For the first time in its history, Hockey Canada has a full-time director of goaltending, The Athletic’s James Mirtle reports.
Dustin Schwartz, who previously held the role with the Edmonton Oilers, has come onboard with the organization as the country has struggled to produce quality netminding options in recent years. His job is set to be all encompassing, beginning with coaching the senior team at world championships, as well as spearheading more grassroots development and establishing resources for coaches across the country.
While Canada is currently responsible for 44 per cent of skaters in the NHL, just over a quarter of goalies in the league were Canadian in 2024-2025.
“Internally we recognize that we really needed this (new) position to address some of the concerns that we’ve had to really have a day-to-day focus on goaltending and how we can improve that within Canada,” Hockey Canada senior vice-president Scott Salmond told Mirtle of the new job. “More out of necessity than looking across the fence and seeing what everyone else is doing. We just know we need to do it in our country. And maybe there was a time when we didn’t and we were really comfortable with our goaltending as we had a lot of kids playing goal. That’s changed.”
Mirtle notes that other countries, including the United States and Sweden, already have full-time goaltending heads.
A 47-year-old native of Stettler, Alta., Schwartz finished up a decade with the Oilers following the expiration of his contract in 2025. As a player, Schwartz suited up in both the Western Hockey League, with the Medicine Hat Tigers and Red Deer Rebels, and in the CIS with the University of Alberta. He says shifting focus back to athleticism from technique could pay dividends.
“We have to get back a little bit to the athletic part of the position,” Schwartz told Mirtle. “We spend so much time on the technical aspect of the game and there’s other elements that are super important in order to play the position at a high level. … Our goal is to try and create as many goalies as possible and help them to develop to play at the highest level that we can help them get to.”
Schwartz has already gotten to work, spending time with some of Canada’s goalies ahead of this week’s U17 World Challenge in Oakville, Ont.