After spending five full seasons with the Victoria Royals and setting numerous franchise individual records along the way, centre Tyler Soy wound up his junior career sitting in the press box injured.
He went out with a bang, however, scoring three goals in VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 7-3 win over Vancouver in game 4 of their opening round Western Hockey League playoff series back on March 29.
Knowing heB次元官网网址檒l never again play for the team that selected him eighth overall in the 2012 bantam draft from the Cloverdale Colts felt a little strange, he said Friday as the team gathered to clear out their dressing room one last time after losing their Western Conference semifinal series 4-0 to Tri City Americans.
B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 all part of the process and part of the journey,B次元官网网址� Soy said.
A seventh-round draft pick of the NHLB次元官网网址檚 Anaheim Ducks in 2016, he talked about some of the highlights from a Royals career that saw him set franchise career records for games, goals, assists and points.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l always remember things like scoring my first goal, getting my first hat trick, our team winning the Scotty Munro (trophy as WHL regular season champions), all the crazy playoff moments that weB次元官网网址檝e had B次元官网网址� you wonB次元官网网址檛 forget any of those,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd just all the guys weB次元官网网址檝e had on the team over the last five, six years itB次元官网网址檚 been an unbelievable journey and IB次元官网网址檓 really proud to be part of this organization.B次元官网网址�
Still unsigned by the Ducks, Soy hopes to get a shot at playing pro somewhere next season, having got into a couple of games at the end of last regular season for the DucksB次元官网网址� AHL farm team the San Diego Gulls.
B次元官网网址淏ut honestly IB次元官网网址檓 excited to see what happens with this team. IB次元官网网址檒l be watching all these guys to see whatB次元官网网址檚 happening with all their careers and where theyB次元官网网址檙e going. ItB次元官网网址檚 exciting you meet all these guys and they start out as strangers and they leave as brothers, so itB次元官网网址檚 pretty special.B次元官网网址�
Defenceman Chaz Reddekopp, the other five-year Royal moving on to the next stage of his career, was drafted out of West Kelowna five spots after his future teammate, having crossed paths with Soy at minor hockey tournaments growing up.
A strapping 6-4, 225-pounder and 2015 draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings, Reddekopp is under contract and could conceivably head down to join the Ontario (California) Reign, who squeaked into the AHL playoffs. On this day, however, he reflected on his time with the Royals.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been very lucky and fortunate enough to have played here all five years. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 happen all the time, guys playing in the same organizations that they got drafted by,B次元官网网址� he said. He said there were too many memories to list them all, but said of Victoria, B次元官网网址渨ithout a doubt in my mind, itB次元官网网址檚 the best city to play in, in the WHL.B次元官网网址�
Royals defenceman Kade Jensen, who came over from Brandon in a mid-season trade, also graduated after five WHL seasons split between four different teams.
BY THE NUMBERS:
Tyler Soy- C
Regular season games played: 323 *
Goals: 151 * (41 power play, 15 shorthanded)
Playoff goals: 17 *
Assists: 176 *
Points: 327 *
*(franchise record)
Chaz Reddekopp - D
Reg. season GP: 280
Goals: 27
Assists: 107
Points: 134
