WHL NOTEBOOK: Zimmer eyes end of junior career

When the Brandon Wheat Kings drafted Tyson Zimmer, it was a homecoming for the young forward.

After a season playing prep at the Okanagan Hockey Academy, the Russell product was taken one pick after Nate Danielson, sixth overall, in the 2019 Western Hockey League draft.

“It was really special,” Zimmer said. “I moved away from home when I was 13, so that wasn’t the best on me. It was tough to be away from home and from your family, and then getting drafted close to home with the team I grew up watching and having family and close friends who play on that team when I was growing up … To build relationships like that close to home was really special and something I’ll never take for granted and something I’ll always look back on.”

He is related to Jayce Hawryluk and his family is close to the Pulock family and their son Ryan, the former Wheat Kings captain and current New York Islander.

The other first-rounder taken that year was Rylen Roersma, bringing a trio of highly touted young forwards into the organization. The trio made their debut in the most unusual WHL season in history, the shortened 24-game campaign played in the Regina hub.

Zimmer lived with forward Nolan Ritchie, goalie Ethan Kruger and defenceman Rylan Thiessen during their two-month stay in the Saskatchewan capital.

“It was crazy,” Zimmer said. “You show up on the first day — me and my dad drove up to Regina that day — and we got there and it was kind of hectic. Everyone is wearing masks, everyone is bringing basically their whole wardrobe. You’re there for two or three months. I still have memories to this day of all the stuff we had to go through from that.

“It was probably good at the time that I was in school because I had stuff to keep my mind busy. I’m not sure how guys who weren’t in school did it. We had a lot of times on our hands.”

He had four points in 16 games in the hub as the team went 18-4-2-0 and won the championship.

Zimmer and his draft class will hopefully be the first and only cohort who don’t get to play a home game until they’re in their second season. He finally made his home debut on Oct. 1, 2021

“It was different for sure,” Zimmer said. “It was a long time coming. We all missed the fans, missed our families. Playing with Brandon at home, they always have a lot of Manitoba kids there and there are prairie kids who are close and families can come out and watch. To go that year with no fans or family in attendance, it was tough on everyone, especially our parents, who cared and wanted to watch us.

“To finally get it home in front of our fans was a little weird at first but you adjusted to it pretty quick.”

BIG CHANGE

Zimmer had nine goals and 12 assists in his first full season in 2021-22, and when he came to camp the next fall, the writing was on the wall that he had fallen out of the team’s plans.

On Sept. 27, 2022, the Lethbridge Hurricanes picked up Zimmer for a third-round pick in the 2023 Western Hockey League draft, which was previously acquired from the Red Deer Rebels, and a fifth-round pick in 2024 that previously belonged to the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Zimmer’s first call after he learned about the deal was to his older brother Rylee, the former Regina Pats forward who also played with a handful of teams in the Manitoba and Saskatchewan junior hockey leagues.

“I remember calling my brother, and I don’t like to admit this, but right after I called him I broke down,” Zimmer said. “It was really tough on me. I like to think myself as a big locker room guy — I still am — and I was so invested in those guys and everyone there and my billets and my brother just moved into Brandon and I got to see him a lot.”

Rylee left work to comfort and support his brother, with Tyson adding the worst part might have been telling his billets, Brian and Ashley Stanchuk and their children Dylan and Ryder, It also meant the drive for his parents to watch games went from less than two hours to almost nine.

When he arrived in Lethbridge, Zimmer didn’t know anyone on the team, in part because he had met fewer guys two seasons earlier in the hub. On the ice, it was exactly what he needed. After posting 25 points in 82 games as a Wheat King, Zimmer exploded for career-best numbers of 19 goals and 29 assists in 64 games as he finally earned a spot in the top six.

“I got there and the first thing the coaches and GM said was, ‘We traded for you for a reason. It’s a fresh start,’” Zimmer said. “In Brandon, I never really got the opportunity to showcase who I was as a player and the reason I got drafted high. In Lethbridge, they gave me the chance to be myself again and have fun again. That’s why I play, is because I enjoy the game.”

Zimmer was in his second season with the Hurricanes when the hammer fell again. After earning 23 points in 37 games, he was sent to the Vancouver Giants on Jan. 8, 2024 for forward Colton Langkow, a second-round draft pick in 2024, a third-round draft pick in 2025 and prospect Kai Anderson. While Anderson subsequently signed with Lethbridge, Langkow never reported and didn’t play another WHL game.

Zimmer said getting traded for a second time wasn’t any easier.

“It’s tough for sure,” Zimmer said. “You get so invested in everyone, especially for me. I just love the guys, I love being around the guys. You build these relationships and friendships — I have guys I still talk to every single day — so you go to another locker room where you don’t know anyone. It’s different, but it’s hockey. Guys come in and out all the time and you get to know guys really quick.”

