Long day leads to memorable finish for Peddle as final pick

Like a football fan praying for a Hail Mary or a baseball fan rooting for that two-strike, two-out grand slam in the bottom of the ninth, Tyler Peddle was hoping against hope Thursday in Bridgestone Arena.

The big, skilled forward from Drummondville of the QMJHL headed to Nashville for the 2023 NHL Draft expecting to hear his name called in the middle rounds, but by around 2 p.m. local time, he was down to his last chance.

To that point, 223 picks had gone off the board, and just one was left. It seemed like a long trip back to his Antigonish, Nova Scotia, home with the 12 family members that came to the Music City was on tap.

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At its last chance, though, Peddle's prayer was answered. Vegas held the last pick in the draft, but Columbus came calling, with the Blue Jackets sending next year's seventh-round pick to the Golden Knights for the last pick in this year's draft.

With it, they chose Peddle, who immediately was hugged by both his mother, Susan, and father, Brad, as part of a joyous reaction in Bridgestone Arena.

"I can't even speak right now; this is crazy," Peddle said afterward when he was squired to the media room for an interview as hockey's version of Mr. Irrelevant. "Honestly, I didn't even really hear my name. I heard, 'Quebec Major Junior,' I thought, 'Maybe,' and then I didn't really hear because my family started screaming. I was like, 'I assume that's me,' so I got up."

Thus concluded what might have been one of the longest but most rewarding days of Peddle's life.

"It was a whirlwind of emotions," he said. "It's the last pick. When I heard my name, I was in shock. My father just grabbed me. Probably one of the scariest things leading up to it, but it's the best moment I've ever experienced in my life."

The Peddles are no strangers to hockey, as Tyler's father had a short pro career that included three seasons in the ECHL plus a stint in Europe. Brad Peddle went on to become a longtime coach at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, and Tyler's younger brother, Brady, is also a burgeoning junior player.

Having the family support went a long way on a day that had its fair share of twists and turns. A dozen members of the family were there from both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, as while Brad settled in Antigonish, a city of less than 5,000 on the northeast corner of the province's mainland, he's originally from St. John's, Newfoundland.

"It's tough, right?" Tyler said. "You don't know what's gonna happen, but I'm so grateful they were here to support me. That's something that you want, celebrating this with your family and your loved ones. That's something that is pretty special for me."

That Peddle would be in such an uncertain position is surprising considering he seemed like a lock to be a much higher pick in the months and years before the draft. Two years ago, after an impressive season with the Minnesota prep power Shattuck St. Mary's, Peddle was the No. 2 overall pick in the QMJHL draft by Drummondville.

Big things were expected, but after a 17-goal, 35-point season last year, he finished with a solid but not spectacular 24-17-41 season this past year in 64 games. In addition, he failed to qualify for any Team Canada national squads, including the one at the big Hlinka Gretzky tournament.

Add in the fact that Drummondville had three head coaches and four assistants this past year and lost its general manager at midseason, and it was a tough year for Peddle.

"There were tons of challenges to overcome," he acknowledged. "Whether it was after my rookie year with the Hlinka team and getting cut from that team; that was definitely something tough I had to swallow going into the next year. As time went on the next year toward the second half with the new coaching changes and GMs, the instability in the management, certain players were just leaving the team. There were a lot of tough things going on.

"I feel like that's a big thing that definitely affected how the team was and how I was. I feel like we grew as a team together. I'm really looking forward to what we can do together in Drummondville because we're gonna be a good group."

At his best, Peddle is an intriguing mix of size and scoring ability, checking in at 6-0, 195, and boasting a shot that can beat opposing goalies.

"I'm a big, skilled power forward," he said. "I play a fast, physical game, and I can shoot the puck. I think my scoring ability is one of my best things. With that, I've learned how to bring the physical role, and I feel like I have that mix that not a lot of players have where you're a fast, physical player that can put the puck in the net from anywhere on the ice."

Peddle said he's looking forward to proving himself with the Blue Jackets, and after a roller-coaster day of emotion, it wouldn't be hard to expect him to have a chip on his shoulder. And if there's one other trait the Blue Jackets might admire in Peddle, it's his dedication and perseverance, as he chose to wait until the bitter end on Thursday and stick around until he finally heard his name called.

"I had a feeling," he said. "I'm not really sure how to put it. We weren't sure I was going to go. I feel like I was one of those guys that could have went anywhere. That was one reason I was staying. I had a feeling. Sometimes, gut feelings can be right."