USHL: QA with Brady Hjelle

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders rookie goaltender Brady Hjelle has already established himself as one of the top goaltenders in the United States Hockey League and has been instrumental in playing major minutes in net with Colorado Avalanche draft pick Kent Patterson, currently out with a sports hernia. Early in the New Year, Hjelle was among the leaders in all major goaltending statistics in the USHL and looks primed to become the next RoughRiders goalie to be selected in the NHL Entry Draft.

McKeen's recently had the opportunity to chat with Hjelle and talked about his rookie season in the USHL, playing for Team USA twice in 2007-08, his high school hockey with International Falls (Minnesota), and a Cedar Rapids teammate whose effort impresses him.

McKeen's: First off, what is the proper pronunciation of your last name?

Hjelle: Jelly, like peanut butter and jelly.

McKeen's: Good, then the RoughRiders are pronouncing it correctly. Well, you are about halfway through the USHL season and you are the leader in save percentage, a couple shutouts, up there in goals-against average, the whole nine yards. What has helped you adjust so quickly from Minnesota high school hockey?

Hjelle: Well, our team's really helped me out a lot. They're always blocking shots and clearing rebounds every night.

McKeen's: What were your expectations entering your rookie season in the USHL and also, how did the injury to Kent Patterson affect things for you?

Hjelle: With Kent in, you can't play right away, obviously, but it's been nice working with him because I can learn a lot just watching him in practice.

McKeen's: What about your expectations entering the season performance wise?

Hjelle: I just wanted to do the best I could (chuckles and smiles). I didn't really know what to expect.

McKeen's: Well, you have done pretty well so far. What are some of the things that coach Mark Carlson and the staff has been working on with you?

Hjelle: We're in the weight room a lot and conditioning, and like, I'm riding the bike after practice three days a week, so that's really helped a lot too.

McKeen's: Any particular skill areas that you have been focusing on trying to improve this year?

Hjelle: I'm just trying to clean up my rebounds and (chuckles)… overall everything needs improvement.

McKeen's: On the flipside, what do you feel are your strengths as a goaltender already?

Hjelle: Ummm (laughs)… I don't know. Probably, what I'm working on, rebound control.

McKeen's: I have noticed you have quick movements in the crease laterally, and up and down. What has helped you develop that over the years?

Hjelle: I've never had a goalie coach, I don't know. I've just gone to goalie camps and picked up stuff that I liked and I've tried to use it in my game.

McKeen's: What are some of the goalie camps that you have been to?

Hjelle: GDI (Goaltender Development Institute), and The Goalie Club with Des Christopher was a good one too.

McKeen's: You have already played for Team USA twice this season, counting the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament as this season. What was it like to be named to the Hlinka team and playing there?

Hjelle: It was a great honor to make the team. I had a lot of fun with the guys out there. We would have liked to finish better, get a medal, but you can't always do that.

McKeen's: How do you feel you played over there?

Hjelle: Uhhhh, I thought I could have done better, especially against Russia.

McKeen's: Tell me about that game against Russia.

Hjelle: They're attack, attack, back-door pass left to right.

McKeen's: Then you played at the World Junior Challenge in British Columbia. Tell me about that tournament as well.

Hjelle: It was a lot of fun, too. A bronze medal is awesome.

McKeen's: It is certainly better than no medal.

Hjelle: Yeah (chuckles and smiles).

McKeen's: At that tournament, Team USA beat Canada East, and then the game against Canada West didn't go as well, and then the way the medal round worked out, those two ended up playing each other for the gold and you played for the bronze. What was the style of play like and what was it like, especially the Canada West team, compared to what you play every night in the USHL?

Hjelle: It's actually pretty similar. I didn't really see much of a difference. Good skill level. Canada was only Tier II, right?

McKeen's: Yes.

Hjelle: Yeah, not the major junior leagues. Yeah, I thought it was pretty similar to our league.

McKeen's: I should have asked this earlier, but how did the Hlinka Tournament compare to what you have been playing here?

Hjelle: Actually, that was pretty close. There was a lot of skill, obviously. There was not as much physical play, but a lot of good skill out there.

McKeen's: Tell me about how things change for you as a goaltender going from a European style game, at least the forwards are playing that way, and then playing North American juniors style every night, how things change in front of you.

Hjelle: Actually, Europeans like that back door. They really move the puck well. I like our play better, because I'm used to it. So, you don't know what to expect, all those back doors, all the passing. Russia was really good with moving the puck in the neutral zone.

