The kid is in his second full season with the Blind River Beavers yet he’s the second-youngest player on the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team.
Tyler Brown won’t turn 18 until September 22 of this year and the 1995 birth year forward, who hails from the farm town of Echo Bay, Ont., just outside Sault Ste. Marie, has time on his side as far as junior hockey eligibility is concerned.
Brown, a seventh-round pick of Soo Greyhounds at the 2011 Ontario Hockey League draft, instead has his sights set on playing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association level.
“I’ve been to two camps with the Greyhounds now and I haven’t signed so I still have my NCAA eligibility,” said Brown on a recent edition of the Hockey North Show on ESPN 1400 Radio.
Well-built at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Brown’s current focus is in Blind River and on the Beavers, who are in sixth place in the seven-team NOJHL with a 9-21-6 6 record.
Despite their lowly standing, the Beavers have more than held their own with the first-place Soo Thunderbirds, winning two of four games thus far this season against their Highway 17 rivals.
“We have shown that we can play with and beat a good team like the Thunderbirds,” said Brown. “If we were more consistent we would be a .500 team.”
Brown has put up good numbers thus far with 13-14-27 totals in 35 games, good enough for fourth on the Beaver scoring chart.
He said he is working hard at improving his overall game.
“My goal is to eventually play Division 1 (NCAA) hockey,” said Brown. “I want to do what it takes to get to that level.”
A Grade 12 student at Central Algoma Secondary School, Brown said he takes his studies seriously, noting that when he is finished playing hockey, he would like to work in the education field.
As for playing in Blind River, a town of 3,400 located about 90 miles east of Sault Ste. Marie, Brown said: “I love it. The fans are amazing and the Beavers are a great organization. I absolutely love Blind River.”
Brown is also a fan of first-year Beavers coach Doug McEwen.
“He’s a players coach and he understands what it is like to be a player. He makes you want to play hard for him,” Brown said of McEwen.
Categories: General
latest RR column just posted on http://www.juniorhockey.com:
Heard it through the grapevine
A reminder that the Hockey North Show on ESPN 1400 — http://stream.1400espn.net — airs tonight at 6 p.m.
Has it been confirmed for sure that the Dudley is a go in the Bay?
stick,
Dudley is a go in North Bay, for sure.
Tyler Brown is a excellent young man
and I think he has a great future ahead of him
He just needs to stay focused on his goals.
He has been a real asset to our team these past two years.
I hope that we have him back again next year, of
course that will depend on his options and schooling
for next year.
Whatever he does he will excell at it.
Way to go Ty
Looking like Sudbury is looking to crack top 20 right shortly. This is shaping up to be a real close race to the playoffs. It is great to have this intensity happening in the league, every game from here on out will be important.
Don’t all speak at once, I can’t hear myself think….
Randy,we need a new topic!!!!!!! Does North Bay have a ghost of a chance in the Dudley??????
Hey sigs,
It`s so cold ,I found McFly frozen against the wall outside the Igloo……
Why do the Eskimos wash their equipment in Tide ?
Because it`s too cold out Tide ……
Rumours coming out of the Soo regards to the Thunderbirds…Albert will sell the Team to a group that includes a former NHL’er with ties to the Soo who will change up the current Coaching Staff. Do not be surprised if a former T-Birds coach gets involved again. Randy – I am sure you have heard of this and perhaps you are just waiting for the write time to right about this. ???
Lets hope that Commish Mazzuca sees the benifit of having an N.O.J.H.L. Team in Espanola for next Season and I sure hope that Dave Harrison is involved in some way. Gossip around Town says Tommy McCarthy will leave North Bay after this current Season to come to Espanola.
Caallie: I herd the same thing about Coach McCarthy comming here. Randy???
abitibian don’t think you will find me in eakies land anytime soon and when its cold I stay inside .you just missed me that’s why u had to mention me.
The Espanola team will have Mcarthy after the 2012-2013 season, and will be practicly the same team from North Bay this season…
Hey hey Im back Glad to see what i was preaching last year is coming to my favor …… they lower that stupid LOUD music a bit and lower the price for the playoff. HEY HEY Im a WINNER. There Sigs im getting the ball rolling hahahahahahahahahah
Hey Kurlydo,
Good to have you back…honestly.
