The Surrey Eagles have officially announced that Tyler Riddle, an 18-year-old forward from Springfield, Pennsylvania, has committed to the team for the 2016-17 season. Riddle spent the majority of last season with the U18 Philadelphia Jr. Flyers of the AYHL. He led his team in scoring with 15 goals and 15 assists in only 22 games.
Weighing in at 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, Riddle is known to be a smart and skilled playmaker. His coach in Philadelphia, Bud Dombroski, describes him as “a consistent player that works hard, and competes every game.” He added, “Tyler is very strong with the puck and should do well in the BCHL next year.”
Although he has never been to Surrey, Riddle explained in an interview with SurreyEagles.ca that the Eagles were his first choice for a variety of reasons.
“I decided not long after my season ended that I wanted to play for the Eagles,” Riddle recalled. “The BCHL is known for highly skilled and fast paced powerhouse type players, and [the Surrey area] seems like one of the most beautiful places in the world.”
The Eagles’ revamped offensive unit contains newcomers Jordan Robert, Jesse Nelson, and Ryan Foley, as well as the recent acquisition of 20-year-old Darius Davidson, and returning forwards Paul McAvoy and Jeff Stewart. Riddle, who models his game after St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko, feels like he will fit in nicely with the group – providing yet another scoring punch.
“I want to make a positive impact in my first season by learning and adapting quickly to the Eagles system,” said Riddle. “I pride myself on my hockey IQ, and ability to quickly make the right decisions in every zone. Even though I was brought in to score goals, I plan on adding a physical element to my game.“
Riddle expects the jump to junior hockey to be a difficult, but smooth transition. The Eagles are extremely excited to be able to land another dynamic forward to their roster.
“Making the jump to the BCHL won’t be easy,” explained Riddle. “You’re playing against the best junior players in North America every night, but I’m more than willing to play in the dangerous areas to set up my teammates.”
