Dylan Sydor is not clamouring for the spotlight that often shines on fellow Kamloopsian teammate Logan Stankoven, the captain of the Blazers and reigning Canadian Hockey League player of the year.
“No, no,” said Sydor, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound forward whose father, Darryl, is a part-owner of the WHL club and two-time Stanley Cup champion. “That’s well deserved. Stankoven’s a great player. I look up to him, for sure.”
Sydor has carved a role with the 2023 Memorial Cup host Blazers, bouncing around the lineup throughout the campaign while contributing offensively and occupying a checking role.
“I’m a fast player,” said Sydor, who racked up 12 goals and 28 points in 68 games in the regular season. “I want to get on guys, use my speed to get on D-men, make them turn over pucks and help the team out any way I can. With guys out of the lineup, you want to step up and be the next guy the coach can count on.”
Sydor talked of the Vancouver Giants’ physicality when asked for his take on the Round 1 post-season matchup against the Langley-based club.
“If they’re going to get on guys, we’re not going to let that slide,” Sydor said. “We’re going to stick up for each other in the room and on the ice in between whistles. We’re going to play smart and, hopefully, get some power plays out of it.”
The prospect of playing in front of a hometown crowd during the Memorial Cup tournament began to set in near the end of the regular season, when Kamloops played host to the Seattle Thunderbirds in front of nearly 6,000 fans on March 22 at Sandman Centre.
“It’s crazy,” Sydor told KTW on March 23. “You get a little glimpse of it last night, with all those fans. Being in your hometown, you get lots of friends and family, so it’s just awesome, a great feeling.”
Other business precedes the national championship tournament and Sydor is willing to conduct his end of it in Stankoven’s shadow.
“Him being Kid Kamloops is awesome,” Sydor said. “I love to hear it. It’s great for him. Winning the league would be huge, a great honour, and that’s what all the boys want to do, so we’ll see how it goes.”