When you’re in the mood for a conversation we can discuss the JJ’s PA. To make a long story short it needs an overhaul. Rewiring let us have a bit more control on sound distribution (adjust volume up or down somewhat) in specific areas. However, being that the equipment is accessible to any Tom Dick or Harry, and due to frequent unsupervised useage by other groups, it’s in rough shape. Add to that, the North side speakers don’t work and that means folks on the Visitors’ side have a tough time hearing the announcements. We both know the Town will spend money on $$-saving light fixtures (which the arena needs too), before spending a dime on a P.A. There’s more to this story but maybe we can discuss.
For playoff tickets, opinion is of a unanimous decision more based on practical reasons than anything else.
But go ahead and take the credit if you wish….
Right on Sigs also the lights at the north end are in need of help. can’t figure why goaltenders don’t complain, looks like low voltage or something. I think its what they call the North end., same end of the Ice cleaning machine….
well the Sudbury win streak has finally come to an end…
From my own observation, easkis are not having a good year. Therrien leaving has caused a drop in attendance (my opinion). Leaving the prices the same for the playoff might help have more fans in the seats, even more so if they could pull an upset and get through the first round. I have to say that the one 16 yr old that has moved to the top line since RT left has taken advantage of the situation and has not dissapointed.
Good for him! enjoy watching him play.
Can”t believe that no-one has an opinion on the Trappers chances at the Dudley!!!???
Any word why the Feb 8th Trapper/Blind River Game has been postponed ??
north bay is neck and neck with the team that won the Dudley last year. take that as you want. you obviously want to stir sh! t. you should just say what you want to say. have a nice day deep.
Any word on the status of the KL/SUD game tonight?
Notification has just been received. Game cancelled in Copper Cliff tonight. Game to be played at a later date.
Also the Blind River at North Bay game scheduled for February 8th has been moved to the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex at 7.30 pm and will be part of the Espanola Carnival Weekend. Lets see this game well supported.
thats wild – an NOJHL game coming to Espy! gotta love this.
Jamey Henderson (former asst coach) part of a group trying to by the T-Birds is the word we heard over coffee at Muios this morning!!! NHL player involved? Come on RR ….. gives us the Scoop!!!
We need to get a big crowd out to that game to show that Espanola deserve’s a Junior “A” Franchise once again. Lets rally fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dave Harrison should know if Espanola can support a NOJHL team as this is man of respect and no bullsh-t – what do you say Mr. Harrison?
Hopefully Mazzuca and the NOJHL Office [most of whom are centred in Sudbury where the commish is also from) does write for the good people of Espanola which by the way needs to step and show the NOJHL brass that they deserve a team dammit!
It bothers me that this Leagie is so centred on Sudbury with Mazzuca and his pals Magee, Grey & Pascall friggin joke.
Well at least we dont have the Soo Eagles waving the American flag no more and Bruno getting coddled by Mazzuca probly from the same Italian nayborhood!
Are you saying “the birds the word?”
Bobcats pull off the upset.
Birds need new coaches….
Watch a game, Lavoy coaches at house league level..the Birds win games on pure skill.
look at the Greyhounds new coach and watch the way they practice now..wow what a difference a coach makes.
Weekend predictions:Friday:Barons 7 Bobcats 3,TBirds 6 Eskies 4,
Traps 4 Miners 2.Saturday:Barons 7 Eskies 5,TBirds 5 Beavers 3.Sunday:
TBirds6 Bobcats 2 and Finally Baltimore 31-San Fran 27.
My own personal feelings on the NOJHL returning to Espanola are I’m happy to see there is a possibility of Junior Hockey returning to our community. We all know there is a large turnover each year in Junior hockey as players move on in their education careers and with no local higher education it means players move on to other communities. We have some area players currently in the Midget ranks who I believe would be able to make the jump to the NOJHL. I have faith in the twosome of Tim Clayden and Tom McCarthy that they will bring a competitive team to our community. I hope that the community responds next Friday night to show out support. It will have to be advertised around the community to make it known as the local paper released the Winter Carnival Schedule yesterday and does not show the game because of the late decision to move the game.
So, will the team be named the Espanola Eskimos??
new blog just posted:
Team by team on February 1