Since he had gone to the Okanagan Hockey Academy to play prep when he was younger, he had some sense of life in British Columbia. But for the kid from Russell, life in Vancouver and its metro population of 2.6 million people was an eye-opener.

“It’s a different place,” Zimmer said with a chuckle. “It’s a lot busier than Penticton.”

He lived about a two-minute drive from the practice rink in Ladner, but the commute to games at Langley Events Centre took anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.

Zimmer was acquired in part to give the Giants an overage option this season as he entered his 20-year-old season. While there is usually some pressure to be an offensive leader as a 20-year-old, Zimmer said there were different ways he could contribute.

“I wanted to be a player who helped out with the younger guys, the guys who are going to be in my shoes one day or hopefully they’re playing pro by my age,” Zimmer said. “Obviously you want to produce, that’s just how it is. If you produce and are winning hockey games, that’s just reality. At the same time, I just wanted to win, and you find ways to help the team win and do whatever that takes.”

He had 25 points in 35 games this season when the shoe dropped for the third time. On Jan. 7, Zimmer was sent to the Wenatchee Wild for Russian forward Maxim Muranov in a swap of overagers.

The Giants were in Prince George that day for a game against the Cougars, and Zimmer had the weird feeling it was happening again so he texted his agent and was reassured that things seemed fine.

After the team went to supper and returned to the hotel, he got a call to come down and meet the coaching staff.

“It was ‘OK, I already know what’s going on,’” Zimmer said. “The three coaches were there and I just said ‘Where? You don’t need to talk to me about anything else, just tell me where.’”

TOUGH DECISION

When he was told it was Wenatchee, especially after thinking he was going to stay and having that taken away from him, he had a decision to make.

“I wasn’t too keen on going to the States and having to transfer everything over and getting to know a new group,” Zimmer said. “I didn’t know anybody on a personal level there so I talked with my agents and told them I wasn’t going to go, I wasn’t really going to be happy doing it.”

Zimmer had a taste of Junior A when he played with the Waywayseecappo Wolverines briefly in the ill-fated pandemic season of 2020-21, and his former Vancouver teammate Kyren Gronick of Regina reached out about potentially joining the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.

“We’re best friends so I called him and told him what happened and didn’t really believe at first,” Zimmer said. “He talked to the GM about it. They had just gotten rid of a 20-year-old — I don’t know how that happened the week before — so it kind of worked out that way. He called me and said, ‘We’ll take you.’”

He flew to Calgary to join the team for a game in Brooks that weekend after nearly a week off the ice. It proved to be a great fit.

In 14 games, Zimmer has five goals and six assists.

“I’m having fun and playing lots, so I won’t complain at all,” Zimmer said. “The weather is great, we’re having fun winning more games now.”

Incredibly, Vernon has played 53 skaters and four goalies this season, according to eliteprospects.com.

Zimmer also took care of some major business this season when he signed with the Niagara Purple Eagles to play NCAA Division I hockey for the 2025-26 season.

He spoke to a couple of schools, but Niagara, which is located a short drive from Niagara Falls in Lewiston, N.Y., showed the most interest.

“They called to offer me, and told me to let them know whenever I felt comfortable, which was the nice part,” Zimmer said. “They weren’t rushing me into anything and saying ‘We need to know now. Obviously they wanted to know sooner than later so they could move on and talk to other people … They cared and didn’t want to rush me into a decision that I wasn’t ready to make.”

He speaks to them a lot now since committing.

While it’s nice to know where his next adventure lies, he’s careful not to overlook the path he’s currently on.

“I’m just taking it day by day, trying to enjoy it,” Zimmer said. “It’s crazy that I’m already in the last month of the regular season of my junior career. It’s mind-blowing that it goes by but at the same time I’m really excited about next year. Everything is going to be completely different playing on weekends only and having to go to school. It’s all going to be completely new but I’m really excited to try it out.”

A LOOK BACK

In 248 career appearances in the WHL, Zimmer had 64 goals and 79 assists for 143 points. He said while his game grew in every area over those five seasons, he never quite found what he was seeking.

“I don’t think I became the player I obviously wanted to be,” Zimmer said. “I’m here now and having a lot of fun and finding my game again like the player I was when I was that young. I’m playing a lot and getting every opportunity in the world to not just be on power play the odd time but I’m out there every time, and playing a lot of penalty kill and five-on-five. It’s good.

“I think I missed out on opportunities that hopefully would have made me a better player than where I’m at now, but at the same time, that’s how it is. Hopefully I keep getting better.”

