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Schwartz named WHL Goaltending Consultant

Aug 11, 2017 | 10:46 AM

Former Red Deer Rebels netminder Dustin Schwartz is joining the Western Hockey League front office.

The WHL announced Thursday they have hired Schwartz as their new Goaltending Consultant.

In his new part-time role, the league says the 38-year-old Stettler native will be responsible to oversee the WHL Goaltending Advisory Committee, which will consist of representatives from the four Western Canada provincial hockey associations (BC Hockey, Hockey Alberta, Saskatchewan Hockey Association and Hockey Manitoba), goaltending coaches from WHL Clubs in each of the Western provinces and a WHL Hockey Operations staff member.

Schwartz will work closely with the four Western provincial hockey associations to implement a development plan for the top U14, U15 and U16 goaltenders within the minor hockey development system. Additionally, he will be a participating member of the National Goaltending Advisory Group along with other Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and Hockey Canada goaltending representatives.

Schwartz played in 129 regular season games in the WHL with Medicine Hat and Red Deer from 1996-97 through 1999-00. Following his graduation from the WHL, he spent five seasons with the University of Alberta Golden Bears of the Canada West Universities Athletics Association (CWUAA) where he utilized his WHL Scholarship to obtain degrees in both Physical Education and Education.

Following his playing days, Schwartz has served as the Goaltending Consultant for the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings since the 2010-11 season, helping the club claim two WHL Championships (2012, 2014) as well as a Memorial Cup title in 2014. Midway through the 2014-15 campaign, he was appointed Goaltending Coach for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, a role he still holds. He has also provided instruction at Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence Goaltending Camp, which brings together netminders vying for invites to U17, U18 and U20 summer camps. In 2013, he was a member of Hockey Canada’s gold-medal winning coaching staff at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.