By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Hurricanes captain leading resurgence on and off the ice

Feb 3, 2017 | 9:45 AM

LETHBRIDGE – When Tyler Wong first donned a Hurricanes jersey in 2011-12, the team was struggling through yet another lost season, finishing with an ugly 29-42-0-1 record and well outside the playoff race.

Fast forward five years and things have changed… dramatically.

As of Feb. 3, 2017, the Hurricanes have a solid grasp on a playoff position, sitting second in the Central Division (30-15-4-3) with a 15-point cushion over third place Red Deer. They are also just six-points behind Medicine Hat for the top spot.

At the head of the club is Wong, who is enjoying another standout season personally, posting 72-points (37-goals and 35-assists) through 49 games after putting up 89-points (43-goals and 46-assists) in 72 games in 2015-16. Those numbers have him standing fifth in points and tied for second in goal scoring for the WHL.

In an interview with Lethbridge News Now, Wong was asked about those numbers, and how he’s helped to lift the Hurricanes from the league basement into the playoff picture for a second straight year.

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“I’m just trying to keep it simple,” Wong said following practice at the Enmax Centre. “I think that I’ve been really blessed to be able to play with good players the last few years, and I’ve been able to get opportunities and the coaches have had faith in me. It’s been a pretty cool opportunity for me to be able to play in a great city like this, and to be able to have great teammates and a lot of great friends on the team who have helped me through a lot of ups and downs.

“It’s definitely a big change from the start of my career here,” he continued. “I think that we’ve turned things around, we’ve changed the culture a lot, and kind of changed the way people view this team… I think we’ve really established a more up-tempo kind of game and it’s really paid-off for us. I think we’ve really established that Lethbridge is a place where a lot of guys can come here to develop and to become better players.”

Away from the rink, it’s also become clear that Wong takes his role as team leader seriously, always making time, especially for young fans of the club. In fact, the start of the interview was briefly put on hold when a 10-year old boy asked if Wong would sign his jersey. When the first pen didn’t work, Wong went into the dressing room and came back with another that did the trick. He then talked to the young man briefly, before jumping into the interview.

When asked about the exchange and his willingness to put in the extra effort, the captain offered a slight smile with his answer.

“I think it’s very important for us as WHL players, the guys that have this amazing opportunity to play hockey for a living… It’s a huge opportunity for us as well to give back to the community, for kids that look-up to us, or kids that aren’t able to play hockey or whatever it is, to be able to give back and to even just give them a smile on their face for a day, to be able to skate with them or sign an autograph. To do that is an honour for us.”

From there, the conversation shifted to the upcoming post-season, and on the importance of locking up a playoff spot and erasing the memories of last year’s first round exit. Again, not surprisingly, Wong took the approach that has come to define his time with the Canes, by focusing on the team ahead of himself.

“I think that we definitely have the group that is capable of making a run in the playoffs. Last year we were obviously heart-broken after that loss in the first round, and we were expecting a long playoff run. So, last year just goes to show that once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen,” Wong stated. “If we work hard now, we know it’s going to pay-off in the playoffs, and that’s the most important part, peaking at the right time, being able to come together as a group. Being just a cohesive unit and be able to play an un-selfish brand of hockey.”

Finally, the question came about the captain’s future, as his WHL eligibility expires at the end of this season. He started by discussing his first taste of pro-hockey in 2016.

“My goal is definitely to make the NHL, that’s always been my dream. To get invited to the [Toronto] Maple Leafs development camp and play with the [Toronto] Marlies as well was kind of a step forward for me, and to be able to kind of experience that and see what the next level is like was a huge opportunity for me to be able to gauge myself, where I’m at, and be able to know where I need to improve and be able to set myself up for my future.

“This is my last year, so there’s a little uncertainty. Hopefully I’ll be able to finish the year off strong and set myself up for a good opportunity next year.”

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Into the Hurricane
(Check back every Friday during the regular season for a look at the players you cheer for)

Alec Baer – (Jan. 27, 2017)