Those who read Bluelines every week will know that I have all the time in the world for Miles Liberati.
So news of his departure brings a sense of sadness. Miles is a character guy, one who had started to embrace our northern ways, finding time to hunt and fish when he wasn’t on the blueline and, invariably, when we stop to reminisce about all that has gone right for the Battalion over the past two seasons, his name figures prominently.
But this is hockey, and the religion of hockey requires faith in reincarnation. As in Zach Bell, who we never knew, reincarnated as Miles Liberati, who we adored, and will soon to be reincarnated as a 2nd round pick in 2017 and 2018, a 3rd round pick in 2019 and an 8th round pick in 2017.
The trade officially signals that the re-engineering of the North Bay Battalion is under way. Director of hockey operations Stan Butler has rolled up his sleeves and delivered his second masterful stroke, the first being the acquisition of Daniil Vertiy. One can never be sure, but the modest debut of rookie defenceman Brady Lyle might have spurred yesterday’s deal, though Liberati, himself, may have greased the wheels by registering a goal and 3 assists in his final two games.
85 days.
That’s how much time had passed between games for North Bay Battalion defenseman Brady Lyle…but who’s counting, right?
Certainly not me, but I do recall having made the trip to Sudbury on a sunny September 6th to watch the Battalion’s very first pre-season game. I was eager to catch a glimpse of a number of players, not just Lyle. Max Kislinger made a favorable first impression on that afternoon; Cam Dineen looked poised at the blueline for his first OHL action. Strangely, Mathew Santos looked out of sorts that day, as if trying to wear too many hats in a singlehanded effort to fill the void created by the departures of Nick Paul, Nick Moutrey and Ryan Kujawinski.
Brady Lyle, I recall, skated with the requisite confidence of a first round pick from the OHL Priority Selection, moving effortlessly, making smart pinches, and even surprising his teammates with a bold foray deep into Sudbury territory. The game progressed; the early September action not exactly spellbinding, and I scribbled a few notes, flipping between pages to study the roster with each line change. What I couldn’t possibly predict was that Lyle would soon be hurt, out of the roster for 12 weeks with a broken collarbone.
So last Sunday marked the end of a long road for Lyle, the end of a period of waiting and red-jersey skates; non-contact drills and press box duty. Some might bemoan the delay of a promising career, Lyle having missed 23 games to start the season, inferring that Lyle’s development would be jeopardized somehow, that he would fall behind the pack in some way.
Not true.
The reality is Lyle has missed very little, and in being able to study the OHL product from the press box for a significant number of games, might even have enhanced his long-term development, not unlike a Tony Romo, or Aaron Rodgers, who studied the gridiron game from the sidelines for several seasons prior to taking any meaningful snaps.
The second reality is that Lyle is a 16 year old - a ‘99 birthday - and rookie defensemen in this League don’t often get much ice time. In fact, of the four defenseman chosen in the first round of the 2015 Priority Selection, only Markus Phillips of the Owen Sound Attack, selected 9th overall, has seen regular action, suiting up for 20 games. Hayden Davis of the Niagara Icedogs, selected 13th overall, has logged just nine games, while Evan Bouchard of the London Knights, selected 17thoverall, just one pick ahead of Lyle, has dressed for ten.
My partner in the broadcast booth, The OHLTonight on TVCogeco hockey analyst, Greg Theberge, couldn’t help but pay particular attention to Lyle. Theberge, you see, has been there himself, a right hand shot, and a talented rookie defenseman on a Peterborough Petes team that featured Keith Acton, Bob Attwell, Keith Crowder and Greg Millen. I caught up to Greg yesterday to find out more…
Ranjan: Greg, I couldn’t help but notice that you were watching Brady Lyle right from the warm-ups. What’s your assessment?
Greg Theberge: In this case: less is more. I think Brady had a perfect first audition, where he didn’t try to do too much, especially with the puck. What I mean is, we all know he has the offensive flair, but he didn’t try to log or carry the puck, didn’t turn it over, or cough it up, or make a bad decision with it. I thought his positioning without the puck was good, his shifts were efficient, and he didn’t try to extend them. I have to say he made a pretty good first impression in his hometown debut.
Ranjan: Following the game he owned up to making a mistake that resulted in a Flint goal. Break it down for me...
Greg Theberge: Brady Lyle was somewhat responsible, but it certainly wasn’t completely his fault. In the neutral zone face-off, Lyle did telescope backwards and angle Vilardi off to the half boards, right around the hash marks. He thought he had Vilardi angled off and pinned, but a quick stutter step by Vilardi left Lyle in a bad position without the puck. The goal itself, however, was pretty fluky.
I think we’re all looking for instant gratification with first-round picks, and we have to remember they’re only 16 year olds and a lot of pressure is on them to perform up to their capabilities and up to first-round pick standards. This is a process that will take some time, especially to get acclimatized to the League.
Ranjan: You once had a significant shoulder injury in Junior. What was your mentality upon returning to the lineup?
Greg Theberge: Well, the first thing you think of when you come back off a serious shoulder injury is how you’re going to defend and protect yourself when you’re in a vulnerable position: either getting hit hard or taking the man out properly. That’s the first thing that came into my mind, coming back from a separated shoulder with the Petes, and you also have to hope that you’re physically ready and not coming back too early. Sometimes it’s a blessing in disguise when you take that first hard bang, or hit someone hard right off the get-go, to be able to test it out and make sure that you’re not going to come unglued at the seams again.
Ranjan: If you were Brady Lyle’s defensive partner out there, what would you be telling him on the ice, and on the bench between shifts?
Greg Theberge: One of the first things I would suggest to him would be: make sure that you come ready to play, and compete on a nightly basis, and also to do whatever you’re best at. If it’s your skating game, then make sure you maintain a good gap without the puck, and mind your quick decision-making with the puck, and don’t try to do too much out there. Also, try to know the opposition better, especially their marquee players. If you’re on the road and you get caught out on a bad line match-up, make sure you know who you’re up against, to raise your awareness out there. Remember: you don’t have to be the best defenseman out on the ice…just not the worst!
