Photo Credit: Ontario Reign
With training camp just around the corner, we are previewing each player on the LA Kings and Ontario Reign rosters. Up next, T.J. Tynan!
T.J. TYNAN
Biography
Birthdate: February 25, 1992
Birthplace: Orland Park, Illinois
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 165lb
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Draft: 3rd Round (66th Overall), 2011 Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets
The two-time AHL MVP returns to the Reign again to continue his stellar play for the black and silver.
2021-2022 Season
Last season was another great one for Tynan as he notched career highs in points and assists on his way to his second consecutive MVP. Tynan anchored the top line with the now departed Martin Frk and, by toward the end of the season, Taylor Ward. He was a force to be reckoned with throughout the year, flying past the other teams’ defenders as he entered the zone and was instrumental in the high-flying Reign offense.
Tynan put up 98 points on the year, 84 of those being assists. Tynan showed exemplary play, only racking up 18 penalty minutes for the year. In the Reign’s five playoff games, he tallied three points but wasn’t able to get much traction as the Reign were decimated by the Colorado Eagles. The Illinois native is nearly a point-per-game player over his AHL career, totaling 446 points in 498 games. Tynan will reach the 500th game of his AHL career early in the Reign season, a celebration for any player.
Tynan was up with the Kings for two games in December this past season. He went without a point while registering three shots on goal.
2022-23 Outlook
While his AHL production has been nothing short of phenomenal over the last eight seasons, Tynan has not been able to crack an NHL roster and get himself a permanent spot. The 30-year-old center has appeared in only 21 games across three different seasons – said seasons are not consecutive. He has a single assist during a 16-game stint with the Colorado Avalanche during the 2019-20 season. It would seem that Tynan probably doesn’t have a place to be on the LA Kings roster as he will turn 31 this season, and the Kings are looking to be a young playoff team.
Another interesting wrinkle that could make the difference on whether Tynan has a place to play on the Kings roster is the retirement of Reign Captain Brett Sutter. With the ‘C’ not yet stitched to a sweater at the moment, it would make sense to tap Tynan to lead the Reign during the upcoming campaign. He has the pedigree, the on-ice ability, and he seems to have a good voice in the locker room.
Look for T.J. Tynan to start the season leading the top line for Ontario.