SPOTLIGHT: Kyle Morey
“Life is full of ups and downs, it’s what you make of it that sets you apart”
From the moment he stepped foot on a freshly cleaned sheet of ice in downtown Kitchener, Ontario, at the age of three, Kyle Morey seamlessly latched on to the sport that he’d come to dedicate every waking moment to. As he indicated to his parents his passion and desire to play competitively, Morey entered the Kitchener Minor Hockey Association (KMHA) with the motive of “heart over height”. Morey fell on the smaller size growing up, he was often overlooked and underestimated by his opponents, despite the raw talent and skill he possessed at the AAA level from a young age.
As he progressed in the KMHA, where he spent all of his minor hockey years playing, Morey found improvement in his game at a rapid pace. Given the amount of time he spent there, Morey credits the organization for their role in his success which was obtained through learning the fundamentals and intangibles from coaches, camps, and developmental experiences. In particular, his positive mindset, leadership, and dedication to the game were acquired from the club as he continued to refine his game, taking the necessary steps to get to the next level.
“Growing up in Kitchener playing for KMHA was an amazing experience. I played there my whole career. It truly was great for my development across the board.”
Now standing at the stature of 5’11” 161 pounds, he still carries himself with an “underdog mindset”. Although he considered himself to be a hard worker, his motivation to compete growing up was driven by his size, as he always seemed to find himself going into battles against bigger, stronger players. At the Junior level, the same remains to be true.
Despite this, Morey looks no further than to the player he models his game after, Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Marner, who scratches the surface at 6’0” and 180 pounds, has a similar playstyle and has had to go through comparable feats as Morey at the youth, Junior, and professional levels. For Morey, his inspiration to “push himself in the gym” stems from Marner, who has taken the NHL by storm in recent years, quieting all of the critics outside of the rink.
“Being a smaller, skinnier guy I’ve had to keep pushing myself in the gym to get up to guys that are bigger and stronger than me. That’s been the biggest challenge I’ve had to face so far, but it’s made me a better competitor in the long run. I always look at Mitch Marner. He’s an elite player in the NHL competing at the highest level. I love the way he moves around the ice and makes plays, he breaks down the game despite his size.”
In 2021, his hard work and dedication to the sport seemingly paid off when he was selected in the fifth round to the Owen Sound Attack, as a kickstarter to his professional career. During the 2021-22 season, Morey played for the St.Marys Lincolns of the GOJHL having a near point-per-game season scoring 44 points in 48 games. After adapting to the level of play in Junior B, Morey was set for a second season with the club, but it was halted after just three games due to a career-changing moment that catapulted fireworks and jubilation within his inner-child self.
“I got a call from Mike McKenzie telling me that I am a Kitchener Ranger. I just remember feeling like, this is pretty awesome. Coming to the games growing up and watching to now being able to go on the ice and be one of the players is unbelievable.”
As a lifelong resident of Kitchener and a player within the KMHA, the unification of the Morey-Rangers combination seemed predestined, and it was only a matter of time. Not only was he going to be living out his dream of playing in the OHL, but he had the opportunity to play for the only team he had ever known, the Kitchener Rangers.
Now entering his sophomore campaign with the Rangers, the Cinderella Story does not end there, Morey scored his first and second OHL goals in consecutive games. He is on track to solidifying himself in this league yet, is still looking to adapt to the pace of play and improve his game with his goal to “become a special player in this league”.
With the Rangers being viewed as potential underdogs this season, Morey is as ready as ever to prove the doubters wrong league-wide, something he has done a time or two.
“We’re coming hard this year, even though some teams see us as underdogs, we’re going to be a good team, and we cannot wait to get started”.
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Written by Evan Doerfler
