QA with Clay Witt

Sioux Falls goaltender Clay Witt played somewhat sporadically as the Stampede's backup goaltender in 2008-09, his draft year, but he still put up impressive numbers during the regular season and became the team's number one early in the playoffs after Eric Hartzell had a meltdown in Game 1 against the Lincoln Stars. In 2009-10, Witt is the undisputed number one for Sioux Falls and had firmly established himself as one of the USHL's league leaders in shutouts and save percentage heading into the Christmas Break. If the Floridian keeps it up the rest of the season, he could have a sunny day on June 26, 2010, and follow in the footsteps of former Sioux Falls goaltender Alex Kangas and earn selection in his second year of draft eligibility.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey was able to catch up with Sioux Falls goaltender Clay Witt after a tough loss just before the Christmas Break. Witt discussed his time so far in the USHL, his early hockey days playing in Florida, his excellent two years with the Boston Junior Bruins in the Empire Junior Hockey League, his commitment to Northeastern, and a couple NHL goalies with Southeast Division ties that he looks up to.

McKeen's: Heading into tonight, you were third in the league in save percentage, which is pretty good, although you'll take a small hit to that tonight. But, overall, how would you say the season has gone for you so far?

Witt: Pretty good. I mean, I've definitely got a solid team in front of me, so that definitely helps.

McKeen's: Going back to last season, your rookie season in the USHL, what were the biggest adjustments you faced coming out of the Empire Junior Hockey League and the areas of your game that you felt you improved on the most?

Witt: Definitely the speed of the game, it's a lot different. Definitely the quality of players and everything like that. I definitely improved on balance, skating, and just moving around the crease.

McKeen's: It's definitely a bit of a step from Tier III junior A, or junior B, I guess is what the Empire League is. Anyway, what are some of the areas of your game that you're still focusing on improving this year and heading forward?

Witt: Umm, playing the puck. I'd like to get better at that. Just try to improve in all of my skills and get better.

McKeen's: On the other hand, what would you say are the strengths of your game and the style that you play?

Witt: I'm definitely taking away the lower half of the net, which I'm very good at. I think I've gotten better at moving around.

McKeen's: Yes. I had some notes on you tonight about you taking away that five-hole quite quickly, which goes along with what you said. Unfortunately, the last time I saw you guys, it was a 6-1 loss in Omaha. However, what are some of the things that you do after a not-so-good outing to help rebound?

Witt: Just get back to work, focus on the next game. My goalie coach always says to focus on the next shot. There's nothing you can do about the last one.

McKeen's: That's true. Last season, Eric Hartzell was the go-to goalie and you played 18 of the 60 games, playing somewhat sporadically, but you still played well in the vast majority of those games that you played. What were the keys to helping you playing well despite not playing regularly?

Witt: Just staying focused, making sure I'm always ready to play, and just trying to go out there and do your best.

McKeen's: This year you're the number one goalie, so what are your personal goals for this season and then also the goals you have for the team, so that you'd consider it a success?

Witt: Well, obviously our team goal is to try to win an Anderson Cup and try to win a Clark Cup, go as far as there, and just try to be a top guy in the statistical categories and try to win a lot of hockey games.

McKeen's: Do you have any marks that you're trying to reach this season? Not so much statistical marks, but like All-Star Game, World Junior A Challenge, stuff like that.

Witt: That stuff, obviously, you definitely want to happen, but you also can't really control that. So, you just kind of want to take it one period at a time and win hockey games.

McKeen's: With your team, you guys don't have a lot of what people might consider big-name prospects, but you guys have done pretty well this season. So, what would you say are the keys to your guys' success most nights?

Witt: Well, we have four lines that can score. We're pretty deep. We may not have that one extremely high-caliber player, but all of our guys are pretty solid.

McKeen's: As Cedar Rapids found out last night. Going back to the beginning of your hockey career, you're from Bradenton, Florida…

Witt: Brandon, Florida.

McKeen's: Oh, yes. I misspoke on that one.

