Tyson Sexsmith

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size = 230px
team= Vancouver Giants
league= WHL
Former Teams= Medicine Hat Tigers
position= Goalie
shoots = Left
height_ft=6
weight_lbs=204
nationality= CAN
nickname=Sexy
birth_date= birth date and age|1989|03|19
birth_place= Calgary, Alberta, Canada
draft = 91st Overall
draft_year = 2007
draft_team = San Jose Sharks
career_start = TBA

Tyson Sexsmith (born March 19 1989 in Priddis, Alberta) is a Canadian junior ice hockey player, drafted by the National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks, and currently the starting goalie for the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League.

Sexsmith has appeared in two Memorial Cups with the Giants, once as a backup (2006), and once as a starter (2007), in which Vancouver captured the CHL title.

Playing career

Sexsmith made his major junior debut in the WHL during the 2004-05 season, playing a total of three games with the Medicine Hat Tigers and Vancouver Giants. After playing in the backup position with the Giants the next season, Sexsmith emerged as the starting goalie in 2006-07 after a goaltending controversy early in the season with Dustin Slade. Slade, who had led the team to a Memorial Cup appearance in 2006, began splitting time with Sexsmith, who, with his comparable play, began challenging Slade's starting position. Consequentially, Slade left the team to seek a professional career, [citeweb|last=Mackin|first=Bob|title=4 Giants face off against Russia's best|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/Junior/2006/11/28/2530945-24h.html|publisher=CANOE|year=2008|accessdate=2008-04-15] leaving Sexsmith as the undisputed starter.

Sexsmith would go on to complete the season as the league's leader in goals-against-average and would backstop the Giants to their first Memorial Cup. After his Memorial Cup win, Sexsmith was drafted 91st overall (3rd round) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks. He was the first WHL goalie to be taken in the draft that year.

Returning to the Giants upon being drafted, Sexsmith earned an invite to Team Canada's national junior selection camp for the 2008 World Junior Championships. Although he was not selected, Sexsmith went on to lead the WHL in goals-against-average (1.89) for a second straight season, as well as in shutouts, with 9. He was named to the WHL's Second All-Star Team, [citeweb|last=Walker|first=Ian|title=Vancouver Giant nominated for WHL rookie of the year|url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=fc7b3ae2-16af-4d64-85f6-004b37d04b47&k=4015|publisher=The Vancouver Sun|year=2008|accessdate=2008-04-15] however the Giants were eliminated in the second round by the eventual 2008 Memorial Cup champions, the Spokane Chiefs.

Awards & accomplishments

*WHL Second All-Star Team - 2008

External links

[http://whl.ca/en/stats/player.php?id=24279 Official WHL Profile]

References