LYNNWOOD — Tyler Maxwell and Ryan White have a lot in common.
They’re both 17-year-old forwards with offensive potential. They’re both Americans playing what’s essentially a Canadian game. They were even taken with back-to-back picks in the second round of the 2007 United States Hockey League (the top junior league based solely in the U.S.) futures draft.
However, their routes to the Western Hockey League and the Everett Silvertips took decidedly different paths.
“Different paths for different boys,” Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said with a chuckle. “It’s kind of interesting, you just don’t know sometimes how it’s going to go. It’s good, we like both boys. They’ve taken different ways to get here and we’re happy they decided to play in our league.”
As Everett prospects, Maxwell and White both fell into the category of “gambles.” For most American players, the Canadian Hockey League is the second choice to the NCAA, and playing in the CHL — of which the WHL is a member — burns a player’s NCAA eligibility. Therefore, using a bantam draft pick or a spot on the 50-player protected list on an American, without a prior firm commitment, is a risk. Historically Everett’s had some successes in this regard (most notably Peter Mueller), but more often the Tips have swung and missed (Kyle Okposo, Blake Wheeler, David Fischer).
The Tips managed to connect on both Maxwell and White, signing them to WHL education contracts last Friday. But the paths each took to that contract were of vastly differing lengths.
For Maxwell, it all came together in a flash.
The Tips’ braintrust was attending the USA Hockey regional under-17 select camp in Kent in June. Maxwell, from Manhattan Beach, Calif., was one of the participants. Impressed, Soetaert called Maxwell to gage his interest in the WHL. Maxwell, who had been listed by Kamloops previously, said he had none.
But it turned out that wasn’t the end of the story.
“About a month after that we got a phone call from him, and we sent him some information on our organization,” Soetaert said. “After he looked at that he called Jay (Varady, Everett’s associate head coach) and asked him some questions. That started to build a little bit of a relationship.”
Maxwell agreed to come to training camp, but without signing any agreement, thus keeping his NCAA eligibility intact if he decided Everett wasn’t the place for him.
Fortunately for the Tips, he felt right at home.
“I came and visited here and everything seemed pretty perfect,” said Maxwell, who was deciding between Everett and Des Moines of the USHL. “So I just decided this is the right place for me.
“I think the level of play is greater,” Maxwell added about his decision. “After being in the USHL (for a handful of games last season) and being here, I realized this was the place for me.”
For Maxwell the recruitment process took a little more than two months. But for White it’s been more than two years.
The Tips selected White, a resident of Parker, Colo., in the seventh round of the 2006 bantam draft. At the time White was considered a first-round talent, but slipped because of doubts whether he’d ever play in the WHL.
The Tips brought White and his family to visit Everett on multiple occasions. However, it didn’t seem to have the desired effect. White didn’t attend training camp as a 15-year-old. He was slated to attend last year, but changed his mind at the last minute.
Then, in one of those strange twists of fate, it wasn’t until White was dropped off Everett’s protected list that he finally decided to try out for the team.
“He wasn’t coming to our camp, so we decided to drop him,” Soetaert said. “Then out of the clear blue he calls me and says he’s going to come to our camp. He showed up on his own dime, paid his own way, came out and made our hockey club.”
For White it was the culmination of years of deliberation.
“It’s been back and forth, deciding whether I want to go to college or the Dub,” White said. “Last year I didn’t think I was ready, honestly. I think this year, hopefully I am.
“I’m not really sure what finally tipped it,” White added. “When I came out here and watched a few games a couple years ago, I liked it. Then the tryouts and main camp were awesome.”
So it’s been a fruitful offseason for Everett on the recruiting front, and the Tips hope these victories can help lead to more in the future.
“It not only helps our team out, but helps educate people in their area that this is a great option,” Everett coach John Becanic said. “It really opens doors the next time you start to recruit because if you have any success with kids from that area, they go back and speak of their positive experiences. So from an organization standpoint I think it’s huge.”
And the Tips will take every successful recruiting effort they can get, no matter how long it takes.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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