When Craig Didmon made a phone call to Matthew Galajda in May to relay the message that returning goaltender Sean Cleary had accepted a scholarship to University of Massachussetts-Amehurst, the Victoria Grizzlies’ general manager and head coach received the reply he was hoping for from his recruit.
“When I told him Sean had moved on to the NCAA, the first thing he said was, ‘I was planning on taking the starting role pretty quickly any way.’ I was happy to hear that,” Didmon said of Galajda, who is now pencilled in as the No. 1 goalie.
“He’s a confident kid and he’s been ready for this league for a couple of years. School was important to him. He wanted to graduate before playing junior hockey. I think we’ll find him with a Division I scholarship pretty quick.”
Galajda joins the B.C. Hockey League’s Grizzlies from St. Andrew’s College in Ontario, one of several recruits who headed west from the well respected institution. The six-foot, 190-pounder was in training camp last season as well and actually outshone Cleary, Michael Stiliadis and Nic Renyard at the time.
Galajda headed back to St. Andrew’s knowing he was part of the plan as a backup to Cleary for the 2015-16 season.
“When I got that call from Didmon, I was really excited about the new opportunity,” admitted the netminder who turns 18 in October. “I’ve been getting ready all summer.
“I’m not going to let the team down,” added Galajda. “I’m going to give it my all and hopefully win a championship here this year. I know I can definitely be that [No. 1] guy. I am 100 per cent confident. I was that guy the last two years at St. Andrew’s. I came in as the backup and ended up getting the starting job.”
With some very impressive numbers.
Galajda finished with a sparkling record of 56-6-4 over his two seasons, leading the Hockey Saints to a pair of CISAA championships and a National Independent School Championship. His goals-against average was a paltry 1.30 over 67 games and save percentage a spectacular .941. He was named the most valuable player at the national tournament and for the Hockey Saints last season.
“I know I can give a team a chance to win every game I play,” said the confident netminder, who will have to adjust to the next level. “It was a good two years at St. Andrew’s, but I’m ready to move on. There will be a couple of adjustments [continued work on his alignment to pucks] with harder, quicker shots.
“I’ve been training the last two years with older guys, though. It’s not going to be a big challenging difference.”
The Grizzlies will find out once the pucks begin to fly in exhibition play this weekend as Galajda goes from challenging Cleary for the No. 1 spot to being the No. 1.
“It’s changed to benefit him and he’s certainly ready to step up and be a starter,” said Didmon.
“From what I’ve seen in him, he’s ahead of the game. Everyone’s been impressed with him. He’s fortunate to be in the spot he’s in, to be able to come in as a starter and hopefully it works out for both sides. But he’s a guy who has always been a starter, he had taken that role with St. Andrew’s.”
Mitchell Benson of Windsor — who played with Victory Honda in Plymouth, Michicgan — is the front-runner to be the backup with local Chris Smith (in his third camp with the Grizzlies and an affiliated player last season) also in that battle.
IN THE DEN: Galajda is joined by fellow St. Andrew’s grads Cal Walker and J.D. Falconer in current training camp. Former Hockey Saints to have dressed with Victoria include Rory McGuire, Jay Mackie, Jake Stirling (whose younger brother Brett is here this year), Jacob Kearley and Matt Kennedy. … The Grizzlies open the preseason Saturday night in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals. The same two teams will play at Juan de Fuca Arena on Sunday at 2 p.m.
