Zayde Wisdom was born on July 7, 2002. His birth was remarkable as he was born with the umbilical cord around his neck. That can be very detrimental to a baby’s development as no one knows how long the infant was in that position in utero. It can lead to many developmental issues. Thankfully that was not the case for Zayde.
Wisdom grew up in Western Toronto and had experienced many hardships. His mother, at times, would work three jobs to support her boys. There were times when she had trouble paying the bills. Zayde saw all of that and made it his mission to get drafted into the NHL to support his family. He, like most children of single parents grew up at a very young age. Wisdom was aware of the sacrifices his mother had made for him and his brother, as he shouldered a lot for a young man and his maturity is proof of that. Zayde took his hardships and used it as motivation on the ice. He battled for every puck, for every goal and finished every check, he battled to be the best and be the best in the NHL.
In an an article for the Inquirer Zayde was quoted as saying he watched his mother “cry way too much for me not to be great”, well he is on the path for greatness. He was selected by the Kingston Frontenacs after scoring 15 goals and tallying 53 points for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens during the 2015-16 season. Zayde continued his rise to greatness with the Frontenacs. In his final year with the team he played 62 games, scored 29 goals with 30 assists to tally 59 points.
The Philadelphia Flyers drafted Zayde Wisdom on October 7, 2020, and he began playing with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms due to the uncertainty with the OHL. He has played 10 games with the Phantoms, registered scored six goals, and has chipped in three assists for a total of nine points. His forechecks are complete, furthermore his agility and speed set him apart from the rest. Wisdom’s hunger to succeed is his main driving force.
Zayde took his patience and perseverance to the rink. His life skills translated well onto the ice, as he plays the game with passion and hunger that can only come from hardships. This young man’s past seems to be in the rearview mirror as he is already an award recipient. Former Flyer Wayne Simmonds presented Zayde with the EJ McGuire Award of Excellence. It seems that this is just the beginning for this beyond impressive young man.
