The Leafs signed the 27 year old right-shot defenseman Myers, as a minor league free-agent in July 2024. The Leafs are familiar with Myers when the Nashville Predators loaned him to the Toronto Marlies after playing 27 games for the Preds in the 2021-2022 season. Following that season, Myers signed with Tampa. The 6’5’ 220 lb. blueliner has appeared in NHL games in each of the last six seasons, beginning with Philadelphia, then Nashville, and the last two seasons with Tampa. However, over that span he has been primarily used as an injury call-up having played a total of 158 regular season games and 16 NHL playoff games. His profile as an AHL player is above average point production (.49 points per game) combined with a physical element (314 penalty minutes in 238 career AHL games).
Strengths
- Size and Physical Presence
Myers brings significant physicality to the defensive zone. His imposing frame allows him to play a tough, physical game, making him a solid force when defending against larger forwards. His reach and ability to win puck battles along the boards are strong assets, especially when clearing the front of the net.
- Skating and Mobility
Despite his size, Myers is known for his surprising agility and mobility on the ice. He can skate well for a big man, allowing him to move fluidly in transition. His ability to cover ground quickly makes him an asset in neutral zone defense, and it also contributes to his effectiveness in counter-attacks.
- Offensive Upside
Myers possesses a decent shot from the point and has shown the ability to chip in offensively, especially at the AHL level. His puck-moving skills are decent, and he can help on the breakout with strong, accurate outlet passes. During his time in the AHL, he displayed an ability to generate points, contributing both goals and assists.
Weaknesses
- Defensive Awareness and Decision-Making
One of the ongoing concerns about Myers’ game is his inconsistency in defensive awareness. He has struggled at times to make sound decisions, particularly when defending the rush. He can occasionally be caught out of position or make poor choices when deciding whether to pinch at the offensive blue line, which can lead to odd-man rushes against.
- Inconsistent Play
Myers has not yet been able to find sustained success at the NHL level. While he has had flashes of strong play, he has also dealt with periods of inconsistency. This has prevented him from solidifying a full-time NHL role, despite his stints with three NHL teams. His inability to maintain consistency, both in terms of defensive reliability and offensive contributions, has been a limiting factor in his career so far.
Conclusion
Myers is a big, mobile defenseman who has NHL experience and can be trusted to play as an NHL injury call-up for extended stretches. At this stage in his career, he has flaws that have prevented him from earning full-time NHL roster status but that doesn’t diminish his appeal when teams need to turn to a seventh defenseman during the season.