Big Easy heading for the big time

Big Easy heading for the big time

Tyler Myers in action during the Buffalo Sabres' 7-2 defeat of the Phoenix Coyotes last week. Myers leads all Sabres and all NHL rookies in ice time.

Photograph by: Christian Petersen, Getty Images, The Province

From the exurb of Katy, Texas, via Calgary, Wilcox, Sask., and Kelowna, the Big Easy arrived in Buffalo all of 19 years old and 6 feet, 10 inches tall.

Tyler Myers digs the nickname, digs playing 23 minutes a game in the NHL, digs shutting down opponents' top lines.

What's not to dig?

"It's been a lot of fun, very exciting," Myers said. "You know, a 19-year-old playing in the NHL, you can't ask for much more."

Born in the outskirts of Houston, Myers moved with his family to Calgary when he was 10 and soon gave up hoop for hockey nets.

After a year playing midget Triple-A for the Notre Dame Hounds, he joined the Kelowna Rockets and went 12th in the defenceman-rich draft of 2008.

Today, Myers, who turns 20 on Feb. 1, is right up there with Matt Duchene and John Tavares as rookie-of-the-year front-runners.

"I honestly didn't know where I'd be at this point," he said. "I'm just trying to stay as consistent as I can."

Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff does a good job of keeping Myers' head screwed on right, not giving too glowing a report, pooh-poohing talk of future Norris trophies and down-playing a Calder.

But the coach has Myers paired with Henrik Tallinder as his top shut-down duo and Myers leads all Sabres, not to mention all rookies, in ice time with 23:22 (defenceman Chris Butler is next on the Sabres, 1½ minutes back).

Entering last night's game with the Canucks, Myers was fourth in rookie scoring, five points behind Duchene. "A rookie year is based on 80 games, we've got 30 games to go," Ruff said. "The season is a grind and we've got to get this kid through that grind."

Myers can seemingly do it all: He had three power-play goals, 29 points in 50 games, plays the PK and makes skating like the wind look effortless.

Just wait until he fills out to a Zdeno Chara-like 250 pounds or so.

"Earlier on I probably was surprised," Sabres goalie Ryan Miller said.

"Not any wmore I'm not. A few years down the line, I think teams will be awful scared of him. Already he gets lots of minutes, he's hard to get around, he's good on coverage.

"When he fills into his frame he's going to be scary."

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