Coachella Valley Firebirds forward Tye Kartye named AHL rookie of the year for 2022-23
Before the 2022-23 professional hockey season began in October, Tye Kartye said a successful season for him would simply be taking a positive step in his progression as a player.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds’ 21-year-old left winger was either being modest or had no idea what the season had in store for him over the next several months.
On Thursday, Kartye, who signed last year as an undrafted free agent, won the American Hockey League’s Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award. The annual honor is given to the league’s rookie of the year.
Coaches, players and members of the media from each of the league’s 32 cities voted on the award.
"It's a huge honor to be given this award," Kartye said. "It's not something I had really thought about but I'm very proud to have received it."
One of the offensive leaders on a team that is ranked second in the AHL with 48 wins and 103 points, Kartye recorded 28 goals and 29 assists to lead all league rookies with 57 points in 2022-23.
He also placed second among rookie forwards in plus/minus with a plus-17 rating and was one of just eight first-year players in the league to skate in all 72 of his team’s games during the regular season. Seven of Kartye’s goals were game-winners, also tops among AHL rookies.
Kartye, a Kingston, Ontario native, went undrafted in 2021 before the NHL’s Seattle Kraken took a flier on him and invited him to camp as an extra body that fall. Kartye didn’t make the team’s roster for its inaugural season. He returned home to Ontario to play for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, a junior team in the Ontario Hockey League.
During that season with the Greyhounds, Kartye scored 45 goals and recorded 79 points in 63 games, and the Kraken offered him an entry-level contract with the intention of developing him with the Firebirds, their AHL affiliate.
The Kraken got more than just a developmental year out of Kartye. After recording just two points in his first 12 games, he accumulated 55 points over his final 60 contests, and led the entire league with 25 goals after a short Christmas break.
Kartye was named the AHL Rookie of the Month for March after tallying 17 points in 15 games, which included his first professional hat trick in a 6-3 win over Texas on March 12. Earlier this month, Kartye was named to the six-player AHL All-Rookie Team.
"As the season went on, I felt I gained more confidence and became comfortable as the games went on and that only helped my game," Kartye said. "I credit this award and my success this season to my teammates and coaches. Playing with great players and learning from the coaches and veteran guys helped me immensely this year."
On Monday, Kartye was recalled by the Kraken to make his NHL debut in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Playoff series versus the Colorado Avalanche. Kartye joined the Kraken in Colorado but did not suite up in Tuesday's game.
Kartye was re-assigned back to the Firebirds Wednesday and played hours later in Game 1 of the Firebirds' best-of-3 playoff series versus the Tucson Roadrunners. The Firebirds won the game, 5-1.
Andrew John covers the Coachella Valley Firebirds for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Coachella Valley Firebirds' Tye Kartye named AHL rookie of the year
