Ty Tullio is currently a star player for the Oshawa Generals. He’s ranked in the top seven scoring leaders for OHL eligible players who are entering the 2020 NHL Draft. He had a strong season that consisted of 27 goals, 66 points in total in 62 games; that’s nothing to sneeze at. This season has been very eye-opening for all who have seen him play.
“With what I’ve done this year I don’t think a lot of people saw that coming, “Tullio stated. “Now people are starting to see it more and more. People are reaching out more now. I think they’re seeing I kind of created a name for myself. I have a lot more to give.”
Last season the right winger had 15 goals and 42 points. So, this season was a nice jump. One reason could be the fact that Tullio started strong and remained very consistent throughout the season.
“I felt like I got off to a good start and was consistent throughout,” he noted.
Playing on a line with Philip Tomasino, who was traded to Oshawa, their old chemistry came out.
“We played in a couple of spring tournaments a few years ago. Our style of play meshed from that point forward and when I got to Oshawa, He was the first guy to take me in, from the moment I started playing with the Gens I was on his line the whole time I was there,” said Tomasino, a first-round pick of the Nashville Predators in 2019. “He’s a really easy guy to play with. All you have to do is get open and he’ll find you.
“He is a pretty good shooter. Sometimes I would carry the puck in, and he’d be open and I’d give him a nice little pass and he would bury it. Just little things like that make him such a great player. Such an easy guy to play with.”
Conversely, Tullio credits Tomasino for their success.
“I believe he’s one of the top players in our league. He’s an unbelievable player. He is an example to all players, and he plays with heart, and work ethic and passion in every game and every practice,” said Tullio. “I had to play with pace with my minor hockey team and being the youngest player on that team, I had to adapt to that. I’ve played with a lot of high-end players like Cole Perfetti, Ryan O’Rourke, and Tomasino. You have to be able to pass at a high speed and play at a high speed.”
When the OHL paused the season, it was quite a shock to the players.
“We heard about things on the news, but nobody expected our season to be canceled. We were at the rink and just as we were getting on a bus to get to a plane on Thursday for a Friday game in Ottawa, Roger (Hunt) told us that the season is going to be postponed right now. There won’t be any games today and for a while, until they get things figured out,” Tullio remembered. “That was kind of a shock to all of us. Even now it’s still shocking that we didn’t get to finish our full season.”
With no NHL combine, zoom calls have been the way teams have been interviewing the 2020 draft-eligible players.
“They’ve not been too hard. They’re not asking any tough questions. Just kind of get to know you questions,” Tullio added. “They want to know about your personal life, your past, and your hockey career. They know how you play. They watch you. This is just a result of not being able to see you at the combine.”
Sometimes players have to talk about them being a bit on the smaller side. Tullio will never be asked about being 5-9 again.
“As of last weekend I measured at 5’10.5 and 169 pounds,” he revealed.
Tullio already plays a tough brand of hockey.
“On my team, the way we play in the scrum. Our coach, Greg Walters, doesn’t want one guy there, he wants four or five guys there, he wants to show that we’re not scared of anybody,” Tullio said with pride.
Tullio is from Windsor and something I noticed on my first trip there a few months ago is they may have the best pizza in Canada?
“Places like Capri Pizza. Gino’s and Naples, we have some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. I can go days eating the leftover pizza here, “Tullio chuckled. “There are other places outside of Windsor that I don’t find near as good. I think Windsor is an underrated top place regarding pizza. A lot of people need to try and it.”
Look for him to go somewhere in the second round.
2020 NHL Draft Features:
Tim Stutzle: http://www.sportsology.com/tim-stutzle-his-thoughts-on-a-draft-without-fans-and-more/
Cole Perfetti: http://www.sportsology.com/cole-perfetti-has-the-perfect-blend-of-skill-and-intellect/
Elias Cohen: http://www.sportsology.com/elias-cohen-may-have-a-path-to-getting-drafted-in-montreal/
Junior hockey player notes: http://www.sportsology.com/five-junior-hockey-players-to-watch/
20 best draft values of all-time: http://www.sportsology.com/the-20-best-nhl-draft-values-of-the-decade/
My 2020 Top 31: http://www.sportsology.com/2020-nhl-draft-my-top-31-version-4-0/
Check out my new hockey book Sticks and Stones here:
