Tyler Myers

Tyler Myers
Born	February 1, 1990 Katy, Texas, USA
Height	6 ft 8 in (203 cm)
Weight	219 lb (99 kg; 15 st 9 lb)
Position	Defense
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Winnipeg Jets Buffalo Sabres
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	12th overall, 2008 Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	2009–present

Tyler Paul Myers (born February 1, 1990) is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Sabres in the first round, 12th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. At the end of the 2009–10 NHL season, Myers won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie.^[1] Standing 6 feet 8 inches tall, he is nicknamed "The Big Easy" or "Big Tex" because he was born in Houston, Texas.^[2]

Born in Houston, Texas, Myers grew up in Calgary, Alberta. He has opted to play internationally for Canada. Representing Canada twice as a junior and once on the men's team, he has won gold medals at the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships and 2009 World Junior Championships. Myers was traded on February 11, 2015 to the Winnipeg Jets, along with Drew Stafford, Joel Armia, Brendan Lemieux, and a first round pick (Jack Roslovic), for Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, and a goalie prospect, Jason Kasdorf.^[3]

Playing career

Junior

In the 2005 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft, Myers was the Kelowna Rockets first round selection, 19th overall.^[4] Prior to playing in the WHL, Myers continued minor hockey at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame with the Hounds, a AAA midget team.^[5][6] Myers began his major junior career with the Rockets in 2005–06. Following his NHL draft year in 2007–08, Myers was ranked fourth among North American draft-eligible skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting Services.^[7]

He was selected 12th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, after they traded the LA Kings a third-round pick to move up from the 13th spot. The following season, Myers helped the Rockets to a 2009 Ed Chynoweth Cup championship following a junior career-high 42-point regular season. Scoring 20 points during the Rockets playoff run, Myers was instrumental the franchise's third WHL title and was selected as the WHL Playoff MVP. Following Myers' WHL championship win with the Rockets, he was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres on May 11, 2009.^[8]

Professional

Myers warming up prior to a game on Veterans Day 2011

Myers started the 2009–10 NHL season with the Buffalo Sabres. He recorded his first NHL point, an assist, on October 8, 2009, against the Phoenix Coyotes. Eight days later, Myers scored his first NHL goal against Dwayne Roloson of the New York Islanders. It was also his first multi-point game, as he recorded an assist as well. On October 24, Myers was used in the sixth round of a shootout against the Tampa Bay Lightning and scored the game winner. After a strong first nine games with the Sabres, the club decided to keep him in Buffalo rather than return him to the Rockets, initiating the first year of his contract.^[9]

Myers quickly established himself as the top defenseman on the Sabres roster, leading the club in average ice time per game in his rookie season.^[10] On December 16, 2009, he registered 28:32 of ice time in a regulation loss to the Ottawa Senators despite being one of a much-publicized group of Sabres players struck with food poisoning the night before.^[11] The following month, Myers recorded his first multi-goal game on January 8, 2010. He scored twice on the powerplay, including the game-winner, as the Sabres beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3–2. He also assisted Tim Kennedy on the Sabres' first goal.

Scoring 10 points and leading all rookies in average ice time (24 minutes and 42 seconds per game) for contests in January 2010, Myers was named the NHL Rookie of the Month.^[12] He completed his first NHL season leading league rookie defensemen, as well as Sabres defensemen, playing every game that season with 11 goals and 37 assists adding up to a career high of 48 points and getting 1 point in the playoffs from 1 goal. In the off-season, Myers was awarded with the Calder Memorial Trophy on June 23, 2010 at the NHL Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas, beating out forward Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche and goaltender Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings.

On November 15, 2010 Myers scored his fifth goal of the season in a 4–3 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks. Myers got another overtime goal in a 3–2 win against the Florida Panthers on February 10, 2011. Myers finished the season missing only 2 games with 10 goals and 27 assists adding up to 37 points and getting 6 points in the playoffs from 1 goal and 5 assists. On September 15, 2011 the Sabres signed Myers to a 7-year, $38.5 million contract. On March 13, 2012, Myers was suspended for 3 games for boarding Montreal Canadiens forward Scott Gomez on March 12, 2012. On October 14, 2012, Myers signed with Klagenfurt AC of the Austrian Erste Bank Hockey League during the 2012 NHL lockout.^[13]

