NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers prospect goaltender Jordan Switzer readies himself to make a save while practicing with the WHL club on Thursday.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Jordan Switzer continues to build on a strong season with the Northern Alberta Xtreme.
The 15-year-old goaltender won all four games he appeared in across January and February, with a .929 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average. He credits his team for the ability to have good nights between the pipes.
“We have some strong players on that team and it’s a really good team for that league,” Switzer said. “Everybody around me makes me better and when I’m in the net, they make it easy on me. I just do what I can and it’s been a really good year.”
A good year may be an understatement for the Edmonton product – at the U17 level he has a 14-0-0 record with three shutouts, a 1.70 goals against average and a .939 save percentage.
“I just feel like I can be me playing in what some say is a lower league at the U17 level, we’re all ’07s,” Switzer said. “So it’s a strong team, good D-men and I can just be confident in who I am back there.
“The stats speak for themselves, but it’s a good D-core in front of me.”
Switzer was in Medicine Hat for the week practising with the Tigers while he gets ready to represent Alberta at the Canada Winter Games starting Feb. 19. He enjoyed the practice experience and is looking forward to playing at the Winter Games in P.E.I., his first time visiting the province.
“It’s amazing getting those heavier shots, they called me up before the Canada Winter Games, so it’s good to get the higher-end shots to get me warmed up and then see where it goes,” Switzer said. “Talking to alumni they say it’s the biggest event they had in some of their hockey careers, they never forget it. So I’m really excited to get out there and see what we can do.”
Switzer will represent Alberta alongside fellow Tigers prospects Matthew Paranych, Hayden Harsanyi, Kadon McCann and will face Gavin McKenna who will represent Team Yukon.
Tigers associate coach says it was good to see Switzer at their practice, even if his blue NAX pads clashed a little withe the Orange and Black.
“He’s playing great, he’s a great goalie and we’re really excited about him,” Frazer said. “It’s just great to get him in here to see some major junior shots before he heads out to the Winter Games.”
Switzer was selected 111th by the Tigers in the 2022 WHL draft and attended rookie camp and then training camp before starting his CSSHL season. He believes his skating has improved in the six-month span since he was last in Medicine Hat.
“Just getting ahead of what the players are thinking and almost just anticipating what’s going to happen in front of me,” Switzer said. “I feel like that kind of pushed my game to the next level.”
Tigers goaltending coach Matt Wong worked with Switzer throughout the week and says he’s noticed the young goaltender has gotten stronger and put in the work in the gym.
“If you don’t have the strength, you’re not going to have the speed either so that’s an integral part of the athletics,” Wong said. “That’s probably the biggest thing that stands out. He’s smart, his play reads are good, he’s quick, he’s athletic, he’s calm. He has all the qualities to be a good Tiger.”
Switzer doesn’t lack confidence on or off the ice. Wong says the approach to coaching a player like him, is just stay out of his way and let them do what they can do.
“He does have that quiet, calm confidence and he does want to make your decisions hard, whether it’s next year or it’s a year down the road. His natural state of being confident will do that.”
Once he returns from the Canada Winter Games, Switzer and the U17 NAX will be gearing up for the playoffs as they sit in first place. He is excited to see what they can do and soak up the experience.
“Some of those small rinks can get packed in there and I remember last year in the quarter finals against Burnaby there were horns going off, people made and drunk, so I’m really excited to see what we can do that,” Switzer said.
Here are the January and early February performances from prospects in the Tigers system.
(Players put in order of statistics and level played. Only those signed to player agreements are included. Stats entering play Feb. 10).
F, Gavin McKenna
1st overall, 2022 WHL draft
WHL, Medicine Hat Tigers
– 3 GP, 2 A, 2 P
Season: 11 GP, 8 A, 8 P
CSSHL, U18 SAHA
– 8 GP, 15 G, 13 A, 28 P
Season: 25 GP, 36 G, 37 A, 73 P
F, Kadon McCann
23rd, 2022 WHL draft
WHL, Medicine Hat Tigers
– 1 GP
Season: 1 GP
CSSHL, U18 SAHA
– 11 GP, 5 G, 7 A, 12 P
Season: 32 GP, 17 G, 21 A, 38 P
F, Brett Calhoon
206th, 2020 WHL draft
WHL, Medicine Hat Tigers
– 5 GP, 2 A, 2 P
Season: 6 GP, 2 A, 2 P
CSSHL, U18 SAHA
– 9 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 P
Season: 24 GP, 12 G, 15 A, 27 P
F, Hayden Harsanyi
16th, 2022 WHL draft
WHL, Medicine Hat Tigers
– 2 GP
Season: 4 GP
CSSHL, Edge School
– 8 GP, 5 G, 6 A, 11 P
Season: 30 GP, 17 G, 18 A, 35 P
D, Nate Corbet
60th, 2021 WHL draft
CSSHL, U18 SAHA
– 13 GP, 5 A, 5 P
Season: 33 GP, 3 G, 20 A, 23 P
D, Matthew Paranych
45th, 2022 WHL draft
CSSHL, U18 SAHA
– 11 GP, 2 G, 13 A, 15 P
Season: 28 GP, 7 G, 24 A, 31 P
D, Kolby Gapter
25th, 2021 WHL U.S. draft
CSSHL, U18 SAHA
– 11 GP, 2 A, 2 P
Season: 31 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 P
D, Blake Ekren-Bratton
61st, 2020 WHL draft
SJHL, La Ronge Ice Wolves
Season: 8 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 P
PJHL, Saskatoon Quakers
– 9 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 P
Season: 9 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 P
G, Zach Zahara
171st, 2020 WHL draft
CSSHL, U18 SAHA
– 12 GP, 4.07 GAA, .881 SV, 7-5-0
Season: 22 GP, 3.19 GAA, .904 SV, 12-8-2, 2 SO
G, Ethan McCallum
39th, 2021 WHL draft
CSSHL, U18 SAHA
– 1 GP, 0 GAA, 1.000 SV, 1-0-0, 1 SO
Season: 7 GP, 3.11 GAA, .891 SV, 5-1-0, 1 SO
