Published: Friday, September 18, 2009
Silvertips Froese has made meteoric rise
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Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald
Silvertips center Byron Froese finished third on the team in scoring last season with 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists).
For two years, Byron Froese was little more than a name on a list.
First it was a training camp invitation list. Twice. Then it was the Everett Silvertips’ 50-player protected list, and finally Everett’s roster.
And each time his name was on a list it generated one overriding reaction: indifference.
Byron Froese, faceless and formless, just another anonymous player whose name conjured up blank stares rather than a buzz of excitement.
So no one was prepared for Froese’s sudden catapult into prominence last season.
Not even Froese himself.
The past calendar year saw Froese rise like a rocket from the hockey hinterlands, transforming from WHL suspect into NHL prospect virtually overnight, and Froese still marvels at the way the past 12 months have unfolded.
“It’s something I never would have expected,” Froese said. “But I need to keep working hard to keep doing what I want to do.”
n n n
Today Froese is a legitimate name in the hockey prospect world. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound center from Winkler, Manitoba, is one of the Silvertips’ top returning players. He’s played for Team Canada and has been drafted into the NHL.
Yet even after all the accolades Froese is still a player who defies easy definition. He has no single skill that stands out — such as Kellan Tochkin’s passing vision or Cameron Abney’s pugilistic abilities — to serve as a quick identifier. He has little flash to his game, eschewing flare in favor of whatever’s going to get the job done. The skill that his coaches appreciate most is his defensive work as a forward, something that doesn’t exactly draw standing ovations from the crowds.
But the things he does are the type that help teams win games. Whether it’s digging the puck out during a battle along the boards, or lifting an opponent’s stick while backchecking, Froese is a master of the little things that make a difference.
And don’t be fooled, Froese does the big things well, too. Last season he finished third on the team in scoring with 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists).
Hard to believe a year earlier nobody knew who he was.
“It is a little surprising,” was new Everett head coach Craig Hartsburg’s reaction to Froese, one of his top new charges, being a complete unknown a year ago. “All kids mature at different stages. Some are full blown when they’re 15 and that’s as good as they get. It happens, but it’s certainly surprising for him.”
Indeed, no one could have predicted Froese’s fate last September.
n n n
Froese’s entire Tips experience going into last season was accompanied by little fanfare. He was invited to Everett’s rookie training camp in 2006 as a 15-year-old, but though he performed well enough to be selected for the Green vs. White game, he was not added to Everett’s protected list. He even went straight from Everett’s camp to the Brandon Wheat Kings’ rookie camp, where he again failed to garner the favor of the team.
The Tips gave Froese another chance in 2007, again inviting him to rookie camp — Everett was just one of two teams, along with Calgary, that deemed Froese worthy of an invite. This time he forced the Tips to pay attention. He led the camp in goals, including four in one game. Everett’s brass was so impressed they not only listed Froese, but signed him to a WHL education contract.
“When I saw him for the first time I saw he was smart, had good hockey sense and could be a playmaker,” said Soetaert, who returned from his one-year hiatus as Everett’s general manager just in time to witness Froese’s rookie-camp exploits. “But he had to get bigger and stronger, and his skating was a question mark.”
After being reassigned Froese slipped back into anonymity among Everett’s 1991-born prospects, with others seeming to be higher on the depth chart. But a turning point came when he was invited to practice with the Tips during their swing through the WHL’s East Division that November.
“That gave me a shot to see where I needed to be the next year,” Froese explained. “It really helped out.”
Said Soetaert: “That was a real eye-opener for him. He got a feel for the pace and the size of the guys, and it showed him the bar he had to reach. So he made the commitment to put in the hard work to develop his body, get stronger and work on his skating.”
Froese worked hard over the summer and arrived at last year’s camp ready to compete physically. On the bubble when training camp began, he earned a roster spot and began the season on the fourth line, where he saw limited action and notched just two assists in Everett’s first eight games.
But bigger things were ahead.
n n n
Froese spent the first three weeks of last season in a limited role, but small signs foreshadowed his future. He was put on Everett’s penalty kill, despite being a 17-year-old rookie, and quickly became a fixture.
Then came the moment that not only changed Froese’s trajectory, but became the prevailing positive story of Everett’s season. On Oct. 15 the Tips were getting hammered in a game at Vancouver. Looking for a lifeline, the Tips thrust Froese onto a line with fellow 17-year-old rookies Tochkin and Tyler Maxwell. That move spurred the Tips to a third-period comeback that turned into an improbable 4-3 shootout victory, and the legend of the Kid Line was formed.
