NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Tyler Soy

Get to Know Tyler Soy:

Date of Birth: 10th February, 1997
Place of Birth: Richmond, BC, Canada
Ht: 5’11” Wt: 170 lbs
Shoots: L
Position: Center
Team: Victoria Royals (WHL)

Though diminutive compared to many of those in his draft class, Tyler Soy is a smart, skilled forward who is developing into a three-zone threat. Apart from his raw talent and the excellent coaching development he is receiving from coach Dave Lowry, what sets Soy ahead of the pack is raw competitive drive. He’s hungry. And it shows in his anticipation and positioning–hopefully it will show in his push to make himself into the best player he can be, too.

Although fellow BC Division players Nick Merkley and Jansen Harkins have generally received more media attention, Soy is generally considered among the top five players available from his division.

Soy has a knack for creating space when puck-handling and outlets when passing. He excels when the puck is on his stick and when he’s at home in the offensive zone, he resembles an older player than his eighteen years. He was selected for Team Canada’s 2015 World Juniors team, and though he only played four games, he scored two assists and definitely boosted his visibility.

Statistics:

Of note are Soy’s two goals and five assists in 10 contests during the 2015 WHL Playoffs. He’s a driven player who can be depended on to create offense when it comes down to brass tacks.

What Scouts See:

Future Considerations Hockey:

Soy  is  most  effective  when  he  has  the  puck  on  his  stick.  He  is  a  smart  puck  handler  and  finds  ways  to  move  into
dangerous  areas.  He  has  a  knack  for  creating  separation  and  recognizes  soft  spots  to  buy  himself  time.  Soy  is  a  talented
playmaker,  a  natural  pass-­‐first  type  of  player  who  gets  his  head  up  immediately  after  receiving  the  puck  and  looks  to  move
the  puck  to  open  teammates.  He  has  good  touch  on  his  passes  and  creates  openings  to  find  teammates.

What BSN Avalanche sees:

More than anything else, what stands out about Tyler Soy is his agile skating. He handles the puck through traffic well and while a player his size might have difficulty taking hit after hit, he avoids them well. Soy has a quick release and his shooting is accurate, even if he doesn’t tend to register quite so many SOG as his teammates. He has a tendency to pass instead of shoot, but fortunately his passing is also quick and accurate.

He’s a slight but incredibly driven player, although sometimes his drive and push tends to create distance between himself and his linemates that he later has to make up for. He’s lacking the true explosive playmaking skills or incredible hands that he’d need to excel as a Patrick Kane style slight-but-skilled forward, but he could easily develop into a guy who’s comfortable on a skilled third or maybe even second NHL line.

He stands out on the Royals’ power play as a mobile presence that can sneak in and generate shot and passing opportunities where there weren’t any before. And he’s mindful of his presence in front of the net; he doesn’t miss many rebound opportunities.

Highlights:

NHL Potential:

Although his small stature and the lack of physical edge to his play are a big difference, Soy reminds BSN Avalanche of a young John Mitchell. His playstyle would suit a talented, zippy third line. If he never fills out, he would excel on a team such as the Winnipeg Jets, where a physical winger on either side of him would allow him to focus on opening up space and creating opportunities.

Expected Draft Position:

Soy is one of those players who could go as early as the late second round or fall as low as late third or early fourth, depending entirely on whether or not a team really has their eye set on a player with his particular skillset. His lack of intensity when battling for the puck is what’s preventing him from securing a for-sure spot at the low end of the second round.

Soy’s rankings cover a wide stretch, from projected 78th to 111st. BSN predicts he’ll fall somewhere near 80-90th overall.

How Tyler Soy Fits into the Avalanche Organization:

Soy fits the archetype which former Avalanche scouting director Rick Pracey would have likely kept an eye on. While he lacks the definitive dazzling hands of a player like Joey Hishon, there are definite similarities in their play. However, Soy definitely isn’t the type of player the Avalanche need on their roster at the moment, what with their comfortable supply of centermen.

He’s also a tad undersized for the type of team that Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy appear to be developing, though if their scouts see promise in Soy’s skating, puckhandling, and special teams work, size is definitely one thing that an eighteen-year-old can work on.

Other WHL Players to Keep an Eye On:

Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)

Ryan Pilon (Brandon Wheat Kings)

Nick Merkley (Kelowna Rockets)

Ivan Provorov (Brandon Wheat Kings)