Tyler Myers Bio
Tyler Paul Myers is a Canadian–American professional ice hockey defenceman who plays in the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in Houston, Texas, and raised in Calgary, Alberta, he is one of the tallest active players in the league at 6 ft 8 in (203 cm) tall. Myers was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres with the 12th overall pick in the 2008 NHL entry draft and went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie in 2010. He has represented Canada in multiple international tournaments, including three gold-medal winning squads.
Across his NHL career, Myers has played for the Buffalo Sabres, the Winnipeg Jets, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Dallas Stars. A right-shooting defenceman known for his long reach and physical play, he has remained a steady, minutes-eating presence on every blue line he has joined. He continues to compete at the highest level of professional hockey.
Early Life and Background
Tyler Paul Myers was born on February 1, 1990, in Houston, Texas, to parents Paul Myers III and Tonja Stelly. He was introduced to hockey at age six when his father took him to see the Houston Aeros of the International Hockey League. The experience sparked a quick interest, and he began playing the sport soon after.
When Myers was ten, his father relocated to Calgary, Alberta, and Tyler joined him there. He later obtained Canadian citizenship, giving him dual Canadian–American nationality. Growing up in Calgary helped him develop his game, as he has said that staying in Texas would likely have led him toward a different sport, most probably basketball.
Path to Hockey
Myers continued his development in the Canadian minor-hockey system, playing AAA midget for the Hounds of Athol Murray College of Notre Dame. In the 2005 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft, the Kelowna Rockets selected him in the first round, 19th overall, launching his major junior career.
Following the 2007–08 season, the NHL’s Central Scouting Service ranked Myers as the fourth-best North American draft-eligible skater. The Buffalo Sabres then chose him 12th overall in the 2008 NHL entry draft, trading a third-round pick to the Los Angeles Kings to move up one spot. In 2008–09, Myers helped Kelowna win the Ed Chynoweth Cup, was named WHL Playoff Most Valuable Player, and signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Sabres on May 11, 2009.
Tyler Myers Career
Early Career (2009–2011)
Myers opened the 2009–10 NHL season with the Buffalo Sabres and never returned to junior hockey after his first nine games. He recorded his first NHL point, an assist, on October 8, 2009, against the Phoenix Coyotes, and scored his first goal eight days later against Dwayne Roloson of the New York Islanders. Named NHL Rookie of the Month for January 2010, he finished his rookie year with 11 goals, 37 assists, and 48 points while leading all Sabres defencemen in average ice time.
On June 23, 2010, at the NHL Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas, Myers received the Calder Memorial Trophy, beating out Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche and Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings. After a sophomore season in which he posted 37 points in 80 games, Myers signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract extension with the Sabres on September 15, 2011. He later played for EC KAC of the Austrian Erste Bank Hockey League during the 2012–13 NHL lockout before a broken leg cut his 2012–13 season short.
Winnipeg Jets Era (2015–2019)
On February 11, 2015, the Sabres traded Myers, along with Drew Stafford, Brendan Lemieux, Joel Armia, and a conditional first-round pick, to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, and the rights to Jason Kasdorf. His first full season in Winnipeg was cut short when the Jets announced on March 24, 2016, that he would undergo hip and knee surgeries.
In 2016–17, Myers played only 11 games before another lower-body injury required surgery, ending his second straight season early. Healthy throughout 2017–18, he played all 82 regular-season games for the first time since his rookie year, recording 36 points and helping the Jets finish second in the Central Division. Winnipeg advanced to the Western Conference Final that spring, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
Vancouver Canucks Era (2019–2026)
On July 1, 2019, Myers signed a five-year, $30 million free-agent contract with the Vancouver Canucks. He scored his first goal for the club on December 7, 2019, in a 6–5 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres. On June 27, 2024, the Canucks re-signed him to a three-year, $9 million extension, and he suited up for his 1,000th NHL game on October 19, 2024, becoming the 400th skater in league history to reach that milestone.
