The Vancouver Canucks gave Sawyer Mynio a free flight to Seattle on Friday.
The Canucks' third-round pick from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft was in the lineup for Friday's preseason game against the Seattle Kraken but then stayed in Seattle. The 19-year-old defenceman is the latest cut from the Canucks' preseason roster.
As always, Pass it to Bulis is here to explain every cut.
Mynio earned praise but has work to do
Since the Canucks drafted him, Sawyer Mynio has taken some major steps forward in his development. His offence, which wasn't a calling card in his draft year, took off this past season, as he scored 16 goals and 53 points in 63 games, good for 13th in scoring by WHL defencemen.
It was a huge leap forward — 11 more goals and 22 more points than in his draft year — and his showing at training camp and in the preseason illustrated his improved confidence with the puck and willingness to jump up in the play. He earned a lot of praise from head coach Rick Tocchet after Friday's game.
“I thought Mynio — a 19-year-old kid, he’s a great prospect for us — I thought he was poised out there," said Tocchet.
That's certainly true. His biggest moment on Friday came when the forwards meant to be backing him up after he pinched down the boards abandoned their posts to go for an ill-timed line change. Mynio didn't panic, but chased down Jordan Eberle with a great backcheck and lifted the veteran forwards stick to disrupt his scoring chance without taking a penalty.
"I think my game has grown a lot more since I was 18," said Mynio. "It's not so nerve-wracking skating with the big guys for the first time like I was last year. It feels much more comfortable right now."
There's just one issue. While Mynio took major steps forward in a lot of areas in the past year, he took a step backward in one of the most important: his defence.
Mynio's defensive game was his best attribute in his draft year, as he was adept at both using his mobility to defend the rush and at protecting the middle of the ice against the cycle. As he shifted his focus this past season to providing more offence, some of his defensive game suffered. He wasn't alone in that regard — the Thunderbirds gave up a lot of goals last season, as they repeatedly hung their goaltenders out to dry.
This season, Mynio will need to balance the offence that he's added to his game with the defensive game that is ultimately what will get him to the NHL.
Along the way, Mynio is looking to make Team Canada for the World Junior Championships. He was an invite to Team Canada's summer camp and had a solid showing. If he can continue to put up points while getting back to the shutdown defence that made him stand out in his draft year, he has a good shot at making the team.
