from Moose Jaw) and they
have a strong team in front
of them, but there are always
break downs and they’ve both
been really good for us.”
Brennan is a goalie with
a load of upside. He loves to
play. His older brother, Ryan,
who plays defense for the City
Midget Monarchs, is a good
player and he’s the youngest
member of a hockey family.
Dad Jared and mom Jenny,
are at every game and they
combine to be Tyler’s main
support system. He might
be 6-foot-3 with plenty of
quickness and skill, but you
can’t replace family support.
Nor can you replace the
support you get from being
in a full-time hockey program
like the one offered by RHA.
Brennan is on the ice every
day, working with a goalie
coach and getting better
as each session goes by.
9 2 | G AME O N | D EC EM BER 2017
“
My mom was a ringette goalie
and my uncle was a goalie so
it kind of ran in the family a
little bit. So when I decided to
give it a shot, my dad had no
problem with it. And, besides, I
liked it so I don’t think he was
going to say no. “It’s just great
to have my family behind me.”
Brennan played his first
game in goal with the Fort
Garry Flyers, latched on to the
position and has never left
at seven, he had an opportunity.
the net. He played a couple
“We needed a goalie one
of seasons with the Twins
game,” said Tyler, whose
organization as a Peewee
favorite NHL team is the
and then played a year with
Arizona Coyotes and his
Monarchs before joining the
favorite NHL player is Braden
Nationals. This being his WHL
Holtby of the Washington
Bantam Draft year, it was a
Capitals. “I just thought I’d
big, important decision.
try it out and I liked it. It was
“I had heard from friends
really good. So I split that
that the coaching was really
season with another guy and at
good here and that the off-ice
eight-years-old I went full time.
training was good and they
“My parents had no problem
said the schooling was good,
with me becoming a goalie.
too so I decided to try it,”
he said. “I would have been
going to my middle school
for another year and then
Vincent Massey. But now I’m
in Grade 9 at Shaftesbury and
I like it. It’s a great school.
“I think being here has
really helped me and if I keep
progressing and getting better,
I hope to be drafted. My size is
a big advantage and my ability
to move really well. And my
positioning with my size makes
it hard for people to score.”
His coach certainly agrees.
“He’s mature and he’s a really
good teammate,” said Purdie.
“He’s a kid that everybody
likes. From the people we’ve
talked to, his chances of getting
drafted are really good. There
is still a lot of hockey to be
played between now and then,
but he’s a big goaltender ad
people tend to lean toward big
goalies. I like his chances.” ❍
WHEN IT COMES TO TYLER
BRENNAN STANDING BETWEEN
THE PIPES, PURDIE’S ONLY
SURPRISE IS HOW MUCH BETTER
HE GETS IN THE RHA PROGRAM
EVERY SINGLE DAY
”
“It’s great here, I get lots of
opportunity to play,” Tyler said.
“We have good coaching and
good trainers both on-ice and
off-ice. I’ve learned so much
and it’s the simple things,
rebound-control, movement,
edge-work. Those types of
things. It’s been great.”
Nobody ever starts out to
become a goaltender and Tyler
was no different. Like so many
kids, he started skating at five,
playing hockey at six and then