Myers served as an alternate captain in Vancouver and was a steady defensive presence for several seasons. On January 20, 2025, the NHL Department of Player Safety handed him a three-game suspension for cross-checking Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard. On March 4, 2026, the Canucks traded him to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2029 fourth-round pick, retaining 50 percent of his salary in the deal.
Dallas Stars Era (2026–Present)
Just four days after the trade, on March 8, 2026, Myers became the first Texas-born player to appear in a regular-season game for the Dallas Stars, playing against the Chicago Blackhawks. The homecoming fit his career arc, as a Houston-born defenceman returning to his birth state to play professionally.
His existing three-year, $9 million contract carries through the 2026–27 season, keeping him in Dallas as a veteran right-shot defenceman. He continues to provide size, penalty-killing ability, and top-four depth for the Stars blue line.
Driving Style and Strengths
Myers is best known for pairing rare height with smooth mobility, using his long reach to break up plays along the boards and clog shooting lanes. Coaches have leaned on him as a minutes-eating defenceman capable of playing in all situations, and he has averaged more than 21 minutes of ice time in his healthiest seasons. His shot and power-play instincts, particularly during his rookie year, have remained useful even as his game has matured into a steady, defensive-first role.
Notable Events and Milestones
Myers’ most celebrated milestone came on June 23, 2010, when he became the youngest defenceman in recent memory to lift the Calder Memorial Trophy. He reached 1,000 NHL games on October 19, 2024, becoming the 400th skater in league history to do so. On March 8, 2026, he added another chapter by becoming the first Texas-born player to suit up for the Dallas Stars in a regular-season contest.
Tyler Myers Career Wins
Myers’ trophy case is anchored by the 2010 Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top first-year player. He also helped Canada capture gold at the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships, the 2009 World Junior Championships, and the 2023 IIHF World Championships. At the junior level, he was a key contributor to the Kelowna Rockets’ 2009 Ed Chynoweth Cup championship and was named WHL Playoff Most Valuable Player that spring.
NHL Awards and Honors
His NHL accolades are led by the Calder Memorial Trophy, with an additional monthly honor as the NHL Rookie of the Month for January 2010. He was also selected to the league’s mid-season showcase events during his early Sabres years, reflecting his rapid rise as a top defensive prospect.
International Gold Medals
Across three major events representing Canada, Myers has been a gold-medal winning player at the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships, the 2009 World Junior Championships, and the 2023 IIHF World Championships. The 2009 junior title marked Canada’s record-tying fifth consecutive gold at that tournament.
Tyler Myers Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Myers was raised primarily by his father, Paul Myers III, who introduced him to the sport by taking him to a Houston Aeros game at age six. His mother, Tonja Stelly, also played a central role in his upbringing. The family’s move to Calgary when Tyler was ten set the foundation for his hockey development and his later Canadian citizenship.
Personal Life
Myers married his wife in 2014, and the couple have two children together. His younger maternal half-brother, Quentin Grimes, is an American basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association. Myers and Grimes made history as the first set of brothers to play in both the NHL and the NBA.
2025 Season Performance
Myers opened the 2025 calendar year in his familiar role as a top-four defenceman and alternate captain for the Vancouver Canucks. He played his 1,000th NHL game on October 19, 2024, a milestone reached just months earlier, and continued to log heavy minutes alongside his partner on the right side of the blue line. A three-game suspension in January 2025 briefly interrupted his season after a cross-check on Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard.
Through the first half of the campaign, Myers remained a steady penalty-killer and shot-blocker for the Canucks, helping the club compete in the Pacific Division race. Vancouver’s coaching staff leaned on his experience in the final months before deciding to reshape the roster ahead of the 2026 trade deadline.
On March 4, 2026, the Canucks traded Myers to the Dallas Stars, a move that sent him back to his home state of Texas. With Dallas pushing for a deep playoff run and his contract running through 2026–27, Myers is positioned to remain a reliable, minute-eating presence on the Stars blue line into the 2025–26 season and beyond.