On April 12, 2013, the Sabres announced that Myers had broken a bone in his leg during the team's 5–1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens the night before and would miss the remainder of the season.^[14] On February 11, 2015, Myers, Drew Stafford, Brendan Lemieux, Joel Armia and a conditional first-round pick(Jack Roslovic) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, were traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian and the rights to Jason Kasdorf.^[15]

International play

Medal record
Representing Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2009 Ottawa
IIHF U18 Championships
	2008 Kazan

Despite being born in Houston, Texas, Myers plays internationally for Team Canada, as he moved to Calgary, Alberta when he was 10 years old and holds dual citizenship.^[2] Making the decision in his youth, he has credited moving to Canada as a large influence in his development as a hockey player, stating he would "be playing a different sport had I stayed in Texas."^[2]

Myers was a part of the national team that earned gold at the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships in Kazan, Russia. He was later named to the Canadian under-20 team for the 2009 World Junior Championships in Ottawa, along with Kelowna Rockets teammate Jamie Benn, and helped Canada to a record-tying fifth straight gold medal. On April 29, 2010, Myers was named to the Team Canada roster for the 2010 IIHF World Championship.^[16] He was part of a young squad that finished without a medal.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2005–06	Notre Dame Hounds	SMAAAHL		34	4	6	10	78		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Kelowna Rockets	WHL		9	0	1	1	2		8	1	0	1	2
2006–07	Kelowna Rockets	WHL		59	2	13	15	78		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Kelowna Rockets	WHL		65	6	13	19	97		7	1	2	3	12
2008–09	Kelowna Rockets	WHL		58	9	33	42	105		22	5	15	20	29
2009–10	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		82	11	37	48	32		6	1	0	1	4
2010–11	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		80	10	27	37	40		7	1	5	6	16
2011–12	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		55	8	15	23	33		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	EC KAC	EBEL		17	3	7	10	37		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		39	3	5	8	32		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		62	9	13	22	58		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		47	4	9	13	61		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		24	3	12	15	16		4	1	0	1	2
2015–16	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		73	9	18	27	72		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				462	57	136	193	344		17	3	5	8	22

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008	Canada	WJC18			7	1	1	2	10
2009	Canada	WJC			6	1	0	1	2
2010	Canada	WC	7th		7	0	2	2	4
2014	Canada	WC	5th		8	0	2	2	6
Junior totals					13	2	1	3	12
Senior totals					15	0	4	4	10

Awards and honors

Award	Year	Ref
WHL Playoff MVP	2008–09
Ed Chynoweth Cup	2009
CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team	2009	[17]
Calder Memorial Trophy	2009–10

References

1. "DUCHENE, HOWARD AND MYERS NOMINATED FOR CALDER TROPHY". TSN. The Canadian Press. 2010-04-22. Archived from the original on 2010-04-24. Retrieved 2014-11-29.
2. LeBrun, Pierre (2009-12-09). "'The Big Easy' is here to stay in Buffalo". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
3. http://mweb.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/25065621/report-sabres-jets-nearing-trade-including-evander-kane-tyler-myers
4. "2005 WHL Bantam Draft Round 1". WHL.ca. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2014-11-29.
5. "Tyler Myers, Sabres". Buffalo Sabres. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
6. "2009 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Media Guide". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
7. "Myers stands tall in strong year for Calgary area talent". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
8. "WHL playoff MVP signs with Sabres". CBC. 2009-05-11. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
9. "Myers will remain with Sabres". Buffalo Sabres. 2009-10-29. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
10. "Ice Time". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
11. "Sabres notebook: Rock-solid Myers has a tough stomach". Buffalo News.
12. "Sabres' Myers Named NHL Rookie of theMonth". sabres.nhl.com.
13. "Tyler Myers News: Myers has agreed to a contract with Klagenfurt AC of the Austrian Erste Bank Hockey League, sportsnet.ca reports.". The Score.
14. "Sabres' Myers breaks bone in leg, out for season". NHL.com. 2013-04-12. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2014-11-29.
15. "Kane, Bogosian dealt to Sabres in eight-player blockbuster deal". TSN. February 11, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
16. "Myers, Smyth, Del Zotto join Team Canada". CBC News. 2010-04-29.
17. "Memorial Cup All-Star Teams". Memorial Cup. 2013-12-28. Retrieved 2013-12-28.

External links

• Tyler Myers's player profile at NHL.com
• Tyler Myers's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Official WHL Profile