NHL draft tracker: Zach Sawchenko, Moose Jaw Warriors

Moose Jaw Warriors goalie Zach Sawchenko not only knew he would be his club's No. 1 netminder this season, but he also knew he was prepared for the job because of how he suited up in 49 contests last year, posting a .896 save percentage and a 3.32 average.

“It’s significant to play that many games because of the preparation,” says Sawchenko. “It prepared me last year for this year. It helped me understand how to take on a workload like that and how to prepare for that. It has definitely made things easier on me this year and helped me develop a lot.”

The 6-foot-1, 179-pound Sawchenko has noticeably improved his play in between he pipes this season, as he has registered a .915 save percentage and 3.02 average in his first 21 games. He credits his ability to track the puck as a big reason for his steady play.

“The biggest thing is that I’m tracking the puck better,” he says. “I’m tracking it closely and am focused out there. It has helped me a lot.”

On top of his first two years in Moose Jaw, Sawchenko, who turns 18 on Dec. 30, credits the year he spent at Athol Murray of Notre Dame College in 2012-13 for his current success. He feels Notre Dame helped prepare him for the WHL.

“It’s cliché, but I went there a boy and left a man,” says the Calgary, Alta., native. “As soon as I was drafted (in the WHL draft), I knew I wanted to go to a great development program, and Notre Dame offered the best development program. You get to go on the ice a lot and they train you and prepare you for the next step. You also mature a lot because you’re living away from home.”

Like every draft eligible prospect, Sawchenko has had to find a way to block out the distractions that come with a draft year. He believes focusing on his team is crucial to doing that.

“It’s hard to block it out when you dream about it your whole life,” says Sawchenko, who is ranked as a B-list prospect (potential second or third rounder) by NHL Central Scouting Service. “But those lists, it’s just their opinion and those aren’t the guys drafting players. I try to block it out and just focus on the team. If you focus on the team, you can block out other stuff.”

With the 16-10-4-1 Warriors having missed the playoffs the last three years, there’s extra motivation for Sawchenko to put his attention on helping Moose Jaw get back to the big dance.

“My focus is on helping my team make the playoffs,” he says. “We have a good group of guys here and we want to make the playoffs. That’s our focus and what we are all working towards.”

1. Why did you decide to become a goalie?

“Back in atom or novice, we would take turns being the goalie and I just loved it. It didn’t matter if we lost 10-0 or won 10-0, I loved being in net. I had a lot of fun playing goalie and wanted to continue when we got to the harder levels.”

2. Do you model your game after a goalie in the NHL?

“I look up to Carey Price a lot. He took the same path as me with the WHL. But I’d say I model my game after Dustin Tokarski. He’s a smaller goalie and I like the way he plays.”

3. Who is your favourite NHL team?

“Calgary. I grew up there, so you have to cheer for your hometown team.”

4. If you weren’t focused on hockey, what other sport would you be involved with right now?

“Baseball. I enjoyed playing it with my friends and it was something I enjoyed quite a bit.”

5. What was your favourite cartoon as a kid?

“When I was really young, like two years old, I liked Barney a lot. Later on, I liked The Sweet Life with Zack & Cody.

Kelly Friesen is a Buzzing the Net columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KellyFriesen