Superman has found a new home, and it just so happens to be along the Buffalo Sabres blueline.
For Sabres fans, watching the team begin the 2009-10 season 7-1-1 has been a treat. What's been an even bigger surprise, however, has been the standout play of the club's newest defenseman.
Drafted 12th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, Myers has been nothing short of spectacular in his short career in the National Hockey League. Standing at 6-foot 7-inches, the 19-year-old resembles more of an NBA center than an NHL blue-liner. When he laces up a pair of skates, the Sabres have a 7-foot skyscraper on ice.
Through his first nine games, Myers leads all Buffalo defenseman with two goals and is sixth on the team with five points. Myers also ranks third on the team, averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game.
He is currently seventh in the NHL with a plus/minus rating of plus-eight. His defensive partner, Henrik Tallinder, ranks fourth in the league at plus-nine. After coming off one of the worst years of his career, Tallinder had seemingly punched his ticket out of Buffalo by season's end. But Myers has resurrected Tallinder's career, and the pairing is quickly becoming a top duo in the NHL.
After making the roster following training camp, Myers's spot on the team was all but guaranteed. He was still eligible to return to Kelowna of the Western Hockey League. But under NHL rule, once a rookie plays his 10th game in the pros, he becomes ineligible to return to juniors.
With the Sabres' 10th game Thursday night, it was decision time for Lindy Ruff.
Thankfully, Ruff realized the team had something special in the palm of their hands and announced that Myers would remain in Buffalo for the remainder of the season.
Kudos, Lindy.
Buffalo would have been foolish to let No. 57 return to the junior ranks. Last year with the Rockets, Myers finished the season with a career-high 42 points. He had 20 points in the post-season, led Kelowna to a WHL Championship, and was named playoff MVP. He had nothing left to prove.
To be completely honest, I've never seen a hockey player of his type. Aside from his size, Myers possesses an unusual skill-set that puts him in the spotlight.
For a player of his stature, Myers has shown freakish athleticism. His smooth skating displays unique speed. His shot from the point is powerful and accurate. His soft hands allow him to stick handle effortlessly and he has shown a knack for creating and joining an offensive rush.
In the defensive zone, Myers has shown great poise and patience. He is strong on the puck along the boards and is calm in organizing the breakout. With a stick that looks more like a javelin, Myers has shown ease in fending off forecheckers and poke checking incoming forwards to break up an attack.
The lone question on Myers is his physicality. He has shown that he can absorb a hit against the boards in his own zone, but hasn't shown the nastiness of a Chris Pronger or Zdeno Chara.
Then again, he is only 19 years old. He is still expected to tack on another 20-30 pounds of muscle to his frame.
That's a scary thought.
Myers's potential is out of this world. He will be in consideration for Rookie of the Year by season's end and should get used to wearing an Eastern Conference All-Star jersey. He might as well make room in his trophy case for future Norris Trophies.
I'll admit I'm jumping to conclusions on the youngster and I'm fine with that.
The future is bright in Buffalo for Tyler Myers. If I were a betting man, I'd place my chips on Myers signing the richest contract in team history. In the near future, he will wear the ‘C' on his chest, and one day, bring Lord Stanley's Cup home to Buffalo.
E-mail: joe.paterno@ubspectrum.com
