Photo by Nicole Scarpaci
By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
The season may be over for the Florida Eels, but for many players, they are simply opening a door from one fantastic phase of their hockey career to the next. That certainly holds true for Eels defenseman Owen Blyth, who is moving on to an NCAA college hockey career with the new program starting at Hiram College.
Blyth has put on the air miles in his career, and that will continue with his new life in Hiram, Ohio. A native of White Rock, B.C., he played his first USPHL Premier season with the Seattle Totems before moving on to Fort Myers, Fla., home of the Eels.
“I started talking to Hiram College at the USPHL Tampa Showcase in January,” said Blyth. “The part of my game Hiram liked the most was my ability to get shots through and my poise with the puck on the power play.”
Blyth put up 10 points in 39 games for the Eels this year and he played in 66 total games for his career. H is excited to bring his two-way play to the Hiram Terriers.
“It’s a very unique opportunity to be part of the very first NCAA men’s hockey program at Hiram. I like that Hiram offers small class sizes which makes it better for learning,” said Blyth. “They also have a strong business program I am interested in taking. Hiram practices three times a week with weekly team workouts, making it easy to balance academics with hockey.”
Blyth moves on from two seasons in the Premier with a fond outlook on his development in the league.
“My goal has always been to play college hockey and the USPHL has been known to place a lot of players in college spots,” said Blyth. “In particular, the Florida Eels stand out as a program that promotes their players well to NCAA programs. The Eels coaching staff helped to improve my compete level and develop my patience with the puck. They also gave me opportunities to showcase my skills on the power play.”
He’ll have a few months between now and move-in day at Hiram to sharpen his game even further to be the best version of himself he can be in Ohio.
“I’m going to focus on improving my physical play and positioning in the defensive zone. In the off-season, I plan on continuing to work on skating and building muscle for next year,” he added.
The USPHL congratulates Owen Blyth, his family, the Florida Eels and Hiram College for his commitment.
