–by Sylvania AdVantage Staff
PUBLICATION DATE: Sept 14, 2020

Ever since he was a young boy, Gordi Myer wanted to play hockey. By age 4 he had dreams of playing professional hockey. Now, that dream has become a reality as he recently signed to play with the Toledo Walleye.
“After my senior year ended at The Ohio State University because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I became a free agent and was able to sign with any team. No professional teams were playing at the time, and the NHL wasn’t due to start up until July or August, so I had a couple of months to just relax and not worry about hockey. Then, eventually, my agent and I started getting calls from some teams, and I thought maybe I could get an AHL deal with Grand Rapids because ultimately I knew I wanted to play in Toledo. So we kind of reached out and I knew there was mutual interest,” Myer remembered.

He explained the events leading up to his signing. “Alden Hirschfeld actually contacted me first just to see how I was doing and what my plans were for next year. He told me that the Walleye were interested. Then Dan Watson, the Walleye head coach, reached out, and within a couple of days I signed my contract and the deal was done,” he said.
Accomplishing that dream to play for the Walleye has been quite a journey for the young Sylvania native and not without a lot of hard work and sacrifice. He moved from home at age 16 to play in Cleveland and later for major junior teams in Wisconsin and Nebraska.
Those experiences and the skills he acquired led to his making The Ohio State University hockey team where he earned the right to serve as team captain. He also earned the Best Defensive Player title his senior year.
Being able to play at Ohio State is one of Myer’s high points. “There are not too many Ohio natives that get to play on the hockey team there, so it was just a very special opportunity to be able to do that. I didn’t play at Northview when I was in high school, and they had great success. I kind of felt left out at times because those kids got a chance to play for their school and in front of their friends. So being able to play for Ohio State in front of my friends and family definitely made up for that. Getting to play for your school was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to play college hockey. I have so much love and passion for that university and can’t thank them enough for all that they have done for me,” Myer related.
Myer also credits many others for his hockey success. “I’ve been lucky to have some pretty incredible coaches since I was a little kid. I can’t really name them all, but I just think they taught me so much more than how to play the game. Being mentally strong, work ethic and other intangible things like those are just so much more important than hockey,” he said.
Myer admits to growing up as a Detroit Red Wings fan and following the career of Nick Lindstrom. “I was a huge fan. He was a great defenseman and a first-class individual,”
Myer noted.
From a player’s perspective, Myer’s advice to young players is that they have to be committed. “You just really have to love the game to go far. It can’t be your parents who want it for you. You really have to eat, sleep and breathe hockey. When I was young I played street hockey in my driveway literally every day. I was a rink rat at Tamo. And don’t be afraid to follow your own path,” he advised.
Myer started playing hockey when he was quite young. “My older brother played hockey so I think naturally I just got signed up when I was like three to start playing. My brother and I would play all day together, whether it was mini hockey in the house or street hockey in the driveway. It was just hockey 24/7,” he recalled.
For Myer, that dedication has paid off. His family, friends and fans will now be able to enjoy watching him at the downtown Toledo Huntington Center.