The Kid Line took the league by storm, with Froese playing the role of the two-way forward who won the puck and got it to his skilled linemates.
“He’s always getting me and Maxie loose pucks,” Tochkin said. “He’s kind of the one who starts everything for us, then me and Maxie finish it off. He’s a guy who goes under the radar a little bit because he’s that hard-working player.”
Well, not completely under the the radar. By midseason he was catching the eye of NHL scouts, as well as opposing coaches. Portland coach Mike Johnston, who coached Canada at the U-18 World Championships certainly took notice, selecting Froese to participate in the tournament. A complete newcomer to the Hockey Canada setup, Froese would have expected a perepheral role. Instead his experience with Team Canada mirrored his experience with the Tips. He came out of nowhere, moved up the ranks and finished third on the team in scoring with four goals and three assists in six games.
“I went into it was the mindset I’d be a fourth-line center, just playing a role and kind of cheering the team on,” Froese said. “It turned out to be totally different. Mike Johnston gave me the chance to play and I just took advantage of it.”
Froese’s surge continued over the summer when the Blackhawks took him in the fourth round, 119th overall, completing Froese’s rapid rise from obscurity.
n n n
Froese was no longer just a name on a list when he arrived at Everett’s training camp this year. Having made a name for himself, he’s now being counted on to be an integral part of the squad, as well as take on some leadership responsibilities.
It’s a far cry from one year earlier, when a nervous Froese was just hoping to make enough of an impression to earn a roster spot.
“It’s been an incredible year,” Froese’s father, John, said. “It’s been a lot of fun watching it happen, seeing how he’s taken it upon himself to work hard with a desire to succeed.
“But I haven’t seen him change a lot,” John Froese added. “He’s very focused on what he wants and where he wants to go. He’s very even-headed and he’ll make sure he keeps working hard.”
It’s a different experience heading into this season for Froese, being a known instead of an unknown. He no longer has to stress over whether he’s going to make the team — “Last year when I came I didn’t know what to bring, I didn’t know what to pack because I didn’t know if I was going to be here or not,” he said — but now there’s expectations and responsibilities.
However, he seems to be embracing those responsibilities.
“This year I can be the example instead of trying to follow the example,” he said.
And when his name crops up on lists now, Froese no longer has to worry about whether it will be recognized.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
First it was a training camp invitation list. Twice. Then it was the Everett Silvertips’ 50-player protected list, and finally Everett’s roster.
And each time his name was on a list it generated one overriding reaction: indifference.
Byron Froese, faceless and formless, just another anonymous player whose name conjured up blank stares rather than a buzz of excitement.
So no one was prepared for Froese’s sudden catapult into prominence last season.
Not even Froese himself.
The past calendar year saw Froese rise like a rocket from the hockey hinterlands, transforming from WHL suspect into NHL prospect virtually overnight, and Froese still marvels at the way the past 12 months have unfolded.
“It’s something I never would have expected,” Froese said. “But I need to keep working hard to keep doing what I want to do.”
n n n
Today Froese is a legitimate name in the hockey prospect world. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound center from Winkler, Manitoba, is one of the Silvertips’ top returning players. He’s played for Team Canada and has been drafted into the NHL.
Yet even after all the accolades Froese is still a player who defies easy definition. He has no single skill that stands out — such as Kellan Tochkin’s passing vision or Cameron Abney’s pugilistic abilities — to serve as a quick identifier. He has little flash to his game, eschewing flare in favor of whatever’s going to get the job done. The skill that his coaches appreciate most is his defensive work as a forward, something that doesn’t exactly draw standing ovations from the crowds.
But the things he does are the type that help teams win games. Whether it’s digging the puck out during a battle along the boards, or lifting an opponent’s stick while backchecking, Froese is a master of the little things that make a difference.
And don’t be fooled, Froese does the big things well, too. Last season he finished third on the team in scoring with 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists).
Hard to believe a year earlier nobody knew who he was.
“It is a little surprising,” was new Everett head coach Craig Hartsburg’s reaction to Froese, one of his top new charges, being a complete unknown a year ago. “All kids mature at different stages. Some are full blown when they’re 15 and that’s as good as they get. It happens, but it’s certainly surprising for him.”