McKeen's: You are in your senior year of high school, but you left Minnesota. Tell me about the decision to forego your senior year at International Falls and come to the USHL instead.

Hjelle: It was pretty tough, but where I'm committed next year, I wanted to do the best I could when I got in next year and I knew this would be the best way to do that.

McKeen's: With that question, since you did commit to the University of Minnesota-Duluth in March of 2007, what was it that made you decide that UMD was the right fit for you?

Hjelle: Well, when I went on an unofficial (visit) there, the coaches were awesome. I felt like I was one of the guys right there. That was great.

McKeen's: I guess there will be two RoughRiders, goalies there shortly (Alex Stalock being the other).

Hjelle: Yeah.

McKeen's: What's the recruiting process and the timetable for all of that, with what coach Scott Sandelin and his staff walked you through?

Hjelle: They're graduating [Nate] Ziegelmann, so they'll need a goalie next year anyway.

McKeen's: When did you first start talking with them?

Hjelle: Oh, during our Elite League, like after the first weekend I got an e-mail and called them and talked to them a little bit. They just kept in touch with me all season. Then I finally got down there toward the end of our season to take a visit.

McKeen's: That makes sense with the March commitment date. We have touched on this a little bit, how does it feel, with as well as you're doing so far, following in a tradition of great Cedar Rapids RoughRiders goalies, with Bobby Goepfert, Alex Stalock, and Kent Patterson? What kind of confidence does that give you or what pressure might it add?

Hjelle: Not really pressure. It's kind of cool, though, to have all those good goalies go to the WCHA. I liked Dan Tormey too, for Mankato.

McKeen's: Oh, yes. He was not an NHL draft pick, but he is definitely a good collegiate goalie and did pretty well here (in Cedar Rapids), too. Last time I saw Tormey, it was two seasons ago, I think, and he was here to drop the puck and while walking out he trips on a crease in the carpet and he falls and he hurt his hand. I could only imagine what the Mavericks coaching staff thought when they found out.

Hjelle: Wow.

McKeen's: Anyway, during your time with International Falls, what were some of the highlights of your high school career and some of your favorite memories?

Hjelle: Well, definitely a lot of shots. Those were fun. Cloquet was one of the highlights, they had like 80 shots.

McKeen's: Wow!

Hjelle: Yeah. The Rochester tournament last year was really fun. We actually made it to the championship and lost in overtime. It was fun just to be down there and play different teams.

McKeen's: Yeah, that is a little different than always playing the Section 7 teams. You skated with Jake Youso, who went with you to the Hlinka Tournament and has played a bit for the Green Bay Gamblers and may do so again this season after high school, tell me about his game.

Hjelle: He's a great player. He's really fast. I don't know of anyone faster. He moves the puck well, nice shot, quick release. He's a great player.

McKeen's: He definitely is a great player. When I saw him at the Fall Classic, he really caught my eye with how fast he was. Back to you, you made Central Scouting's list, so people are certainly looking at you for the NHL Entry Draft. Do you ever think about that?

Hjelle: I try not to and just let things take care of themselves. It's always in the back of your mind, but you've just got to go out there and play and have fun.

McKeen's: Just play your best and chips will fall as they fall.

Hjelle: Yeah.

McKeen's: Did you have any particular favorite team or player growing up?

Hjelle: I like actually, [Niklas] Backstrom, from the Wild.

McKeen's: Yeah, the Wild always have great goalies, be it [Manny] Fernandez and [Dwayne] Roloson, to Backstrom and [Josh] Harding. I guess, lastly, who are some of your Cedar Rapids RoughRiders teammates that have really impressed you and why?

Hjelle: Oh, our whole d-corps is really solid. Nick Oddo, actually. He came in and no one knew what to expect out of any of the rookies, but he's really worked hard and he's really stepped up his game since he got here, and I think he's had a big impact.

McKeen's: Tell me a bit about that, because I only got to see a little bit of Nick at the Fall Classic and I wondered if he was going to make it in the USHL, but he's doing pretty well at this point and has come a long way.

Hjelle: Yeah. He's always working his hardest out there. In practice, he's trying to get better every day. He does the little things right, always crashes the net, finishes his checks.

McKeen's: I agree. He's not the strongest on the puck yet, and it looks like he could use more strength, but you certainly cannot question the effort that he showed tonight.