PARSONS GETS TASTE OF PRO HOCKEY IN STOCKTON
Flames’ goaltending prospect goes from OHL’s Knights to AHL’s Heat
He’s a very quick, very athletic goaltender. … He’s a hard guy to score on. What jumps out at you is how competitive he is.
Tyler Parsons saw his junior hockey career come to an end in abrupt fashion, a 5-4 overtime loss in Game 7 of the second round of Ontario Hockey League playoffs.
The next thing he knew, the 19-year-old Calgary Flames goaltending prospect was en route to California from London, Ont., and cruising over the Golden Gate Bridge into the San Francisco airport. A few hours after that, he was in Stockton and getting ready to join the American Hockey League playoff-bound Heat.
In other words, the reflection of a three-year stint with the London Knights — which included 17 straight wins en route to a Memorial Cup victory in 2016 and a world junior gold medal this past winter — hasn’t exactly happened yet.
“When I got to Stockton, I kind of had to let it go pretty fast. I’ve got some work to do here,” Parsons was saying Friday as the Heat prepared to take on the San Jose Barracuda in Game 3 of their firstround series.
“I haven’t really had time to stop and think about it yet.
“I’m sure over the summer time I will. But it’s just one of those things, something ends and then you’re back at it with something else. I’m really excited to be here and I’m having a lot of fun meeting everyone and getting to know my new teammates.”
Truth be told, Parsons is familiar with a few of them, having participated in last year’s training camp with the Flames. Along with London Knights teammate and sixth overall selection Matthew Tkachuk, Parsons was selected in the second round (54th overall) of the 2016 NHL draft.
While Tkachuk was busy ripping it up in the National Hockey League this season, Parsons was tending twine with the Knights. In 34 games during the 2016-17 campaign, he compiled a 23-6-3 record, a 2.37 goals against average, and .925 save percentage (which was tops in the OHL in relation to games played).
In the post-season, he continued a personal streak of eight overtime wins before the Knights lost in Game 7. The streak had dated back to the Memorial Cup final (which went into overtime) and included all three of Team USA’s medalround victories at the world junior championship, and a three-win comeback over the Windsor Spitfires in the 2017 OHL post-season.
But, with the Stockton Heat, this is Parsons first taste of professional hockey.
“It’s good to be around the AHL atmosphere, especially at this time during the season in playoffs,” said Parsons who is rooming with Heat forward Mikkel Aagaard. “It’s another level. I’m just seeing how life is and how everything works. It’s another level. I’ve been getting in some practice and a few reps. It’s definitely a good thing joining Stockton on a playoff run.”
Parsons inked a three-year entry level contract with the Flames on March 19 and since he turns 20 on Sept. 18, chances are, he will be playing for the Heat in 2017-18.
Heat head coach Ryan Huska had a first viewing of Parsons last summer at Flames development camp.
“You kind of had a realization at the type of goaltender he is,” Huska said. “He’s a very quick, very athletic goaltender. Our thoughts of him and his ability hasn’t changed. He’s a hard guy to score on. What jumps out at you is how competitive he is. He’s similar to (Heat goalie) David Rittich in that he doesn’t like to be beat. However the save has to be made, he’s going to try his hardest to make that save.
“You appreciate that about him.” Heading into Friday’s Game 3, the Heat were knotted 1-1 with the Barracuda as the series shifted to Stockton. Game 4 is slated for Sunday while Game 5 is on Tuesday at San Jose.
Parsons hasn’t drawn into an AHL game yet. Jon Gillies was between the pipes for a 4-0 blanking by the Barracuda in Game 1 and was pulled in Game 2 after allowing three goals on 20 shots before Rittich came in and backstopped the team to a 6-4 victory.
But Huska isn’t afraid to put him in. “We know he’s a viable option for us, should we need to go in that direction,” he said.
Regardless, right now, the experience of being with the Flames’ AHL farmhands has value in itself.
“They are bigger and have faster shots, so that’s a bit of an adjustment,” Parsons said. “I wanted to get up here when my junior season ended and get used to that and get ready for camp coming up at the end of the summer. The biggest thing for me it’s my first time in California. So, it’s been pretty cool to experience that.”