 Rookie forward Tyler J. Brown is featured in this edition of “Breaking the Ice with…” The feature showcases different Whalers so we can get to know them.
Selected by the Whalers in the 8th round (159th overall) in the 2007 OHL Entry Draft, Brown won the State and National Championship in 2006-07 with BelleTire. He shares his name with fellow teammate Tyler G. Brown. The Westland, Michigan, native, took a few minutes before a summer workout to help us break the ice and chat about playing for Compuware when he was younger, living at home while playing for the Whalers, and what is was like to have cameras follow him around school.
» On how he started playing hockey…
“I started playing when I was three because my dad had always played hockey and he got me into it.”
» On his most memorable goal…
“My most memorable goal was scoring the 2007 National Championship game-winner at Fraser for BelleTire. It was a wrist shot from the top of the circle in the second period and we ended up winning the
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Brown was named the MVP of the OTTF Spring Classic in 2001 as a member of the Compuware Ambassadors. |
game 2-1.”
» On his youth hockey highlight…
“Winning the 2007 National Championship with BelleTire.”
» On what championships he has won…
“I won states with Compuware, 2 state championships with BelleTire, and one national championship with BelleTire.”
» On his most embarrassing hockey moment…
“One of my first OHL games, we were in Erie and we were running on to the ice and my stick got caught in the door and snapped in half.”
» On his rookie year adjustments…
“The game is a lot faster so I had to deal with the speed of the game and moving the puck faster. I had to work on my speed and quickness and I’m getting better at that.”
» On who has influenced him in hockey…
“My dad. He has always been there for me and tries to help me out.”
» On if he has played with any of the guys before…
”I’ve played with Beau (Schmitz) since I was 10. I played at Compuware and his dad (Darrin) was my coach, but then I left Compuware to go to BelleTire and played with RJ (Mahalak) and Beau there.”
» On who he tries to model his game after…
“I don’t pick a player and try to play like him, but growing up in Detroit I have always liked Steve Yzerman.”
» On what he should bring to the team…
“I always play hard and like to be physical. Just work hard, do everything I’m supposed to do on the ice, play my position well, and play good defense.”
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At the 2002 Ottawa International Festival, Brown (top) chases after a puck in the championship game against the Waterloo Saints' Chad Lowry, who now plays for the Peterborough Petes. Brown scored twice in the game as Compuware won 5-1. |
» On living at home instead of the with a billet family…
“I like it so much. I’m treated the same, I have the same friends, and can be with my family all the time. I have two younger brothers. Riley is 13 and he plays hockey too and then my little brother, Bryce, is 20 months old, so it's nice to still be around them. I still go to the same high school and didn’t have to adjust to a new place, new school, and trying to make new friends. I like it so much better since I didn’t have to move away. That’s one of the main reasons I picked the OHL and Plymouth, since I didn’t have to move away to play for the Whalers.”
» On picking major junior over college…
“I thought it fit my style of play better and I could still get my education while playing great hockey near my home.”
» On if he grew up watching the Whalers…
“I used to play for Compuware and the Whalers always had games after our games, so I’d stay and watch. My dad loved hockey, so he always brought us to the games.”
» On the toughest player he has played against…
“Steve Stamkos because he was great against us every game.”
» On going to the U.S. Select 17 Camp…
”I’ve been going to Selects for the last 4 years, so I know a lot of people there. This year, I knew over half the guys that were there. Once I found out I made the U-18 Team I was excited. I called Beau because I thought he was going to make it since he’s one of the best defensemen. Now we’re going to play in the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament and he’s the only guy I know on the team.”
 » On if he has any superstitions…
“No, I don’t like superstitions.”
» On if he has any nicknames…
“I guess TJ or Brownie.”
» On his favorite class in school…
“My favorite class last year was psychology and my favorite teacher taught that class. I’m probably going to take the next level in psychology this year because I liked it so much.”
» On his typical day…
“I wake up at 7, go to school by 7:30, and get out of school at 1:25. I get to the rink at 1:35 with practice starting at 2. I usually stay at the rink until 5:30, go home, eat dinner, do my homework, and go to sleep.”
» On his pre-game routine…
“I usually wake up at 10 or 11 and have breakfast, then go back to sleep for a little bit. I wake up at 2 and have a little dinner and just relax until game time. I get to the rink around 4:30, tape my sticks, and get ready for the game.”
» On being follwed around school by Fox Sports Detroit for a feature…
“It was weird since I don’t really tell people that I play for the Whalers. If they ask I will talk to them about it, but I don’t make a big point that I’m a Whaler. Some people know, but they don’t really understand. They think I should just play high school hockey. So that day, I had cameras following me around and everyone was wondering why they were doing that for me. It was cool, but I didn’t like all that attention.”
» On if there is anything behind his jersey number 29…
“I was pretty much the last person to pick my number and there were like 2 numbers left and the other one was 38, so 29 won.”
» On what he'd be doing if he didn't play hockey…
“If I wasn’t a hockey player, I’d probably be playing baseball for my high school. I’d be playing a different sport like baseball or football. I used to play baseball and roller hockey, so I'm be active in some sport.”
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Brown scores his first OHL goal against former Whaler Michal Neuvirth on November 16, 2007. |
» On having another Tyler Brown on the team…
“It was kind of weird. When I was first watching the draft, I thought it was strange that there were two Tyler Brown’s that were eligible to be drafted. Once we both got drafted to the same team it was weird and then we both ended up making the team. He’s one of my best friends on the team, so it has been great.”
» On what the 'J' stands for in Tyler J. Brown…
“Joseph.”
» On his dream goal…
“Stanley Cup, Game 7, overtime, like everyone would say, and I’d score on a breakaway.”
» On the craziest thing that has happened on the road…
“We were playing in Kingston and I was sitting on the bench. An old guy ran down the stands and tried to climb over and get into our bench and then I saw two security guards tackle him before he got to us. It was pretty crazy.”
» On what reality TV show he'd be on…
“Survivor. I’d have no friends because I would injure everybody and try to win.”
 » On his funniest teammate…
“Andrew Fournier.”
» On what one thing he could not live without…
“Food. Before it was especially cheeseburgers, but I’m getting better with that.”
» On his dream vacation…
“Somewhere hot, like California since I have never been there.”
» On the person he'd most like to meet…
“Taylor Swift.”
» On if he'd change any rules in hockey…
“The puck over the glass rule because I got like 4 of those penalties this year.”
» On what other players he would want on the ice with him…
“I’d be on the wing with Steve Yzerman at center and Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg on the opposite wing - I’ll go with Datsyuk. Then I’d go with Dion Phaneuf on the point with Nicklas Lidstrom. Then the goalie would be Patrick Roy - no, I’d go with Chris Osgood. Actually, I’d have Ryan Miller in net.”
-Natalie Shaver, July 24th, 2008-
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