Finally healthy, Tyszka putting his foot on the gas and not looking back
This past September, Montreal Canadiens 2017 fifth round draft pick, defenseman Jarret Tyszka was getting ready for a very important training camp.
The Seattle Thunderbirds blueliner had yet to be signed by the Canadiens and could use a breakout Rookie Camp to get an invite to main camp en route to nabbing that NHL Entry Level Contract.
Instead on September 8th, disaster struck. During a Rookie Camp showdown game with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tyszka was going to retrieve a puck in the corner.
That was when six-foot-five forward and former Spokane Chiefs center Hudson Elynuik checked him.
He ended up being stretchered off the ice and taken to a nearby hospital.
“I saw him and was trying to beat him to the puck. What you hope players don’t do is hit you up top of your back as your back is facing them. Pretty bad experience,” Tyszka recalled.
Once evaluated and released from the hospital, the Langley, B.C. native was left thinking back on the missed opportunity to impress Montreal’s talent evaluators.
“It really sucks. That is not how you want camp to go. There’s nothing I can do about it so might as well go forward and put my foot on the gas and that is what I’ve been doing.”
What followed the incident was a long process of getting back on the ice and being cleared by the Canadiens, before he play with Seattle.
It was nearly three months later, on December 7th, 2018, that Tyszka was able to get back on the ice in a game against the Tri-City Americans.
“I was skating and working out a lot by that time so I was ready to go. I wanted to put my foot on the gas and not look back.”
This season has been an interesting one for the 19-year-old defenseman and his WHL squad. They struggled for large parts of the early half of the year, much of which Tyszka was not on the ice for.
Since making some trades before the January 10 deadline though, the Thunderbirds have been soaring. As of January 31st, hey are 7-1-1-1 in their last 10 games.
Tyszka credits a newfound energy on the team.
“I don’t know exactly what it is but a couple of move. We had a very good east swing. We have a ton of energy and a lot of push back and it’s showing on the ice.”
Tyszka has five goals and 11 assists for 16 points in the 21 games since he returned. His points-per-game has increased from 0.57 last season to 0.73 this year.
He has been a mainstay on the blue line for the Thunderbirds, already nearing the 200 WHL games mark, which he will hit in six games.
Tyszka was a young d-man on the Seattle teams that were led by the likes of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Ethan Bear and New York Islanders star center Mathew Barzal among others. He won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as champion of the WHL in 2016-17 and picked up a lot from the older players.
Photo: Brian Liesse
“I learned a lot, maybe too much to put into a sentence. I was a younger guy so I watched them play. They are all very dedicated and very skilled. Just watching them, it’s more an experience that I can bring to the table now.”
Now it is Tyszka leading the way for the Thunderbirds. His team is battling for the last playoff spot with the Kamloops Blazers and Prince George Cougars.
If they are to lock up that spot, Tyszka and Seattle will have to win a lot of games within what is widely believed to be the toughest division in the WHL, the U.S. Division.
“I’m looking forward to it. I think we are a whole new team with lots of energy. I think we will match up well against all those teams.”
Tyszka has contributed to that energy with his return from a scary injury that could have ended his career. The better his team does for the rest of the 2018-19, the more chances Tyszka has at impressing Montreal and earning that NHL contract.