Kyle Bollers Prepares to Forge a Legendary Finale as TMU's Playoff Charge Beckons
Written by Blake Hanlin
In the looming spotlight of the playoffs, Kyle Bollers leads the charge, poised for an epic finale in his final dance with the TMU Bold.
On-ice tribulations swirled to begin the season for the Bold, starting their 2023-24 campaign 1-4 in September's exhibition play. Two of the losses came to the University of New Brunswick Reds, the reigning champions of the David Johnston University Cup, who recently finished their regular season with a perfect 30-0 record.
Despite struggling to meet the high expectations, there was still no panic in the locker room. All it took was doubt about their ability as a group to propel them to their potential.
"The beginning of the year we kinda came out slow, and people were kind of talking like 'TMU is this, TMU is that, they're just hosting, and that's why they're going to make it.' And we took that personally." Bollers stated.
Then it became a revenge tour.
Since September 30th, the Bold ignited their flame and reached a record of 19-8-1, finishing second in the OUA West Division. At the frontlines of their battles is Bollers, who finished the regular season with 18 goals and 24 assists for a final tally of 42 points on the year. These numbers top the OUA West in scoring, and all signs point to MVP consideration in his senior season.
"That would be something I would love to get before I graduate. The last years, I worked my tail off to try and get it, and I was unsuccessful. To get it this year would be unbelievable." Bollers said.
A prestigious award like OUA West MVP would be a great addition to Kyle's trophy shelf. Yet, with a first-round bye into the OUA playoffs, there are other ambitions on his mind. Juggling the possibilities of winning OUA West MVP, the Queen's Cup, and the David Johnston University Cup are all important. Yet, the home-ice stage is calling his name in the upcoming Nationals in March.
"[I want] to raise a banner at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, that's the one thing I want to see happen this year."
Bollers has one last shot to knock the Triple Crown off his to-do list in the coming months. Individual success doesn't outweigh his commitment to his team, though.
With bumps in the road this season and questions surrounding TMU as a team, Kyle is fixated on bringing glory to the city of Toronto and defending their castle. His belief in his teammates and himself will set up a cinematic finale for the TMU Bold legend.
