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HAF
01-06-2006, 03:48 PM
His heart belies his size
This story was published Friday, January 6th, 2006

By Annie Fowler, Herald staff writer

Taylor Procyshen knew the odds were against him when he matched up with Moose Jaw's Ian McKenzie on Monday night. But Procyshen didn't care.

With a line brawl going on behind him, the Tri-City Americans rookie right wing dropped his gloves, flung aside his helmet and stood toe-to-toe with the 6-foot-5, 210-pound McKenzie, the Warriors' top enforcer, at Toyota Center.

Procyshen got in a jab on McKenzie's chin, but being 5-foot-9 and just 165 pounds, Procyshen soon found himself on the ice with McKenzie's forearm across his neck.

"He was the only guy left and I was the only guy left. I wasn't going to let any one of our guys get suckered," Procyshen said. "I was thankful he didn't hit me when I was down. He did hit me a couple of times, but it was nothing big. It could have been worse, but I'd take a beating for any one of those guys in this room."

Procyshen, 17, doesn't shy away from the physical aspect of the game, but he has so much more to offer the Americans, who are battling for a playoff spot in the U.S Division.

His endless energy, speed and his on-ice vision have earned him regular shifts in all 35 of the Americans' games this season heading into tonight's home game with the Portland Winter Hawks.

He works the point on the penalty kill, he's scored four goals -- two short-handed and all unassisted -- and has 10 assists.

For as talented as he is, the Americans were the only team to give the Emerald Park, Saskatchewan, native a chance to play in the Western Hockey League.

Procyshen has been in training camps with Kamloops Blazers and the Regina Pats. He even got a look from the Warriors. But always he was passed over.

Americans general manager Bob Tory saw Procyshen play in the Prince Albert midget tournament in November 2004 with the Moose Jaw AAA midget team and listed him a short time later.

"He was playing against a number of teams that had listed players on them and was playing at the level or better than some of those players," Tory said.

Without the Americans, Procyshen knows he still could being playing midget AAA hockey.

"I'm really thankful they gave me an opportunity," Procyshen said. "It's been good so far, but I know that opportunity can be taken away if I take a lazy shift out there or miss an assignment.

"I thought the first half of the season went really well for me. The second half hasn't gone like I want it to. I want to start putting the puck in the net more and do whatever I have to get this team in the playoffs. That's the goal I have."

As hard as Procyshen works, he always feels he can work harder. It's the thought of being sent down that fuels the fire.

"I know what it feels like to be cut, and it doesn't feel good," he said. "I know I can't take anything for granted and I have to work hard. I bring the energy and work ethic and hopefully I can build on that, get more mature and lead this team some day."

Tri-City coach Don Nachbaur has been so impressed with Procyshen's play this season that when overage assistant captain Jason Beeman was suspended two different times, the coach presented Procyshen with the assistant captain's letter until Beeman returned.

"I was really shocked," said Procyshen, remembering the day he walked into the dressing room and saw the letter on his sweater. "There are 20 other guys I truly believe could wear that 'A'. I'm very grateful that I got it, but I know if I slack off and that happens again, I won't get it."

There has been no slacking off for Procyshen since he arrived in the Tri-Cities. His endless energy has earned him the nickname "The Energizer Bunny" by the fans and his play on the penalty kill is relentless.

Procyshen has been playing hockey since he was 4 years old. At that time, Emerald Park, a small community of about 1,000 people 5 miles east of Regina, did not have its own rink.

"His brother Brandon started playing at 6 and Taylor couldn't wait to get his first pair of skates and get going," said Procyshen's father, James. "He sat on the bench when his brother played, and hockey has been his love ever since."

Taylor and Brandon played one year of hockey together for the midget AA Balgonie Prairie Storm. Brandon, 19, has since given up hockey and is playing volleyball at Lakeland College in Lloydminster, Alberta, where he is the team's libero (defensive specialist).

This is Procyshen's NHL draft year, and he knows that if he is to catch the eyes of the NHL scouts he will have to put out a little more effort than others because of his size.

"This (WHL) is where careers get made," he said. "I think there are a lot of things I can improve on in the second half and I am going to work on them. Hopefully I get drafted. If not, I'm going to keep working to get better."

It took hours of play on a homemade rink in the back yard and an endless amount of time in the family driveway in the summer shooting pucks to get Procyshen a shot at the WHL. There's no telling what he's willing to do to play pro hockey.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make myself successful," he said.

Even if it's taking on the biggest man on the ice.

HAF
01-06-2006, 04:15 PM
This kid is all class!!!

HAF
01-08-2006, 02:10 AM
And he had the game winning goal in OT tonight!!!!