Who is Tyler Motte?
Tyler Motte is an American born forward from St. Clair, Michigan. Tyler stand 5 foot 9 and weighs 165 lbs. He shoots left handed and has only recently turned 18. He has already agreed to play for his hometown NCAA team, the University of Michigan. Should Tyler feel the urge to play somewhere else other than Michigan, the Sarnia Sting took his rights in the 10th round. Tyler will most likely be a fourth round draft pick in the upcoming draft.
Tyler spent the last two years playing for the United States National Team Development Program Juniors (USNTDP Juniors) as well as the U.S. Nation U-17 & 18 Teams.
Tyler put up some decent stats while playing for the US teams. While he has put up consistent numbers while playing for the national teams, they haven't been stellar. Tyler put up 41 points in 53 games in 2011-12 and followed that with 45 points in 67 games in 2012-13.
Below are Tyler's stats from the last few years.
These stats coupled with his smaller size has Tyler ranked 84th overall for the North American skaters by the CSS.
What Experts Have Said About Tyler Motte.
Michael Gosnell, Junior Hockey: "To make up for his lack in size, Motte utilizes his great skating ability and quick feet. Moreover, Motte is blessed with a wide base and can create space for himself, which a great asset for any prospective NHL player."
Corey Ponman, Hockey Propectus: "Motte entered this season as a top prospect, and though he did not have an outstanding year, he showed that he could still contribute in a number of ways. He is a very good skater who picks up speed quickly, and he plays with a high level of energy. Even though he is a smaller player at 5'9", he pressures well with his speed. Motte anticipates the play very well off of the puck for a player his age, and he was one of the USNTDP's best penalty killers. While he is not dynamic offensively, he shows significant flashes of upside with his puck handling and playmaking. Motte has good hand-eye coordination, and his overall hockey sense allows him to be a good puck possession forward."
Some Video
Couldn't find any videos of Tyler. If you find one, let me know and I'll post it up here.
An Opinion
It's hard to make an opinion when there is little information out there on him. However, it sounds like Motte is a solid late third round pik or an early fourth round pick. It's one of those prospects where he could develop or he might not pan out.
Your Take
I'd like to know your take on Tyler as a prospect given all that you read. Perhaps you know more. Did you see him play? Do you know more about what his strengths and weaknesses may be? If so, please feel free to share it with the rest of us so we all can learn more. Otherwise, please leave your thoughts about Tyler as a prospect and the (remote) possibility of the Devils of picking him in the comments. Thank you for reading.