Q&A with Jarret Tyszka
Defenseman Jarret Tyszka was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the fifth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The Langley, BC native was the 149th overall selection in the Draft. In his second season with the T-Birds, Tyszka had 25 points on six goals and 19 assists with 28 penalty minutes. He appeared in all 20 playoff games and had two goals and five assists for seven points as the T-Birds went on to win the WHL Championship. Tyszka has had quite a busy summer but was generous enough to give up some time to chat with us.
Seattle Thunderbirds: Hey, Jarret! Thank you very much for joining us. First things first, how did you react when you heard the Montreal Canadiens announce your name at the NHL Draft?
Jarret Tyszka: I was instantly excited, happy and relieved, especially to go to such a hockey-based city!
ST: Where were you during the Draft and who was with you?
JT: I was at home in my living room with my family, a couple of friends and my agent.
ST: You went to the Canadiens Development Camp after the Draft. How was your overall experience at camp?
JT: It was a very exciting and insightful experience. They introduced us to so many ideas, information and ways in doing things, such as training.
ST: Before the Draft, you were invited to the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo. What was that like and what was the biggest challenge for you there?
JT: The NHL Combine was a cool experience because all of the teams are involved. I especially liked and found it interesting meeting all of the other players from around the leagues. I found the VO2 Max Test the toughest out of all of the tests. The meetings with teams were also difficult and nerve-wracking.
ST: You helped win the T-Birds first WHL Championship. What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you think about being a champion?
JT: There are two things that come to my mind when thinking about being a champion. One is the OT game in Regina, and two, all of the guys and the journey we went through to get there.
ST: What did you learn from winning the WHL Championship?
JT: I learned that it takes literally everyone to be a 100 percent and more the whole time to win a championship because you have to get through so many great teams.
ST: What is one thing you think you will always remember about winning the WHL Championship?
JT: I think I will forever remember that final game, the overtime and how great it felt to win and celebrate after all that hard work.
ST: Even though it didn’t go our way, what was the Memorial Cup experience like?
JT: It was still a lot of fun. It’s something you watch since a young kid, so it’s pretty cool to actually be playing there. It was also interesting playing teams from the two other leagues of the CHL.
ST: Training Camp is just around the corner. What have you been working on to prepare for Training Camp?
JT: I’ve been working on everything, but mostly my strength.
ST: Do you have any fun summer plans before you return back to the 253 for Training Camp?
JT: Not really. I might go to a friend’s cabin for a weekend, but other than that, just training the rest of the way.
ST: You are now off the hook because that’s all the time we have today. Thank you so much for talking with us, Jarret!
JT: No problem, thanks.
Seattle Thunderbirds Public & Media Relations Intern Kylie Magar conducted the Q&A with Jarret Tyszka. The team will be posting Q&A’s during the off-season with returning T-Birds players.
