Fans who attend the open practices and summer showdown game at Canucks prospect development camp next week will be eager to see the likes of Quinn Hughes, Jett Woo, and Tyler Madden in person. Some of the most intriguing names on the camp roster, however, are the undrafted and unsigned invitees.
To clarify, the invitees are undrafted and unsigned by the Canucks. A few of the invitees have actually been drafted by an NHL team, but went unsigned by the team that selected them. One of those players is the subject of the next PITB invitee profile: Tyler Soy.
Tyler Soy – Centre
6’0″ – 170 lbs – Feb 10, 1997 (21)
Cloverdale, BC
Victoria Royals (66-36-56-92)
Tyler Soy was selected in the seventh round of the 2016 draft by the Anaheim Ducks. It was his second year of draft eligibility, but he was definitely worth a pick, as it was surprising he didn’t get picked in 2015.
In 2015, Soy was ranked 87th overall by International Scouting Services and 78th among North American skaters by Central Scouting, and he was expected to be a mid-round pick. Instead he slipped through undrafted until the following year, where he was one of the final picks of 2016.
The Ducks had two years to sign Soy to a contract, but the June 1st deadline came and went without Soy putting pen to paper. That makes him an unrestricted free agent: Anaheim’s loss might be Vancouver’s gain.
Soy had a superb over-age season in the WHL, so it’s not entirely clear why the Ducks didn’t give him a contract. The playmaking centre had 36 goals and 92 points in 66 games, finishing second on the Victoria Royals in scoring behind 5’7” wunderkind Matthew Phillips. His 1.39 points-per-game was good for 14th in the WHL this season.
It’s not like this was a flash in the pan for Soy either. He’s been a point-per-game player or better over the last three seasons and came just short in his first year of draft eligibility on a terrible Royals team.
Over five WHL seasons, including his rookie year as a 16-year-old, Soy has 151 goals and 327 points in 323 games. His 151 goals and 327 points are Royals records.
Soy can score in multiple ways, from a big slap shot to a sneaky snap shot. He’s also an excellent skater, with good top speed and lateral movement. When he has the puck on his stick, Soy is an exciting player to watch, as he hits gaps with speed and pushes defencemen back.
While Soy’s speed and shot are clear assets, he’s primarily a playmaker, and excels at finding his teammates in open ice. He’s frequently described as a smart player, and you can see it on the ice, as he slips into prime scoring areas unnoticed or makes a surprise pass against the grain that catches the defence unaware.
How can you not root for a playmaking centre who lends himself so easily to puns: every elevated pass is Soy Sauce.
While Soy is a talented offensive player, there are some question marks.
Soy is certainly on the smaller side, at just 170 lbs on his 6’0” frame, but he uses his skating to evade hits and isn’t afraid of going to the tough areas of the ice. If he wants to excel in professional hockey, however, he’ll need to add some more heft.
While Soy is great with the puck on his stick, there are concerns away from the puck, though his speed makes him dangerous on the forecheck. Does he battle hard enough for the puck in the defensive zone? Will he win puck battles at the professional level? Soy has also not added weight since back in 2015, as he weighed in at the NHL Scouting Combine at 172 lbs.
The question then, is whether Soy’s offensive attributes outweigh the other concerns with his game. Soy looks good when viewed through an analytics lens, as he puts up points at both even-strength and the power play, and regularly outscored his opponents at a higher rate than his teammates.
Soy had an unfortunate end to a stellar WHL career. He was limited to just one playoff game against the Vancouver Giants, but made the most of it, recording a hattrick before leaving the game due to another injury. Perhaps it was concerns over his injury history — he missed a large chunk of the 2016-17 season — that kept the Ducks from signing Soy.
His three goals helped set yet another franchise record: 17 postseason goals. At the very least, he’s one of the greatest players in Victoria Royals history. Whether that means he has an NHL future is another question, but he seems like he’d be a great signing for the Utica Comets, who are in need of playmaking centres.
