This week on Prospect Watch, we’re looking at Cleveland Monsters forward Tyler Angle. Once considered a potential late-round steal, he’s fallen off a bit and been passed up as the team has drafted extremely well over the last few years.
Originally the team’s third and final selection at the 2019 NHL Draft, Angle was picked in the 7th round (#212 overall) from the Windsor Spitfires (OHL). He was coming off of a 20 goal, 44 point effort in 58 games of junior hockey that season, impressive totals for a draft eligible player.
In his post-draft year, he returned to Windsor and stepped his production up in a big way; scoring 29 goals and 67 points in 62 games, before the season was cut short due to the COVID pandemic. Angle joined the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) as soon as hockey resumed, and he was excellent in the shortened pro season – scoring 11 goals and 23 points in 24 games.
is it really a Tyler Angle highlight reel if we don't include his Michigan goal??
— Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) June 22, 2022
In addition to making the @SportsCenter Top 10 this year, Tyler was second for the Monsters in points as well as leading all the team's rookies in goals, assists and points! 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/w4Rz2zy32P
But since that breakout year, his scoring rates have dropped dramatically. Last year he played his first full season in the AHL; in 71 games he was able to only match his goal scoring total from the shortened season, scoring 11 times and adding 26 assists for 37 points. That’s a .52 point-per-game pace.
This season, it’s gone even further in the wrong direction; he has 6 goals and 17 points through 36 games, just a .47 pace. Obviously, offense isn’t the only thing that matters in hockey, but for a 7th round pick who was selected primarily for his scoring; continually reducing production is a concerning sign.
Angle is slightly undersized at 5-10 and around 170 pounds, but he’s a slippery player who works to find open areas of the ice and create offense. He doesn’t have one specific ability that stands out; but he has good vision, smart shooting ability, and he can make plays with quick passes. In all, he’s a talented player who should be producing more than he is.
Unfortunately for Tyler, as we mentioned early in the article: this team has drafted well, and there are going to be younger guys who were drafted much higher pushing for ice time. Luca del bel Belluz, James Malatesta, and Mikael Pyyhtia are all signed and will almost definitely join the Monsters in the fall. Dmitry Voronkov is rumored to be coming over from Russia, and while he may step straight into the NHL; it’s possible that he could see time in the AHL much like Kirill Marchenko did this fall.
All of this does not include someone like Martin Rysavy, who isn’t signed as of yet, but he does appear to still be on the radar as an NHL prospect. Angle is signed with the team through next season, but he would do a huge favor for himself if he can find a way to produce at a near point-per-game effort like he did at the beginning of his AHL career. Otherwise, his time with the Jackets may run out.