Witt: A suburb of Tampa.

McKeen's: Right, right. So, that kind of begs the question as to when you first started playing hockey and how did you get that start?

Witt: I was about around six, started off playing roller a little bit. But, I went to a few Lightning games, got into it that way.

McKeen's: I thought the Lightning might factor into it. At what point did you start playing goalie?

Witt: Probably about six months into it. I realized that I wasn't the best skater, so I was like, "Eh, might as well play the only other place to try out, goalie."

McKeen's: Obviously, goalies at this level and higher have to be pretty good skaters, though. What organizations did you skate for at the different age levels going through the ranks prior to playing for the Boston Jr. Bruins?

Witt: I played for a bunch, actually. I started out just in Brandon, then moved to Ellington, to the Ellington Eels. Then, played my bantam hockey for the Orlando Stars and then I moved to the Junior Bruins.

McKeen's: I saw your name come up on what is now the Florida Eels as alumni. I understand it with Orlando when Chris Masters of the Junior Bruins saw you. So, what did he tell you when he first contacted you to go up there?

Witt: Well, first of all, I was actually planning on going to Lawrence Academy prep school, but that didn't really work out. I was actually just planning on playing on the Little Bruins half-and-half season, but that didn't work out. So, he was like, you could go play for our Empire team. He saw me play at Silver Sticks bantam year. So, it was like, "Yeah, I'll play for you if you offer me a spot."

McKeen's: Was it the EJHL team that you were looking to start with or the midget team?

Witt: It was the Empire both years. I never played for the EJ.

McKeen's: Good to hear, as that's what my research revealed. With the Empire League, as a 15-year-old you went 22-1 and had really great stats. But, what were the biggest adjustments for you going from the levels you'd played down in Florida to the Empire League?

Witt: Just, trying to think, it's been a while, same thing, kind of like going to the USHL, speed adjustments. Plus, definitely with that, on my first Empire team, we had a lot of really good players playing for us.

McKeen's: You did. Looking back on the stats, you did have a lot of good players, including John Henrion.

Witt: Yeah.

McKeen's: Your second year there, you were a finalist for Goalie of the Year, were on the National Conference First Team, and you played in the All-Star Game. How would you say that helped put you on the map with the USHL and also in terms of college?

Witt: Yeah, definitely. I mean, the Junior Bruins is kind of a high-profile program. You get looks here and there and shine in your opportunities.

McKeen's: With college, you're committed to Northeastern. When did they first express interest in you and what other colleges were in the running and what made you decide to become a Husky?

Witt: Obviously, Northeastern is a great school. I visited there, fell in love with it. It was like, "Wow. This is where I want to play." Actually, that came along right at the end of the season last year, and they offered, and I was like, "Yeah, I definitely want to play here."

McKeen's: Back to Boston again.

Witt: Yep.

McKeen's: If I might ask, what other colleges were you considering or were pursuing you?

Witt: None really. Northeastern.

McKeen's: Oh, wow. That's crazy. I certainly would not have expected that. This is your second year of draft eligibility, and CSS has you ranked among the top five USHL goalies, which would be huge for the league if all of you were drafted. What do you think you need to prove or do for an NHL team to pull the trigger come draft day?

Witt: Just have a solid season. You can't really control any of that. Just go out there and play your best every night and see if it happens.

McKeen's: Right. Take care of each game, and it'll take care of itself at the draft.

Witt: Yep.

McKeen's: Lastly, who were some of your favorite players growing up and why, both players and goalies, and then some goalies today that you'd like to equate to or feel you do equate to?

Witt: Well, the goalies that I equate to, I think I play a lot like Cam Ward. One of the goalies I like to watch, who I try to play like, is Craig Anderson. He's tearing it up right now in the NHL. Favorite players growing up? I watched the Lightning. Definitely [Vincent] Lecavalier and all of those guys. I used to have season tickets.

McKeen's: Well, there you go. That works out well.

Witt: Yeah, we were there all the time.