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New Oiler goaltender finding his groove

An Okotoks Oilers goaltender never thought he would wind up in Junior A, however, he’s glad to be along for the ride. Michael Tadjdeh is boasting a 2.
Okotoks goaltender Michael Tadjdeh, makes a save during the Oilers 3-2 win over Bonnyville on November 6 while Pontiacs forward Devon Kalinski lurks in front.
Okotoks goaltender Michael Tadjdeh, makes a save during the Oilers 3-2 win over Bonnyville on November 6 while Pontiacs forward Devon Kalinski lurks in front.

An Okotoks Oilers goaltender never thought he would wind up in Junior A, however, he’s glad to be along for the ride.

Michael Tadjdeh is boasting a 2.03 goals against average and eight wins in 13 starts and has earned more playing time for the high-flying Oilers.

A veteran of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Tadjdeh has provided steady play for an Oilers team sitting atop the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s (AJHL) South Division.

“He’s been very solid night-in night-out. He’s in the top five in the league in terms of his numbers right now,” Oilers head coach James Poole stated.

The Oilers’ goaltending tandem of Michael Matyas and Tadjdeh has been a steady influence all season for the AJHL club. In addition to Tadjdeh’s top-five statistics, Matyas has pitched in with 16 wins in 20 outings and a solid 2.78 GAA.

“We feel pretty good about our goaltending situation,” Poole said.

Though both goaltenders have taken turns “auditioning” for the number-one job, Tadjdeh insists the two have a mutually beneficial relationship.

“You always want to start so I think the competition is healthy, we don’t have any problems in the room with each other or anything like that,” he insisted.

Having two goaltenders who are able to steal a game at any time is a rare luxury for the Oilers. In fact, the goaltending competition has helped to keep both goalies sharp, Tadjdeh said.

“We’re both pushing each other in practice and it’s just always a fight for that number one job so I think it’s pretty good,” he said.

A Calgary-native, Tadjdeh spent the last two seasons in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Spokane Chiefs.

The five-foot-10, 190-pound left-hander played 21 games for Lethbridge in 2008-2009 — including a brief appearance in the playoffs.

After being traded to the Chiefs in 2010, Tadjdeh played well in limited action but was released in September.

Moving down to Junior A hockey required a shift in mindset for the 19-year-old, at least at first.

As Poole noted, however difficult the transition was, his goaltender has certainly made the best of being in Okotoks.

“It’s a bit of an adjustment from coming back from the WHL, I think he had to get focused on what he’s doing here but he’s adjusted real well,” Poole said. “(Tadjdeh is) very well-liked in the dressing room and obviously we have a ton of confidence in him as a goalie.”

Tadjdeh credited his teammates for creating an environment that made him feel welcome.

“(At) first I wanted to go back (to the WHL) but the guys here, they were pretty gracious when I came and they made it really easy to fit in so I didn’t mind staying here and I’m excited to play more games here,” he said.

His initial impression eased Tadjdeh’s disappointment with being released, allowed him to put his WHL dreams on the backburner and solely focus on tending goal for the Okotoks Oilers.

After playing only a handful of the first 20 games, Tadjdeh finally earned some extended playing time and he hasn’t looked back.

Having been around teams at a variety of levels, Tadjdeh likes what he sees when gauging the Oilers’ chances to make some noise in the postseason.

“I think our potential is pretty good, we’ve just got to shore a few small things up and I think we’ll be right up there,” he said.

While the WHL is rightly regarded as the highest level of Canadian Junior hockey, the AJHL is hardly a league for slouches.

Tadjdeh only noticed minimal differences, from a goaltending standpoint, upon his arrival.

“I think the game is just a little more structured up in the WHL and a little faster paced…but other than that, it’s pretty similar,” he said.

With his future unclear, Tadjdeh stressed he is just approaching his hockey journey one step at a time. For now, that means excelling with the Okotoks Oilers and contending for a championship.

After that, who knows?

“I haven’t really thought too much of it (future), I’m just taking it one step at a time,” he stated.

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