A conversation with Kelly Guard

What do you remember about the 2002-2003 team that not only scored a lot of goals (312), but also won the franchises first WHL title?

Guard: "It took a lot of pressure off the goalies. We had guys like (Jesse) Schultz, (Ryan) Cuthbert and guys like that chipping in. It was a real fun year. The coaching staff...it was one of the best experiences of my life."

Marc Habscheid and Jeff Truitt were a pretty good duo as coaches weren't they?

Guard: "He (Habscheid) kept you on your toes. We had Jeff Truitt back there too, so he was a real players coach. I think that really evened it out. Marc got the guys to play every night and it worked out in the end".

You won the league title but didn't play as well at the 2003 Memorial Cup. What happened there?

Guard: "I think the expectations were a little much for some guys. For me, it was my first year in the league. It was my first Memorial Cup and I was really nervous and I didn't really know what to expect. The time change and a different style of hockey that none of us had every experienced, so it was a lot to overcome all at once".

The good news is, a season later, you won the Memorial Cup at the 2004 tournament in Kelowna.

Guard: "When you ever look back at a national championship and you chipped in a little to win it, it feels good to know that you were there with the boys. Even now I keep track of where they are now. I am pretty proud to say I played with them back in junior".

That 2004 team had several players go on to NHL careers. Why didn't Kelly Guard play in the NHL:

Guard: "I loved playing the game. Being at the rink every day was awesome. I think being away from home kinda caught up to me. I played a lot of hockey at a young age...every since I was 17 I was on a team that was going late into the playoffs. It all kinda added up and I just wanted to settle down and start a career".

Do you still play?

Guard: "I still play, but it's not competitive. I really don't get that edge anymore. I miss having the team guys around and all those things you do after wards and all the relationships you develop."

You set a couple of WHL records. The career shutout record of 19 was broken. Were you surprised that Seattle's Bryan Bridges broke it so quickly?

Guard: "I thought some goalie playing four years would break it pretty easy. The one I don't think, I hope doesn't get broken is the goals against average. It ended up being pretty low (1.73). I really didn't keep track of it until the last season there. I keep track every once in a while to see if anyone is close".

Did you get the credit you deserved over the two years you played in Kelowna?

Guard: "Sometimes I did get enough credit and sometimes not. That is always the case with goaltenders. They are either the hero or the goat. Awards wise and the experience in the pro leagues that I got worked out for me. I had a lot of fun. I couldn't have expected better than what I got".

What are you doing now?

Guard: "I own my own goaltending consulting business. I work with a lot of young goaltenders in Northern Saskatchewan here with hockey associations and the aboriginal people up north."

Note: Guard still holds the league record for lowest goals against average 1.56, career average 1.73 and is tied with Darcy Kuemper and Bryan Bridges for most shutouts in a season with 13.