Performance
Tyler Myers is a bit of a funny case. He was a mess both on the paper and by the eye test in Buffalo, but he made some big waves post-trade with the Winnipeg Jets. Myers scored and he scored a lot. In what many are hoping is a return to form for the giant-sized defender, Myers piled up points. He finished the season first among Jets defenders in even strength scoring (per minute) and second to only Dustin Byfuglien across all minutes.
It wasn't just the points that stood out. Myers smooth skating and incredible reach resulted in a number of eye popping plays. Myers was also deployed as a top pairing defender after joining the team. He played heavy minutes both 5 on 5 and on the PK. He also started a large percentage of his shifts in the defensive zone.
That said, it wasn't all roses. While Myers moved the puck well, and made some great plays defending the rush, he found himself hemmed into the defensive zone a little bit more than is ideal.
The above table won’t tell us much beyond what a mess things were in Buffalo. That team was horrible and Myers suffered for it. That said, the numbers in Winnipeg weren’t great. Myers’ Corsi For percentage was second last among Jets regulars, with only Jay Harrison trailing behind. Granted, Myers was eating hard minutes to help keep a battered third pair above water for much of his tenure, but we’ll definitely want to see that number climb next year.
The Future
Tyler Myers is under contract with the Jets for four more seasons. It appears the Jets will be hitching their wagons to him for the next little bit, but he likely won’t have to be a franchise savior over the long term. Myers will be pushed, perhaps onto the second pair as Jacob Trouba continues to develop and continues to dominate. For the time being, he will log huge minutes and in the eyes of most, he’ll be an upgrade over the departed Zach Bogosian.
