Former Swift Current Broncos and Portland Winterhawks goaltender Joel Hofer has been making strides in the NHL since being drafted in 2018.
Hofer was selected in the fourth round, 107th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues.
He said he didn’t expect to be drafted as high as he was as he didn’t play as many games the year he was drafted.
“I got the call from my agent, and I was super excited and my parents were obviously super stoked, too,” Hofer said. “So it was definitely a great day, and one I’ll never forget.”
He said he was excited they were able to believe in him and that it was such a good organization.
“I can’t say enough good things about it, but they’ve stayed patient with me, and they’ve taught me a lot along the way and the little things to be a good pro and all that stuff,” Hofer said. “I’m super happy to be a Blue.”
Hofer said he’s a student of the game and has always liked watching other goaltenders such as Carey Price and Marc-Andre Fleury.
“Those are the two main guys I like to watch but at the same time, I also like watching just any hockey in general,” Hofer said.
He said he loves what he does and has been fortunate enough to do it.
As far as the process of getting called up, Hofer said it kind of depends on where you are.
“If you’re at the rink the coach will call you in and let you know that you’re getting called up, or if you’re at home or whatever the GM or the coach will call you and let you know that way,” Hofer said.
For Hofer, getting called up was good and really exciting.
As far as how the St. Louis coaching staff has been, he had high praise for them. He said they’ve been great and that there haven’t been any issues. Hofer said he’s been super fortunate to have a great coaching staff and goalie coach. He said they’ve given him tips here and there, but to just stick with it and trust the process.
He’s been able to learn a lot so far in his career, noting that it’s a hard game and players at the NHL level are very skilled. Hofer said guys can make plays and shoot the puck at a very high level. With that, he said it’s great competition and where he wants to be.
“I want to be playing against the best players in the world,” Hofer said.
But with playing against those top players he said he’s had to work on his footwork and get faster and stronger in those areas.
“So anytime I was watching the game, I’d always, kind of watch the goalies and see what they do or how they handle different players or things like that,” Hofer said.
Hofer noted how it’s a step up in the NHL and the challenge you face at that level, notably the speed of the game and everything getting quicker. He said the biggest thing that has probably helped him is just getting experience over time.
“Obviously, you have to take the off-ice stuff pretty seriously in terms of your sleep and your eating and all those little things, because during a long season, that stuff adds up, and it’s a quick game, so you got to be, got to be ready for every night,” Hofer said. “Anytime you’re not ready, it’ll come back to bite you. But, it’s obviously a good challenge.”
Despite the challenges, he emphasized how much he loves it and is grateful to be doing it.
The WHL helped him to learn a lot that helped him to almost be ready for the professional level according to Hofer. One of those things was playing a lot of games and being on the road according to Hofer. He also learned how to take care of his body, eat right and get the proper sleep.
In his last season in the Western Hockey League (WHL), Hofer played in 48 games for Portland. Throughout those 48 games, he went 34-8-5 with a 2.49 GAA, a .915 save percentage and made a total of 1,265 saves.
Hofer said some of his best friends are the ones he met during his time in the WHL and that he still speaks to some of them.
For those who are still developing their game and want to reach the NHL level, Hofer said his message was to not give up.
“When I was in the dub, there were obviously a lot of tough games where I didn’t play great or things like that, but that’s all part of the process,” Hofer said.
He mentioned how being coachable is a big thing and being a student of the game.
“Your work ethic is going to bring you over the top in those cases,” Hofer said.
But it’s also about loving the game and having a passion for the game.
“I love what I do, I love going to the rink every day,” Hofer said. “Just always work on your craft too, in the summer, whether it’s in the gym or on the ice, just always trying to get better each and every day, having a good time during it.”
When it comes to going to the rink, it’s a simple process for him on game days. He’ll head to the rink for morning skate, get his food, then head back to his place and nap for about an hour and a half or two before heading to the game.
“So, pretty simple and not much to it,” Hofer said.
As far as what he enjoys the most at the NHL level, it’s getting the chance to play against the best players.
“Growing up, I obviously watched a lot of hockey,” Hofer said. “So to be able to play against those guys is really cool. I tried to go to as many games as I could when I was younger to go to games and be in games and feel the atmosphere.”
He enjoys the travel with it as well. That includes going to dinner with the guys and just being able to be around them. In cities where there’s more to do, he said they’ll walk around and do little things like that for team bonding.
“Other than that, it’s just having dinners and having good conversations with the guys,” Hofer said.
It’s being with the guys that Hofer has really enjoyed and has made it special for him as well as the organization itself.
“It’s all world-class, and all the guys are great,” Hofer said. “They’re all so welcoming, and we have a great time together. Obviously the staff and everybody part of it is great. It’s truly a big family. So that’s definitely something that sticks out for me.”
Hofer was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and with that comes the ability to play against his hometown team, the Winnipeg Jets. He said he has a little more motivation anytime he’s able to play against them and that it’s been a lot of fun.
But it doesn’t come without receiving some texts from his friends joking that he should let in a few goals, but that it’s all in good fun.
While it’s known that some hockey players, especially goalies have traditions or superstitions, Hofer isn’t one of them.
“I try not to be too superstitious,” Hofer said. “I guess you could say a routine, but nothing, too crazy about it. It’s pretty simple, I’d say most standard to most guys.”
Northwest Sports Desk 