For many student-athletes, the dream is to compete in their sport at the highest level. But this dream is rarely achieved in actuality. Jett Alexander, a former goalie for the University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues hockey team, is one of the few whose dream came to fruition.
On April 8, 2023, during his second year of undergrad at U of T, Alexander made his debut as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs in a game against the Montreal Canadiens. He signed a one-day amateur tryout contract with the team, and served as an emergency backup goalie with 1:10 minutes left in the period.
“The feelings were exactly what you’d imagine. Nerves followed by more nerves. The most excited I’ve ever been while also the most nervous all at the same time. I was lucky I didn’t have too much notice, the longer I knew ahead would have made it all the more nerve-racking,” Alexander wrote to The Varsity about his experience.
Although Alexander has since graduated from U of T, The Varsity took an opportunity to follow up on his pursuits following his hockey career and NHL experience, and learn more about his path to the NHL. He is currently pursuing a career in firefighting and is very excited to enter this next chapter.
Journey to the NHL
Alexander shared that Men’s Varsity Blues Hockey head coach Ryan Medel assisted in achieving this dream. Medel has served as the head coach of the Men’s Varsity Blues team since June 2017. He was awarded Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West and U SPORTS coach of the year in the 2019–2020 season, and most recently was named OUA West coach of the year for the 2024–2025 season.
Medel explained that Toronto Maple Leafs Assistant General Manager Brandon Pridham had contacted him about the possibility of Varsity Blues goalies serving as emergency backup goalies (EBUGs) several years ago. EBUGs are players who are not a part of the roster, but help out during practices and step in for games when needed, typically in situations where the team is short on goalies. From here, the connection between the Leaf organization and U of T continued to grow.
The Varsity Blues program equips its student-athletes for success by providing resources such as education, training, and time management support to help enhance each player’s development.
“For players who are looking to make the jump to professional hockey while playing in U SPORTS, I think the biggest challenge is just having a shared focus on your school work in addition to the daily grind of practicing and playing throughout a seven-month season. Time management and looking after your body are critical during this time,” wrote Medel in an email exchange with The Varsity.
Time as a Varsity Blue and beyond
Before playing as a Varsity Blue, Alexander played the majority of his minor career in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), playing for the North York Rangers. Towards the end of his minor career, he played in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), playing for the Prince George Spruce Kings.
He then signed with the Blues for the 2020–2021 season. In the 2022–2023 season, Alexander had three shutout games and a save percentage of .918 during the postseason for the Blues. He played 20 regular-season games and two playoff games in the 2023–2024 season, during which he recorded a season high of 46 saves.
“Jett was a critical part of our group during his time with us. He worked extremely hard and took his game to a new level as a Varsity Blue,” wrote Medel. “He was well-liked by his teammates and coaches, which made the opportunity he got with the Maple Leafs even more fitting.”
While Alexander had arrived in the big leagues, he shared the valuable lessons learned during his time at U of T playing as a Varsity Blue. “My time as a Varsity Blue was some of the most memorable years of my life,” wrote Alexander. His time at U of T allowed him to appreciate his sport and learn how to become a team player, something that also applies to other areas of his life.
Alexander’s advice for future Varsity Blues and other prospective student athletes is to “just enjoy every day as much as you can [because] it goes by [quickly]. Even the really stressful times like exams and the grind of the season can lead to some of the most fun stories,” emphasizing the value in continuing to “play the game you love as long as you can.”
