North Bay's Brady Lyle has signed a two-year American Hockey League contract with the Providence Bruins, the club announced on Thursday along with two other signings.
The 20-year-old Owen Sound Attack defender posted 22 goals and 43 assists for 65 points with a plus-25 rating in 62 OHL games with the Owen Sound Attack in 2019-20.
"I'm pretty excited," Lyle told BayToday.
"It means a lot to get my pro career started with such a storied organization. I'm ready for whatever new challenges come and excited for the work that's head of me."
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound defenseman has spent the last five seasons in the OHL with the Owen Sound Attack and North Bay Battalion, totalling 49 goals and 126 assists for 175 points in 295 games.
The Providence Bruins are the AHL affiliate team of the Boston Bruins.
See related: Brady Lyle breaking records in final year
Lyle, a former first-round OHL draft pick of the Battalion, has been considered one of the top defenders in the league this season.
The undrafted North Bay native has used teammate Sean Durzi as inspiration while trying to chase his own NHL dream.
"He didn’t get drafted his first time around, and then had an outstanding year and ended up getting picked in the second round by the Maple Leafs (#52 overall in 2018)," said Lyle in an interview with BayToday's Matt Sookram.
"He and I are really close, we both have the same kind of mentality in how we enjoy the hard work and we liked to push each other and just talk about the game. He’s a guy that was always there for me and a guy I still lean on when I want to talk about the game or just talk about life in general.”
