Victoria, B.C. - 17-year-old blueliner Seth Fryer was recently ranked 206th amongst North American Skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Final Draft Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
“I think it's pretty sweet. The draft is something I've been working towards my whole life, so it felt pretty good to be recognized for that,” said Fryer. “I still have a long way to go, but this feels good.”
The draft will take place on June 28th and 29th at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
While patrolling the blueline is one thing, Fryer brings two key elements to the table: size and shot. Fryer is a towering 6 '7” and 197 lbs, and offers a right-shot.
For Fryer, hockey on the Island is at the forefront, as his roots are dug deep in Victoria, playing the entirety of his junior hockey career in his hometown of Victoria.
Fryer kick started his junior hockey career with the U15 Pacific Coast Academy prep team in 2020-21, before moving on to their U16 Program the following season. The towering blueliner made his presence known in the 2021-22 season, scoring once and adding 16 assists for 17 points in 36 games.
The Royals saw the potential which was displayed by Fryer, selecting him in the tenth-round, 206th overall of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.
As Fryer continued his progression, he made the move up to the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) to join the Peninsula Panthers. He would suit up in one game during 2021-22, and followed it up with 39 games during the 2022-23 campaign.
His 16-year-old season with the Panthers saw him register six assists and 32 points. The solid campaign provided Fryer a chance to get his first glimpse into the WHL, playing his first game on January 18th, 2023 against the Tri City Americans. In the end, he suited up in nine games for the Royals during the 2022-23 season.
This past season, Fryer made the full-time jump to the WHL, playing in 57 games for Victoria during the 2023-24 season. The local product earned his first career WHL goal on October 9th, 2023 against the Kelowna Rockets during a 9-7 victory.
Throughout the season, Fryer worked closely with the Royals coaching staff to hone in his skills as he looked to elevate his game.
“I feel like we worked hard on improving my game overall. I’m taking a lot of advice from my coaches, trying to play exactly how they want me to play, which for the most part, is playing as simply as possible.”
Fryer is one of several defencemen of promise for the Royals, noting the confidence level of his group based off this season.
“I think we'll have one of the strongest defensive cores in the league next season.”
While the offseason is upon him, and Fryer will be aiming to have his name called from the NHL Draft floor in Las Vegas, he has goals set for the upcoming summer.
“I will aim to gain a couple pounds of muscle over the summer. Overall, get bigger, stronger, faster and more in tune with my body, which will just make me more comfortable on the ice.”
Fryer and the rest of his teammates will continue their off-season of work as they aim to carry momentum into the 2024-25 season.