Sports is his focus on the ice and in the classroom
Sometimes it is years before a Peterborough Pete returns to the Memorial Centre after their final game with the storied OHL franchise.
However, in recent Petes alumnus Tyler Rollo’s scenario, a virtual reunion with the maroon and white has come within a few years since departing from the team. Rollo was traded to the London Knights in his overage season of 2017-18.
“I was actually drafted to Barrie and I was cut from Barrie for my first two years. Peterborough came up to me and asked me if I wanted to sign with them. It was out of the blue,” said Rollo.
The Burlington native was drafted to the Colts in 2014 and played for the Oakville Blades of the OJHL for the following two seasons. In 2016, at the tail end of an impressive season with the Blades, the Petes acquired Rollo to dress for the final three games late that season.
Rollo would go on to play for the Petes throughout the entire 2016-17 season alongside the likes of Cole Fraser, Matt Spencer and Kyle Jenkins.
In reflecting upon his time in the Patch, Rollo points to the time he spent with his billets, the Farace family, and the 2017 conference final among his fondest moments.
“The Faraces are awesome. I still hang out with them to this day and the guys too. We had a good group. We just had a blast and that is why we were winning so much,” said Rollo.
“(The Faraces) treated me like their own kid. The dad, Joe, is hilarious. They would do anything to help me. They respected me and had good rules.”
In looking back on other strong relationships he formed while in Peterborough, Rollo cites former Petes forward Jonathan Ang as a teammate he shared a particular bond with.
“We hung out almost every day. I still hang out with him now. He’s pretty close to me homewise,” said Rollo.
Although he was part of one of the Petes’ most successful seasons in recent history Rollo, like many who play junior hockey, faced the inevitable at the start of the 2017-18 season: A trade and move to a new city.
“It was tough getting traded especially because of my billet family,” he said.
“I mean it was not really a big surprise. There was a situation with the amount of OAs coming back and it happened to be London.
“My billet family there was super nice as well. Peterborough had a hometown feel where London was more of a city. Very different teams but they are the best teams I could have played for. ”
Rollo finished his OHL career with the Knights in 2018 and continued his hockey journey as a varsity Badger at Brock University.
“I knew the coach coming in Brock, Marty Williamson, and I had heard great things about him. When I came in the program was on the rise and I looked forward to that. Plus my mom went to Brock and it was close to home too,” said Rollo
“I knew the program was on the rise and we were supposed to be pretty good and I think we have lived up to that.”
In comparing the on ice product and competition between the OHL and OUA, Rollo insists the two leagues are comparable.
“Skillwise it’s probably the same. I mean, you don’t have your first-round draft picks but
I think it’s pretty much the same speedwise and skill,” he said.
When he isn’t on the ice the Petes alumnus is in the lecture hall (or for this school year on Zoom) learning the business of sport through Brock’s nationally recognized SPMA program.
“It is interesting. You don’t see what they (the business operations department) is going through when you are a player. Some of the processes you don’t really think about.”
Although he is still ironing out his plans following university, Rollo anticipates that hockey will continue to guide his path.
“I would like to still play hockey. I might go over to Europe for a bit. We will see when the time comes,” Rollo said.
“I could see myself scouting, I love watching that one underdog kid come out of nowhere and make a name for himself so if I could be the guy that helped him through his path that would be awesome.”
In the meantime, the former Pete continues to be tightly connected with his hockey alma mater coming out victorious in the Petes most recent e-sports tournament that featured current players and alumni competing against each other in EA Sports’ NHL20. He continues to visit the Lift Lock City and the Farace family during his time off and serves as an informal ambassador to the Petes.