The 2014-15 season was a wondrous one for Tyler Welsh.
The just turned 18-year-old helped the Campbell River Storm to a Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League title, missed out on the Cyclone Taylor Cup championship due to injury, but managed his way back for the Western Canadian crown at the Keystone Cup.
But the diminutive five-foot-nine, 160-pound forward is looking ahead to the next phase of his career, a spot on the Victoria Grizzlies鈥� roster.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely going to be a step up. I played a couple of games last year [as an affiliate]. I think I will have a little bit of a feel for it, but it鈥檚 definitely going to be an adjustment the first little while,鈥� added Welsh, who had 17 goals and 58 assists in 48 regular-season games with the Storm.
He added two goals and four assists in 10 playoff games, battling the injury in the championship runs.
鈥淲e had a great team last year. Everyone put up good numbers,鈥� said Welsh, who hasn鈥檛 set any personal goals yet for the 2015-16 campaign. 鈥淲e鈥檒l see. I had a great year last year, individually and with team success.
鈥淚t was an incredible year, hopefully we can have the same success here this year,鈥� added Welsh, who separated his shoulder in Game 3 of the VIJHL final against the Victoria Cougars. 鈥淚鈥檓 expecting bigger, faster, smarter players here.
鈥淚鈥檓 not the biggest guy, but I still get into the corners,鈥� he added of his game.
In the two outings with the Grizzlies last year, Welsh managed to score in his first appearance, on the road against the Powell River Kings.
鈥淗e鈥檚 going to be a very good player for us,鈥� Grizzlies head coach and general manager Craig Didmon said of Welsh. 鈥淎s far as intelligence goes, he鈥檚 right there. His 75 points 鈥� that was a very productive season. He got to play a key role on a very good club instead of playing on the third line in the BCHL.
鈥淗e was a top-six guy and I see him playing centre ice for us. He has that intelligence. We鈥檙e expecting offence from him, but he鈥檚 another one of those 200-foot players who is good in all zones.鈥�
A Whistler native who also enjoys skiing and golf, Welsh joined the Burnaby Winter Club the year before playing in Campbell River and served as the captain of the BWC Prep U-18 team. His now 16-year-old brother Nolan played Bantam A1 with Burnaby Winter Club that season and is also at Grizzlies camp.
With Burnaby, Tyler had 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points in 26 games so he has been a point producer throughout, in particular last season.
鈥淭hat was the goal at the start of the season [to win Western Canadians] and to accomplish it was something special,鈥� said Welsh. 鈥淭he VIJHL final was the tightest four-game sweep I鈥檝e ever been a part of. The first two against the Cougars were overtime and the next two were one-goal games, so it was a lot closer than a lot of people think.鈥�
But the future is now for Welsh, who ultimately wants to extend his career to the NCAA.
鈥淭he guys have been great, made it comfortable for me and Craig is a great coach,鈥� he said. 鈥淰ictoria is a great spot to play and I鈥檓 looking forward to it.鈥�
