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OHL North Bay Battalion

Battalion Brings Lyle Home to North Bay

April 11, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - Brady Lyle is coming home to start his Ontario Hockey League career.

The North Bay native, who has played the last two years at Shattuck St. Mary's, a private school in Faribault, Minn., was the North Bay Battalion's first-round pick in the OHL Priority Selection on Saturday.

A right-shot defenceman, Lyle scored 17 goals and earned 31 assists for 48 points with 50 penalty minutes in 55 games for the school's under-16 team. Lyle, six-foot and 176 pounds, turns 16 on June 6.

"It's a dream come true," Lyle said via telephone. "I was following it online, and it was awesome when I heard my name called.

"I was excited when I heard the Battalion would be moving to North Bay, but then I realized I could play there and try to help bring a championship back to North Bay. It will be great to move back and be with my family all the time. Playing in the OHL makes it even better."

Stan Butler, Battalion director of hockey operations and head coach, compared Lyle to current Battalion blueliner Miles Liberati.

"He's a very solid defenceman," Butler said of Lyle.

"He's a very offensive player and a very good skater. He's got great offensive instincts and, as he gets older, he'll be able to quarterback our power play. He'll be an exciting player that the fans will really enjoy watching play. He's a kid that I think can make an impact as soon as he gets here. We're happy to have him in our program."

Butler said Lyle's ability, more than his home town, determined the choice.

"The most important thing in the first round is to get the best player, and at that time we felt he was by far the best player left.

"He understands the city of North Bay and he really wanted to play here. The way the game is going you really need a mobile defenceman, and he'll fit in to that new-era type of defenceman we were trying to get."

Lyle said he looks forward to playing for Butler.

"I'm an offensive defenceman, but I do well in my own end as well and, with coach Butler's help, I'll be able to turn into a solid two-way player. He can fix whatever he needs to with me."

Lyle, who said he plans to attend orientation camp May 23-24, acknowledged there will be pressure playing at home.

"But there'll be a lot of positives to it, and the positives override the pressures that come with it. I think I'll be able to handle anything that does come up."

Lyle helped bring back-to-back national championships to Shattuck St. Mary's.

"It helps to have a guy who knows how to win, and I think I know how to do that. I hope I can bring a winning attitude there and to help out any way I can."

Said Butler: "He's a winner who comes from a winning program that has produced a lot of great players."

Lyle, who played minor hockey at Memorial Gardens, said he has attended many Battalion games during school breaks.

"When I played there the building wasn't nearly as full as it gets for the Battalion games. It's awesome to see how the fans have supported the team. Any time I'm home I try to get out to as many games as I can. It's great to see how the building gets rocking, and I'm looking forward to playing in that atmosphere."

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