What's it like getting called up to play in the NHL for a young goaltender? And to play under Patrick Roy, one of the greatest to ever at the position? Who has the best shot on the Colorado Avalanche? Rookie goaltender Calvin Pickard, 22, answers those questions and more.

KATIE STRANG: What has this year been like for you, playing in both the AHL and then getting a shot with the Avs?

CALVIN PICKARD: I wanted to come into training camp and make a good impression, get off to a good start. I feel like I accomplished that really well and got my confidence [up]. Then I got the chance to play in Ottawa last month. My first game wasn't great, but my next game was a lot better to build off and then I got a chance to come back up. One thing led to another and I got some opportunities and the team was playing well in front of me, so things went well off the bat for me. Since then, it's just getting more comfortable every single day. It's easy to play here -- fans are so loud, such a great atmosphere, teammates are nice. Everyone from the coaching staff to [head coach] Patrick Roy to the PR guys, everyone has made me feel welcome.

Coach Patrick Roy has had a lot of praise for rookie goaltender Calvin Pickard. Michael Martin/NHLI/Getty Image

STRANG: Speaking of Roy, he's been very complimentary of your play and your poise. What has that been like, hearing that endorsement?

PICKARD: It's cool. I grew up watching Patrick dominate the NHL. He's one of the best goalies of all time, if not the best. To have him have a ton of confidence in me and to say those things about me and get excited and be complimentary, it's nice. It gives me confidence. I just want to keep that going and make sure Patrick keeps that confidence in me.

STRANG: What sort of opportunity do you think you have right now with Colorado?

PICKARD: I can't look too far ahead. I just want to take it day by day. I just want to practice as hard as I can, work on things that have come up in games. Things are going well right now for me, but they can easily switch and go south in a heartbeat. I need to play consistent, play my game every single night and make the decision tough [for Colorado].

STRANG: When the Avs first signed Reto Berra, did you worry about what that might mean for you, to yo your future within the organization and ability to move up?

PICKARD: Definitely not. I can't worry about the hockey decisions. It's all part of the game and you can't control [it]. This summer, realistically, I knew I'd probably be starting in Lake Erie. I just wanted to make sure I got off to a very good start. I've played quite a few games already and it's nice to have this experience.

STRANG: Has it helped your play that you've had a string of starts? Has it gotten any easier to find your rhythm?

PICKARD: That's a great point. I've always had a good opportunity to play a lot of games, even back when I was 16, and recently, I think I played five games in a row; before that I played three in five days. It seems I was on a schedule of playing, then a day off, playing, then a day off. You can't get too complacent, you can't expect things to go well. You have to prepare the same way. You have to put in the work and compete, but it's definitely easier to get into a rhythm when you see games all the time, for sure.

STRANG: Has there been anyone in particular that has been instrumental in giving you guidance, or perspective, in terms of your career?

PICKARD: I learned a lot of lessons early on from my goalie coach in Seattle, Paul Fricker. He helped me a lot early on there [with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL]. We didn't have a great team. We got scored on a lot and when you're young, you have self doubts about how good you are when you get scored on a lot. You can't worry about those things. I knew I got there for a reason [and I] had to stick with it, that I had to believe in myself. I knew, deep down, that I was a good goalie and that's big to believe in yourself.

STRANG: Was there any particular moment that stands out since you've been in the NHL when you've thought, "I can do this. I belong here?"

#31 G

Colorado Avalanche

2014-15 STATS

GM 13

W6

L5

T0

SV%.939

GAA 2.06

PICKARD: I think so. I definitely feel comfortable every day more and more. We have so much explosive talent and I get to face them every day in practice. It helps me a lot that we have high-end [talent], some of the the top shooters in the NHL. It's good for me to practice against them every day because every team [I face] has high-end talent and high-end skill. There was a point in the Ottawa game where, five seconds in, [Senators defenseman] Erik Karlsson shot on me. It was pretty cool, almost surreal. My first night, I was maybe a bit shell-shocked, in awe that I was in [the] NHL. Since then, I've settled in and [feel more] comfortable playing at this level. I feel like I belong here.

STRANG: OK, clearly you have a lot of talented offensive players on your team. Who is toughest to face in practice?

PICKARD: The smartest shooter is [Alex] Tanguay. He's the most creative shooter, but also Matt Duchene. He's so hard to stop. He has a quick shot, a hard shot, a tricky shot. He's got it all.