Ex-Edmonton Oilers goalie coach just landed big new gig with Hockey Canada
A notorious ex-Edmonton Oilers goalie coach just landed a prestigious new job.
Dustin Schwartz joined the Oilers as the team’s goalie coach during the 2015-16 season and spent nearly a decade in that role before being fired after the 2024-25 season. During his time with Edmonton, it seemed like the Oilers could never quite figure things out between the pipes.
It was a revolving door of goaltenders throughout the Oilers crease, and failure to find a bona fide starting goalie over the years had some parts of the fanbase turn on Schwartz. Many fans pointed toward the long-standing goalie coach as the reason for Edmonton’s goalie troubles, resulting in Peter Aubry replacing him in the summer of 2025.
After more than a year out of the job, Schwartz’s name resurfaced on Monday as Hockey Canada’s first-ever director of goaltending.
“Dustin’s success and experience with goaltenders in the NHL, internationally and in Major Junior hockey speak for themselves, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Hockey Canada to oversee our goaltending department,” said Scott Salmond, the senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations for Hockey Canada, in a release.
“This is a critical position for our organization and our Members, and we will continue to seek innovative opportunities to advance our work to develop more goaltenders across Canada from the grassroots to our national team programs.”
Dustin Schwartz has been hired as head of goaltending, focusing on goaltending development in Canada and working with 🇨🇦’s national teams. 🥅
Dustin Schwartz a été embauché pour superviser le développement des gardiens et gardiennes de but à l’échelle locale et des équipes… pic.twitter.com/8h2Q9SUpq4
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) November 2, 2026
The hiring suggests that Hockey Canada is aware that the program is lagging behind other countries when it comes to producing elite goaltending. Canada’s lack of depth between the pipes was evident during the latest Winter Olympic Games held in Italy earlier this year.
The United States boasted some of the NHL’s very best goalies in Connor Hellebuyck, Jeremy Swayman, and Jake Oettinger. Canada, on the other hand, opted for the volatile Jordan Binnington, while an aging Darcy Kuemper and an upstart Logan Thompson filled out the rotation.
In a release, Hockey Canada said that Schwartz’s new role would include “evaluation, selection, mentorship, and development of national team goalies, as well as leading Hockey Canada’s grassroots goaltending development,” alongside overseeing “new organizational goaltending initiatives such as goaltending camps and symposiums.”
Starting in 2027, Schwartz will also serve as the goalie coach for various Canadian national teams.
“It is an honour to be hired by Hockey Canada, and the expansive job description provides the opportunity to work in a multitude of different areas with the goal of enhancing and evolving the goaltending position under the Hockey Canada umbrella,” Schwartz said in a release.
“My passion for the game combined with the opportunity to focus on the development and growth of the goaltenders and coaches across the country is very special. This new goaltending program is designed to have a positive impact on goaltenders of the future and elite Canadian professionals at the highest level.”
While his reputation took a bit of a hit from portions of the Oilers fanbase during his time in Edmonton, it doesn’t appear to have sullied his name in the hockey community at large. Schwartz will be a pivotal member of Hockey Canada moving forward as the program looks to develop more talent between the pipes.