Flory eager to achieve WHL dream

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/06/2022 (1356 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Tao Flory isn’t about to play it cool when he discusses the Western Hockey League draft.

The Brandon Wheat Kings picked the five-foot-11, 172-pound defenceman from Saskatoon 166th overall in the eighth round of the Western Hockey League draft in May.

“It’s amazing,” Flory said. “It’s a dream come true. Most kids dream of it since they were born and same with me. It’s a dream come true.”

Flory, whose first name is pronounced TAY-o, comes from an athletic family that extends beyond parents Joel and Tracy.

If his surname sounds familiar, it might be. His uncle, Scott Flory, spent 15 seasons with the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes, and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

The six-foot-four Flory is now the head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

“I’m trying to be the one who goes the farthest right now,” Flory said with a smile.

He started skating at age three and playing a year later. He was initially a forward but switched to the blue-line six years ago.

Flory, who also golfs, has developed a deep attachment to the game of hockey.

“It teaches you how to become a man, I think,” Flory said. “Teamwork and your work ethic … it teaches you how to have a good work ethic.”

Last season with the under-15 Saskatoon Bandits, Flory contributed two goals, seven assists and 32 penalty minutes in 29 games. He was reasonably certain he was going to be picked, suggesting it was a matter of where and when.

He was thrilled with how it turned out.

“It was a good feeling,” Flory said. “It was the eighth round so I was kind of wondering if I was actually going to go but I had a good feeling that I was, and then my dad saw my name pop up. It was emotional. It was good, it was fun, very fun.”

Wheat Kings director of player personnel Chris Moulton said after the draft that Flory, who shoots right, brings a nice blend of skills.

“Tao is a puck-moving, smooth defenceman who has the ability to make plays from the back and also create offence, but he also does a really good job with his stick and his positioning defensively,” Moulton said.

Flory said his strengths are also mental, noting he performs well under pressure and keeps his emotions under control. On the ice, he likes to take care of his own end first.

“I’m very good defensively,” Flory said. “I can generate offence if needed but I’m a stay-at-home guy. I’m very good at penalty kill. My coach kind of held me back from power play.”

And that’s why he wants to improve the other side of his game. Flory said he is targeting all the things that will make him a more effective player in the other team’s end.

“I want to get quicker feet, be more offensive, hold onto the puck more and generate more offence,” Flory said. “Obviously I want to work out lots.”

Like all of his 2007-born draft mates, Flory will play under-18 hockey next season. But he’s setting the bar high, with the hopes that his WHL adventure will start soon.

“It’s the goal I had in mind,” Flory said. “It’s a dream. In a year and a half or two years I want to be playing. Next year hopefully I can get a couple of games but I want to be a full roster player in two years. That’s my goal.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @PerryBergson