Indeed, no one could have predicted Froese’s fate last September.
n n n
Froese’s entire Tips experience going into last season was accompanied by little fanfare. He was invited to Everett’s rookie training camp in 2006 as a 15-year-old, but though he performed well enough to be selected for the Green vs. White game, he was not added to Everett’s protected list. He even went straight from Everett’s camp to the Brandon Wheat Kings’ rookie camp, where he again failed to garner the favor of the team.
The Tips gave Froese another chance in 2007, again inviting him to rookie camp — Everett was just one of two teams, along with Calgary, that deemed Froese worthy of an invite. This time he forced the Tips to pay attention. He led the camp in goals, including four in one game. Everett’s brass was so impressed they not only listed Froese, but signed him to a WHL education contract.
“When I saw him for the first time I saw he was smart, had good hockey sense and could be a playmaker,” said Soetaert, who returned from his one-year hiatus as Everett’s general manager just in time to witness Froese’s rookie-camp exploits. “But he had to get bigger and stronger, and his skating was a question mark.”
After being reassigned Froese slipped back into anonymity among Everett’s 1991-born prospects, with others seeming to be higher on the depth chart. But a turning point came when he was invited to practice with the Tips during their swing through the WHL’s East Division that November.
“That gave me a shot to see where I needed to be the next year,” Froese explained. “It really helped out.”
Said Soetaert: “That was a real eye-opener for him. He got a feel for the pace and the size of the guys, and it showed him the bar he had to reach. So he made the commitment to put in the hard work to develop his body, get stronger and work on his skating.”
Froese worked hard over the summer and arrived at last year’s camp ready to compete physically. On the bubble when training camp began, he earned a roster spot and began the season on the fourth line, where he saw limited action and notched just two assists in Everett’s first eight games.
But bigger things were ahead.
n n n
Froese spent the first three weeks of last season in a limited role, but small signs foreshadowed his future. He was put on Everett’s penalty kill, despite being a 17-year-old rookie, and quickly became a fixture.
Then came the moment that not only changed Froese’s trajectory, but became the prevailing positive story of Everett’s season. On Oct. 15 the Tips were getting hammered in a game at Vancouver. Looking for a lifeline, the Tips thrust Froese onto a line with fellow 17-year-old rookies Tochkin and Tyler Maxwell. That move spurred the Tips to a third-period comeback that turned into an improbable 4-3 shootout victory, and the legend of the Kid Line was formed.
The Kid Line took the league by storm, with Froese playing the role of the two-way forward who won the puck and got it to his skilled linemates.
“He’s always getting me and Maxie loose pucks,” Tochkin said. “He’s kind of the one who starts everything for us, then me and Maxie finish it off. He’s a guy who goes under the radar a little bit because he’s that hard-working player.”
Well, not completely under the the radar. By midseason he was catching the eye of NHL scouts, as well as opposing coaches. Portland coach Mike Johnston, who coached Canada at the U-18 World Championships certainly took notice, selecting Froese to participate in the tournament. A complete newcomer to the Hockey Canada setup, Froese would have expected a perepheral role. Instead his experience with Team Canada mirrored his experience with the Tips. He came out of nowhere, moved up the ranks and finished third on the team in scoring with four goals and three assists in six games.
“I went into it was the mindset I’d be a fourth-line center, just playing a role and kind of cheering the team on,” Froese said. “It turned out to be totally different. Mike Johnston gave me the chance to play and I just took advantage of it.”
Froese’s surge continued over the summer when the Blackhawks took him in the fourth round, 119th overall, completing Froese’s rapid rise from obscurity.
n n n
Froese was no longer just a name on a list when he arrived at Everett’s training camp this year. Having made a name for himself, he’s now being counted on to be an integral part of the squad, as well as take on some leadership responsibilities.
It’s a far cry from one year earlier, when a nervous Froese was just hoping to make enough of an impression to earn a roster spot.
“It’s been an incredible year,” Froese’s father, John, said. “It’s been a lot of fun watching it happen, seeing how he’s taken it upon himself to work hard with a desire to succeed.
“But I haven’t seen him change a lot,” John Froese added. “He’s very focused on what he wants and where he wants to go. He’s very even-headed and he’ll make sure he keeps working hard.”
It’s a different experience heading into this season for Froese, being a known instead of an unknown. He no longer has to stress over whether he’s going to make the team — “Last year when I came I didn’t know what to bring, I didn’t know what to pack because I didn’t know if I was going to be here or not,” he said — but now there’s expectations and responsibilities.
However, he seems to be embracing those responsibilities.
“This year I can be the example instead of trying to follow the example,” he said.
And when his name crops up on lists now, Froese no longer has to worry about whether it will be recognized.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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