Under the Microscope | QMJHL Prospect of January: Tyler Peddle
Hockey has been part of Tyler Peddle’s life for as long as he can remember. The dynamic scoring forward from Antigonish, Nova Scotia has been under the spotlight ever since he first laced up his skates.
But the bright lights, constant attention and high expectations have never fazed Peddle’s personality, character and passion for the game. If anything, the pressure and spotlight have only fuelled his desire to reach new levels and see how far the game could take him.
The highly-touted goal scorer opted to ply his craft south of the border for his QMJHL draft year by suiting up for the prestigious Shattuck St. Mary’s prep school in Minnesota.
“I honestly haven’t thought too much about it,” Peddle said of the pressure around his draft year. “I know we have a big decision to make soon on the route I will take, but right now I have just been focused on my team and our season at Shattuck.”
The world-renowned private school has produced some of the game’s greats, including one of Peddle’s favourite players.
“I have always been a big Sidney Crosby fan. He’s a complete player and does so many things well. He works so hard on and off ice”, mentioned the 16-year-old.
Another Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia product has also inspired Peddle’s path in the game.
“I went to a few Mooseheads games over the years and have watched Nathan MacKinnon a lot,” he said. “He’s very talented and explosive offensively, and I have tried to implement a lot of the things he does into my game.”
Peddle and his family knew going south of the border would be a big step to take, but it’s certainly paid dividends.
“We get so much ice at Shattuck, so there’s a lot of opportunity to improve different parts of my game. I have been working on many different aspects this year”, said the young prospect.
“I’m trying to continue to build on my offensive game, but at the same time working hard to become a complete player who’s strong in both ends. We have a lot of ice time to work on individual skills, so I have been taking advantage of it as much as I can.”
Before being shut down by the pandemic back in November, Peddle’s club managed to play 26 regular season games. In that limited amount of action, Peddle was nothing short of dominant, racking up 28 points, including an unreal total of 20 goals.
“It’s an amazing environment for both hockey and school,” he said of his new institution. “It’s reputation and the players that have gone through there are very impressive. The campus and facilities are unreal, and the program offers so much time for both on ice and off-ice training. It has been great development for me, with a lot of very good players and coaches.”
Peddle’s father, Brad, also lives and breathes hockey. He has been Head Coach of the St. Francis Xavier University’s X-Men hockey club since 2005.
“My parents have given me so much to get to this point in many ways. They both have made a lot of sacrifices, with busy jobs, for both my brother and I to have great hockey experiences”, recognizes Tyler. “They have always focused on making sure I work hard in everything I do in school, hockey and life.”
Where does Peddle see himself fitting in at the junior level and what would it mean to get drafted into the QMJHL like his previously mentioned idols?
“I would hope to be able to play a role that suits my style of game and do whatever I can to help the team win. I’m excited at the potential opportunities down the road but realize there is lots of work to be done to achieve my future goals”, he says.
“I look forward to the experiences ahead, but right now I’m just enjoying where I am before deciding what’s next,” explained Peddle. “It would be awesome to get drafted into the QMJHL. It’s a great league, with so many great players!”