Most 16 year olds are worrying about getting their driver’s license or writing high school finals.
Tyler Wong is like any other teenager his age. The only difference is that he has a 72-game hockey season to worry about.
The Airdrie Xtreme alumni is one of five rookies that cracked the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ roster this season.
“It’s going pretty well,” Wong said shortly before the second half of the season started.
“I’m starting to get into the groove and getting used to the bigger players, so everything’s going well.”
He’s happy with how the season has gone so far as the Hurricanes are on track to make the playoffs for the first time in three years, but Wong’s had to adjust to almost everything that comes with making the jump to major junior, including a faster pace to the game that sets it apart from the midget leagues.
“It’s a high level of play,” he said.
“You have no time with the puck. The second you get it, you have to move it. Everyone closes in on you so fast.”
Another thing Wong has had to adjust to is his role on the ice. A skilled, offensive player in bantam and midget (he recorded 143 points in 33 games with the Xtreme and 32 points in 26 games with the UFA Bisons AAA team), Wong’s spot on the fourth line has limited him to seven points in 30 games.
While he’s still trying to figure out the ins and outs of the WHL on the ice, Wong faced what he said was an even bigger transition off the ice.
Raised in Cochrane, Wong is billeted with a family in Lethbridge. Coupled with adjusting to a new school, it’s a situation not every 16 year old finds themselves in.
“For 16 years, I lived at home,” he said.
“Now, I’m just off by myself with another family that I’ve never met before and in a brand new school. I do like it down here, it’s just a lot different.”
As the Beatles once said, “I get by with a little help from my friends” and his friends have made the adjustment easier for Wong. Xtreme teammate Lenny Hackman is one of the ‘Canes other rookies and Wong played on the Jr. Flames spring hockey team and the provincial team with linemate Reid Duke.
Along with the familiarity of having friends and former teammates with him for the ride, a mentor hasn’t been hard to come by for Wong thanks to the number of veterans on the squad.
Brady Ramsey has been the player who has taken Wong under his wing and shown him the ropes.
“He’s helped me with a lot of things just by mentoring me and showing me how things go in the league,” Wong said. “On the ice, he helps me with the little things and when I’m in a slump, he talks me out of it. He’s been a great teammate for me.”
If the rest of the season goes as planned for the Hurricanes, Wong and his teammates will find themselves in the playoffs after three straight seasons of missing the post-season.
The team is currently in fifth place in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with a 20-18-1-5 record.
Being a rookie and the anticipation of being a playoff contender may be intimidating for some players, but Wong said he’s made a conscious effort to not get caught up in the hype and have it effect his game.
“It’s a huge honour to be able to play at such a high level,” Wong said.
“I’ve told myself not to let it get too overwhelming when I’m playing at the Saddledome or against teams that I’ve grown up watching. It’s just hockey and it’s just a game.”
