WHL News and Notes
Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have signed forward Tyler Ennis to a three-year entry level contract.
The 5’9″ forward was one of Buffalo’s two first-round selections in the 2008 Entry Draft – along with 6’8″ Tyler Myers – at 26th overall.
“I think every type of player is important on a hockey team,” Ennis said. “If you look at all the teams that won in the past have had a nice balance. My game is a quick, skill game and that’s what I’m going to try to do.
“I’m looking forward to having a good career as a Sabre.”
Ennis (10/6/1989, 5’9”, 163 lbs.) matched his career-high with 43 goals, and added 42 assists, in 60 games for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League in 2008-09. The highlight of the season for Ennis was a 6-goal performance on February 27, scoring all of his team’s goals in a 6-2 win over Prince Albert.
“I think if you look at him, he’s got some characteristics that are along the Derek Roy line,” Head Coach Lindy Ruff said. “He can open people up, he can make some special plays and he’s a good player in real tight spaces. Obviously size is a factor but I think he’s been able to push through at every level so you hope he can continue to push through.”
So far in training camp, Ruff has put the the forward at center – anchoring a line between Matt Ellis and Jason Pominville during scrimmages. Ruff said his thought is to keep Ennis in the middle in Portland.
Ennis finished with 236 points (115+121) in 245 career games with Medicine Hat, including a career-best 91 points (43+48) in 2007-08. Ennis is also a two-time winner of the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player Award.
A native of Edmonton, Alberta, the 19-year-old Ennis was also a member of Team Canada’s gold medal winning entry at the 2009 World Junior Championships in Ottawa.