He still speaks to Ritchie and Ben Thornton almost every day, and visits with his former teammates who come back to Brandon to skate in the summers. It’s the friendships he’ll treasure in the long run.

He still talks to all of his billets too, and feels they don’t get enough recognition for all they do for players.

While his next adventure awaits, he’s still a little surprised it’s ending so quickly.

“It feels like yesterday you’re at your first camp after you’re drafted and you’re 14 or 15,” Zimmer said. “Before you know it we’re in our last month of regular season hockey. It flew by faster than I could have imagined. When you’re 16 or 17, guys are saying it goes by fast and you’re kind of like ‘Ya whatever, I’ve got more years in the league’ and before you know it you’re the oldest on the team and your junior career is done.”

THIS AND THAT

• QUIZ — In honour of Wednesday’s NHL Legends game and the return of Wheat Kings legend Brian Propp, how many team scoring records does he hold?

• WEEKLY AWARDS — The player of the week is 18-year-old Saskatoon Blades forward Hunter Laing of Kelowna, B.C., who had four goals and added an assist for five points in wins over the Prince Albert Raiders. The six-foot-six forward is a prospect of the Calgary Flames.

The goaltender of the week is 17-year-old Vancouver Giants netminder Burke Hood of Brandon, who won both his starts with a 1.00 goals-against average and a dominant .972 save percentage. Hood is 7-2-1-0 in his last 10 appearances.

The rookie of the week is 17-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck, who is in his 16-year-old season. Ruck, who had three goals in two games last week, also won the award on Dec. 9.

• SIN BIN — Former Wheat Kings forward Evan Groening of the Prince George Cougars received four games for an elbowing major and game misconduct at Wenatchee last Tuesday.

Also, Saskatoon Blades rookie forward Zach Olsen earned three games for a game misconduct taken against the Swift Current Broncos on Tuesday.

• ALUMNI GLANCE — Mason Ward, 22, is in his second season at the University of Alberta, where he had three goals and seven assists with 95 penalty minutes in 27 games. The team also includes former Wheat Kings Brett Hyland and Ethan Kruger. Brandon acquired Ward on May 17, 2021 from the Red Deer Rebels for goalie Connor Ungar. The big defenceman played 77 regular season and playoff games with the Wheat Kings, and was dealt as an overager to Swift Current for 19-year-old defenceman Kayden Sadhra-Kang on Jan. 9, 2023.

• BIRTHDAY BOYS — Kirby Law (March 11, 1977), Mike Vandenberghe (March 11, 1972), Chad Silver (March 12, 1969), Troy Kennedy (March 12, 1968), Cam Plante (March 12, 1964), Dale McMullin (March 13, 1955), Aris Brimanis (March 14, 1972), Sean McFatridge (March 14, 1974), Craig Geekie (March 16, 1973), Mark Ardelan (March 16, 1983), Rick Piche (March 17, 1955).

• THE WEEK AHEAD — In the second last week of the regular season, Brandon hosts the Saskatoon Blades on Wednesday at 6 p.m., which will be followed by the National Hockey League legends game. The Wheat Kings then have a home-and-home series with the Moose Jaw Warriors, with Friday’s game at Westoba Place at 7 and Saturday’s game at Moose Jaw Events Centre at 8 p.m. (CDT).

• ANSWER — Propp is all over Brandon’s record book.

CAREER MARKS

— Points — He is Brandon’s all-time career leader in points, with a surreal 511 points in 213 games. Next up are Ray Allison (476 points in 242 games) and Ron Chipperfield (470 points in 252 games). — Goals — Propp is third in goals with 219, behind Chipperfield (261) and Bill Derlago (234), and just ahead of Ray Allison (188) and Kelly Glowa (182).

— Assists — Propp also tops the career assists lead with 292, four more than Allison. Current head coach and general manager Marty Murray is third with 260.

— Penalty minutes — Propp’s 374 career penalty minutes are 44th in the team’s WHL history, well back of all-time leader Randy Ponte and his 1,234 minutes. — Games played — His 213 regular season games played are 67th best in team history.

SINGLE SEASON

— Points — Propp leads with 194 points in 1978-79, just ahead of Ray Ferraro’s 192 in 1983-84 and Propp’s own 182 in 1977-78.

— Goals — His season high of 94 goals in 1978-79 is behind Ferraro’s 108 in 1983-84 and Derlago’s 96 in 1976-77.

— Assists — His seasonal assist totals of 112 in 1977-78 and 100 in 1978-79 are behind Cam Plante’s 118 assists in 1983-84.

— Penalty minutes — His single-season high of 127 penalty minutes in 1978-79 is tied for 164th in team history. His 127 minutes would have led the team in 10 of the last 11 seasons.