derkatch to the Regina Pats for a third round pick in 2026. The pick originally belonged to the Saskatoon Blades.
Derkatch scored three goals and added five assists in 57 career games as a Raider. He also scored one goal in seven playoff games last season.
The Raiders selected Derkatch in the third round of the 2022 WHL prospects draft. He had been re-assigned by the Raiders prior to the trade.
@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca
