Article Contributed on: 9/19/2009 7:46:33 AM
Peter Delmas is on the cusp of adulthood, and he has a dream. Like the young gymnast toiling for hours on a balance beam to perfect her routine, Delmas stands in front of 90 mph rubber pucks for a living so that maybe one day he can fulfill his dream of being a goaltender in the National Hockey League.
By the age of four Peter laced his first skates and took to the ice in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Two years later, emulating his father an accountant for a large Canadian grocer, Peter donned his first goalie equipment. It is his position of choice.
The Lewiston Maineiacs drafted him as a 15-year-old player in Nova Scotia, and he
played three years with the Maineiacs; winning the championship in his first year. The Avalanche management noticed the young goalie and selected him in the second round of the 2008 draft.
Last spring, NHL hall of fame goalie and Quebec Remparts owner/coach, Patrick Roi traded for the young netminder to replace his son Jonathon Roi who opted for a musical career.
Delmas, 6' 2", 180 lbs, styles himself as a butterfly practitioner and believes now that his coach is Roi himself, his goaltending style will only copy "King Patrick's" even more.
His observations on his first 8 days in Denver are wise for a 19-year-old. "I've been to Denver four times now for goalie camps and two rookie camps and I love the atmosphere," he explains. "Management puts us up at a nice local hotel, there's a shuttle that takes us back and forth from the hotel to the arena, and we get a per diem for our meals."
"The team's facilities are first rate. We have access to two rinks, the dressing rooms are awesome, and we have fitness equipment upstairs," he continued. "Craig Billington and Jocelyn Thibeault are the main goalie coaches and they have helped me out a lot," he added.
"Most of the veterans are friendly, but they won't help you out too much," he stated. "There is a friendly rivalry at play," Delmas added.
Per NHL rules players are only allowed three hours of practice daily and that is usually divided up in two sections: 90 minutes of off-ice work, and 90 minutes of on-ice work. At the moment the Avs have 56 players in camp. They are divided into three teams, each with their own practice schedule. Each day two of the teams scrimmage in a simulated 60-minute game, complete with three referees as part of their 90 minute on-ice work.
Delmas is pleased with his progress so far. "We train all summer for the fitness testing that we are put through. For the goalies it is biking and strength. And the trainers and coaches monitor every reading. I've been here four times and my numbers are always going up, so I'm improving, that's what the coaches want to see, improvement."
Will Delmas make the big step to the NHL elite? With veterans Craig Anderson and Peter Budaj ahead of him, the chances are slim. But Delmas has unwavering belief in himself.
"I can save these pucks, I can handle these shots," he says. "The speed of the game at this level is unbelievable, but nothing I can't overcome".
"I want to try and impress these people," Delmas tells me softly. Like all athletes today Peter echoes the mantra "have fun; work hard and try to improve your game everyday." He is playing for his future, an NHL contract. If he doesn't catch on with the big club, he knows he is still Patrick Roi's number one goaltender for the Remparts. And there's always next year, when he could be the puck stopper for the Lake Erie Monsters. But right now, with his mom, dad and little brother Matt, watching and waiting at home in Oakville, Ontario the time for Peter Delmas
is now. His grandmother in Alliston is checking out the Avalanche colours right now.
The Avalanche held their annual Burgundy and White game on Wednesday evening at the Air Force Academy. Delmas, however, flew back to Quebec; the dream for now is on hold for another year.