BCHLer to watch for at Blades camp....

Tyler Matheson who played for the Victoria Grizzlies in the BCHL last year is a Blades prospect and will be trying out in the fall. He's 19 and looks to be known more for his aggressiveness then his offense but he has put up some points in the BCHL. Hopefully he won't be another Mike Reich. The thing that's interesting is that he already had a NHL try out last year with Vancouver and at one point was listed or invited to camp by the Rockets.

One of a few prospects to watch at Blades camp. Geoff Courtnall who was the Grizzlies head coach believes he can have a good junior season with the Blades so hopefully he's rite. Could be a replacement for a veteran like Wintoneak if he's traded if Kytnar and Hulak are both back as 20's.

Tyler will be good role player for the Blades. In today's hockey the best comparison I can come up with is a Dustin Byfuglein type player but not quite as big. He has been a late bloomer and is coming off a season where he spent a lot of time on the sideline with a serious injury. There is no doubting his commitment, he'll bring all he's got to every shift.:thumb:

that makes things more interesting...

No shoes too big for versatile Grizzly
Matheson missed the final game of the season with mono (mononucleosis) but is a hopeful to be healthy for round two of the BCHL playoffs.
Sharon Tiffin/News staff

With a roster chock-full of top B.C. Hockey League talent, there’s been plenty of shuffling on the Victoria Grizzlies forward lines to find an extra spark in a season of high expectations.

So when the team suddenly found itself short a man on defence, it was only natural it slide a forward back to fill in the hole.

“(Head coach) Geoff Courtnall and (assistant coach) Victor Gervais came and asked me if I wanted to play defence with the spots open because of injury. I said yes,” said Tyler Matheson.

It was just after the Christmas break when defenceman Jeff Forsythe went down with injury and the edgy Matheson played his first game on the blue-line.

“I enjoy it, especially playing with (Lee) Baldwin,” said Matheson. “He’s a top defenceman in this league.”

Defence isn’t new to Matheson.

When the 18 year old broke in with the Grizz last season he played his first 15 games on defence before Jackson Penney, who was the coach at the time, moved the rugged D-man up front.

Since that time he’s earned a league-wide reputation as a hard-working forechecker who plays a physical game and is ready to throw down the gloves with anyone.

“It’s a different ball game now,” said Matheson, who is the only Grizzlie with 100-plus penalty minutes.

With the return of former RBC Cup defenceman Forsythe, Matheson said he’s willing to stay on defence or return to the forward position.

“You never know, it all depends where the team needs me. I try to do whatever the team needs me to,” he said.

With the club on a mission to earn its way to the RBC Cup championship this season, winning is all about good habits. And Matheson, like the rest of the crew, has looked solid down the home stretch.

By moving the puck well and creating breakouts to shutting down opponent’s top lines, Matheson has stepped up and allowed partner Baldwin to jump into the play offensively.

“I love playing with (Matheson),” said Baldwin. “He’s intense, he gets me going and he’s solid out there.”

At the end of the season the Grizzlies owned the league’s second best defence, having allowed just 159 goals against, a stat that has plenty to do with the talent and work ethic of the team.

The dividends from the team's solid defence have crept in the offensive numbers of the rearguards. Baldwin is on pace to double his 25 points from last year, granted he played a shortened season of just 35 games.

And for Matheson, that’s not surprising. “He makes me look good, I can’t complain.”

Seems like a good player. Interesting how he declined the Rockets invite. Hopefully he reports to the Blades. If we get him and he plays defence, Brendon Wall will have to prove himself again.

if the new guy is put on defense, I'd rather see him at forward though.

If they expect Matheson to play defence in the dub he will have to improve his backwards skating by 100% over the summer. Best to just leave him on the wing and let him own the boards.