Photo Credit: Samantha Wismer
After having a stellar career as a passer and good skating 200-foot defensemen in the WHL with the Everett Silvertips, Wyatte Wylie is continuing his success since being drafted in 2018. Wylie was of course picked in the last draft by our former GM Ron Hextall in 2018. So if he does develop into an NHL pair defenseman we have Hextall to thank. Wylie in the WHL was a passing dynamo who went from 25 apples in his second season. To 36 in his 3rd WHL season. To then cap of his WHL career with the Silvertips with an outstanding 50 assists and 64 points in 62 games. Wylie definitely has vision and can pick out his teammates and put it right on their tape.
One of the reasons Wylie fell in the draft, likely is his size, and wonder how his overall game would translate into the pros. Well thus far so good for former 5th rounder Wyatt Wylie. Last season for the Phantoms, Wylie in just his first season in the AHL was a real stabilizing factor of the Phantoms defense. He had six apples and one goal for seven points in 21 games played. Wylie also made up for his size by anticipating plays well on both ends of the ice.
Now this year in a season of struggles for the team, Wylie too has not been as sharp. Though, that is in huge part to getting injured and just returning. Give him his next set of 10 games and watch him fly. After all like any sport hockey is all about reps right and particularly game reps.
As long as the 6’0, 190 pound, Wylie continues to develop at the rate he is. Being only 22-years-old, he could even see a cup of coffee with the big club this season for the Flyers. Let’s remember Wylie as stated in only 31 career AHL games has been a stabilizer in 90 percent of them at least. That is a very nice start for a guy who dropped due to size and wonders of how he would translate to the next level. Well, thus far he is a guy who carries the line he is on very well and pairs nicely with whoever he has been with. Not to mention he is a right-handed shot with a team loaded with leftie defense prospects. So that alone helps Wylie out. Just keep doing your thing, Wyatt Wylie. As long as he does that he could even be a surprise guy to make it out of camp, just as Twarynski once was in Alain Vigneault’s first season with the Flyers.
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