Victor Ostman’s University of Maine hockey career didn’t end the way he wanted it to.
After being chosen to the All-Hockey East second team as a junior, he hit a rough patch midway through his senior year and lost his starting job to freshman Albin Boija.
But Ostman has rebounded nicely in his first season as a pro in the National Hockey League’s Seattle Kraken organization.
The highlight came Tuesday night when he stopped all 12 shots he faced in his NHL debut. He came on to play the third period of the Kraken’s 7-1 loss to Utah.
He has spent most of the season with the Kansas City Mavericks of the ECHL where he is 21-7-4 with a 2.52 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. His GAA is sixth best among the 26 goalies who have appeared in at least 32 games this season.
He is currently with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League where he is 2-1-1 with a 2.00 GAA and a .927 save percentage.
“I’ve had a good year,” said Ostman, who signed a two-year, two-way free agent contract with the Kraken last year. “I’ve played in all three leagues which is kind of crazy. But it has been a lot of fun. I’ve enjoyed it, for sure.”
Ostman admitted that it was challenging to bounce back after his senior year in which he allowed 22 goals in his last six games. He had a dismal .854 save percentage in those six games, which included the 3-1 loss to Cornell in the NCAA Springfield Regional.
“I just put it behind me,” said Ostman. “I looked forward to a new year. I still had confidence in myself. I knew I was good enough and I wanted to prove it to myself more than anything.”
Ostman who was 13-6-1 with a 2.80 GAA and an .892 save percentage a year ago for Ben Barr’s UMaine Black Bears after posting a 14-12-4 record with a 2.21 GAA, a .918 save percentage and five shutouts his junior year.
“I knew I had it in me and I got to play a lot [in Kansas City] and that helped a lot. I got into a groove,” said Ostman.
UMaine assistant coach and goalie coach Alfie Michaud told him before this season that going through what he did his senior year would be “beneficial” and it was.
“When you go to the next level, you don’t have all the support you have in college to get through these things. You either figure it out and adapt or move on to the next phase of your life. That’s how it works,” said Michaud, who played briefly in the NHL after leading UMaine to the 1998-99 NCAA championship.
“He was absolutely right,” said Ostman. “It was good to hear that from him. Now that I’ve gone through it, I know when I’m not playing my best, I know I can get out of it and what to do to get out of it.”
That knowledge could prove critical at the professional level.
“I’m still a good goalie no matter what happens. I still know my abilities,” Ostman added. “Having experienced [a tough season] before pro hockey is really big because, in the pros, there might not be much of a second chance if you’re struggling.”
In his period against Utah, he realized just how good NHL players are.
“They are definitely better at getting their shots off when guys are [checking] them and they can get them off quick if they need to, or they can be deceptive if they have time and space,” he said. “They’re really smart in how they shoot it but also how they make plays. They’re fast and they’re fast in how they think the game, too.”
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound native of Danderyd, Sweden, was 35-38-7 in his four years at UMaine with a 2.82 GAA and a .905 save percentage.
“It was a lot of fun to see it, first-hand,” Ostman said about his first NHL action. “When you see it, you understand it.”
The 24-year-old said it was nice to prove to himself he could do it, and now it’s a matter of continuing to play and being consistent.
“Hopefully, I’ll get another shot [in the NHL] some time.” added Ostman, “I’ve got to keep working.”
He has been happy with his first pro season.
“As a first-year pro, you don’t really know what to expect. But I feel like I’ve handled it well. I’ve learned a lot and I’m really excited to play hockey. It’s the best job in the world. I’m grateful,” said Ostman.
He is hoping to get some playoff experience since both Kansas City and Coachella Valley have sewn up playoff berths.
Ostman said becoming the 12th goalie from UMaine to play in the NHL is “pretty cool” as is the fact UMaine has now produced more goalies (five) with at least 100 NHL wins than any other in the country. Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman became the fifth last Saturday.
“Maine is a really good spot if a goalie wants to make it to the next level,” said Ostman. “I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t gone to Maine and played for Alfie and Ben Barr.”
