For any hockey team, at any level, you're often only as good as your goaltending.
So far this year, the McLean & Dickey Orillia Terriers are sizzling hot, opening their Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) season with an impressive 9-2 start — good enough for first place in their division.
While there are many reasons for the team's early success, goaltender Jude Rondina is a key factor. He sports a 6-2 record between the pipes and a sparkling 1.88 goals-against average, with a lofty save percentage of .943.
Not bad for a kid who started out as a blueliner.
"I started as a defenceman but after our first game of house league our goalie ended up quitting," explained Rondia who was born and raised in Richmond Hill. "I took it from there and never looked back."
When Rondina was nine years old, he played his first year of rep and worked his way up to playing at the AA level in the Greater Canadian Hockey League for Scarborough, York Mills, Hillcrest, York, Markham, and Leaside.
Rondina, who is now 21, says he could never stick with one team in a starting role because he was constantly told that he was too small.
"When I was in Grade 9, I was 4' 10" tall," he explained. "I was definitely one of the smallest kids."
While Rondina's stats were always worthy of being a starting goalie, his coaches would tell him they needed a goalie who could "fill the net."
"I had coaches tell me the problem was that my head was at the crossbar," he said. "I wanted coaches to try to develop me instead of pointing at my height."
During the 2019-20 season, Rondina, who now stands at 5' 10", tried out for the PJHL's Georgina Ice, but was cut in tryouts. The next season he was invited to King Heights Academy, a prep hockey school where he trained with Winnipeg Jets prospect and Orillia native Colby Barlow and Anaheim Ducks rookie Adam Fantilli.
"I was on the ice four times a week training twice a day," Rondina explained. "It was one of the best years I have had for my developmental side of the game to become a better goalie."
Rondina returned to camp with the Georgina Ice for the 2021-22 season and made the team with ease. Unfortunately, he finished the season with a 2-11 record, 5.01 goals-against average, and a .888 save percentage.
In his second year with the Ice, Rondina improved to a 9-6-1 record in 20 games played, a 3.63 goals against average, and a 9.43 save percentage. At the trade deadline, he was flipped to the Clarington Eagles who were a favourite to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup.
Rondina was initially brought in to be the backup goalie for the Eagles but ended up guarding the net for nine regular-season games down the stretch. He finished with a 9-0-0 record, a sparkling 1.10 goals against average, and a .958 save percentage.
"Clarington had some of the best defence and nobody could really compete with them in terms of that," he said. "When I went from Georgina to Clarington the quality of shots that I faced changed so dramatically."
While Rondina credits his defence for his impressive numbers, he grew to become a better and more confident goaltender with the Eagles.
"I went from being in the gym every now and then to being in there every day I possibly could be," he explained. "I made sure I could get better in every possible way."
Rondina also began practising with the Jr. A Aurora Tigers twice a week last year to get extra reps.
"The speed of that hockey and the way those players shoot really helped my development," he said.
In the playoffs, Rondina shared the net with Marc-Oliver Robert, who began the season as the starting goaltender for the Eagles. Rodina finished the post-season with a 10-0-0 record and watched his team lose in the Schmalz Cup finals from the bench.
"The head coach just decided to keep rolling us back and forth," Rondina explained. "It's just kind of the way it went."
Rondina says he was devastated by the championship series loss, but he was excited to return to the Eagles again this season to run it back. However, the Eagles elected to move on from Rondina in order to sign a defenceman to their final overage roster spot.
"I was in complete and utter shock," he said. "I've won 21 straight, and I thought I was going to be the same goalie that I was before because I was going to have the same team in front of me."
The day Rondina was released, he had phone calls from four different general managers in the PJHL looking to acquire his services; one of those calls was from the Terriers.
"Orillia seemed like the most perfect fit with everything," he said. "It sounded like they have a special team, but their issue was goaltending."
Rondina is hoping to be the missing piece that can propel the Terriers over their North Carruthers Division foes, the Stayner Siskins, who eliminated them from the playoffs last season.
"That's what I'm on a mission to do," he said. "I'd love to be the backstop and the one to do that with this team."
An experienced and well-seasoned veteran, Rondina feels that the Terriers are only a few pieces away from being a true Schmalz Cup contender.
"We have the grit and the goal-scoring," he said. "It's exciting because I see something special here. I think our statistics speak for themselves right now."
After this final year of junior hockey for Rondina, he hopes to join a college team. He may also put more time into pursuing his passion for graphic design, which he is currently studying at Seneca College in Toronto.
"It would be tough to call it a career when I feel like I'm just now playing the best hockey of my life," he said. "I just love the game so much and enjoy playing it. It's not something I just want to call it a wrap for."
While Rondina hopes to continue his hockey career, he is also seeking an internship at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
"I'm keeping my options open and working hard at everything I do," he said. "My dream would be to work for the Toronto Maple Leafs as their game-day graphic designer."
Rondina and the Terriers travel to Penetang (4-4-1-1) Friday night for a contest against the Kings. On Saturday night, the Terriers will be on their home ice at Rotary Place in west Orillia to take on the Caledon Golden Hawks (4-7-1-1). Game time is 7:30 p.m.
