I lived the dream
Over the next couple of weeks, Guelphstorm.com will be highlighting articles from the Guelph Mercury’s “Saluting the Storm’ segment written by Tony Saxon. Below is the third article.
No one was more emotional moments after the Guelph Storm season ended than Tyler Carroll.
As one of the team’s three overagers this season, the Storm lifer was dealing not only with the end of his junior career, but the end of his time as a member of the Storm.
“I lived the dream for four years and have nothing to show for it but friends and guys that care for me,” a teary-eyed Carroll said with the season-ending defeat in the first round of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs still fresh.
“Like I just told those guys in there (the dressing room). ‘don’t take any day for granted because you don’t know how good you have it until you walk out those doors for the last time.’”
While other older players moved on to the pros or debated their overage playing options for next season, this year’s overagers– Carroll, Sam Lofquist and Chris Van Laren– all faced question marks about their hockey future.
Only Lofquist, who garnered a tryout with the American Hockey League’s Houston Aeros, had immediate hockey plans.
Carroll and Van Laren drew plenty of attention from Canadian schools.
“Not sure what I’m going to be doing next year. We’ll have to wait and see,” said Van Laren, a Kingston native.
Lofquist, an American, already had some school under his belt at the University of Minnesota and could return there.
Lofquist said coming to Guelph was one of the best decisions he has ever made.
“It’s been the most awesome experience of my life,” said Lofquist, who came to Guelph after leaving the University of Minnesota where he was on a hockey scholarship.
“This is a class organization and they made it the best decision of my life. I learned so much here,” the Wisconsin native said.
“The city of Guelph is awesome and I’ll definitely be coming back here.”
Carroll should get a look from the pro ranks.
After not making the Storm in his first season, Carroll came back the next year and turned into a rock-solid two-way winger. Tough, passionate about the game and a quiet leader, the Strathroy native was a coaches’ dream.
Bill Stewart, an unofficial assistant coach with the team over the second half of the season and a man who has played and coached professional hockey at various levels for about 25 years, feels Carroll deserves a tryout at the next level.
“That kid deserves a legitimate shot to make an AHL team,” Stewart said. “He plays the game the right way and he’s a big solid kid.”
Lofquist played two seasons in a Storm uniform. Van Laren a season and a half. Carroll served the most time, four years and 218 games in the maroon and white.
While the three left an impression in Guelph, the Royal City also left an impression on them.
“Coaches…billets…owners…management…staff- everybody here has been good to me. It’s just a great organization and I owe a lot to everyone,” Carroll said.
Chris Van Laren, acquired from the Wolves in ’09, turned into a solid defencemen for the Storm.
