One prospect that Vancouver Canuck fans should be paying attention to is defenceman Sawyer Mynio. The B.C.-born defender has taken his game to the next level this season in the WHL and has thrived in a leadership role for the Seattle Thunderbirds. Drafted 89th overall, he continues to evolve his game as he does everything he can to become an NHL regular one day. All Mynio has done in the WHL is win. In his first season, Seattle was crowned Western Conference Champions, while last year, he helped the Thunderbirds make it to the Memorial Cup Final. As he explains, playing in a winning environment isn't just great for morale but also helped him develop into the player he is today. "It's been great," said Mynio. "Going into my third year here in Seattle, we've gone to the championship back-to-back years. I think that was huge for my growth, lots of important experience in this league, lots of development all these years. I think I have really grown my game over the years, which helped me get drafted by the Canucks." Canucks look to bring back Ethan Bear Going back to last season, Mynio had the chance to experience something few players do: playing in a Memorial Cup in his hometown. As mentioned, Seattle made it all the way to the final, with the Canucks prospect playing in all five games during the tournament. This run was special for him as not only did he get to compete for the CHL's top prize, but that he was being cheered on by a large section of family and friends. "It was awesome. It is something that not a lot of guys get to do: play it in their hometown. To just go to the tournament and also experience it in front of my friends and family. Every game that they came to watch, there was a pretty good crowd for me." It wasn't just his family and friends watching him as Vancouver took a keen interest in the Thunderbirds defender. So much so that not only did they select him in the third round of the 2023 draft, but they signed him to an entry-level contract before the season. As Mynio explains, the Canucks are taking a firm interest in his development, which includes visits from Chris Higgins, who is part of Vancouver's development staff. "Yeah, it's awesome. The scouts come to a lot of our games. Chris Higgins, he's a player development guy. He comes and watches me whenever I have a game, and the Canucks don't, so it's great. We talk a lot for them to be just three hours away, so it really helps my game." At this point in his career, Mynio is trying to take the lessons he has learned from the Canucks and apply them to his game at the WHL level. The 18-year-old has added more offence to his game this season while bulking up so that he can be ready to take on stronger competition at the pro level. He is also working on the smaller details of his game, which, as he describes, is crucial to success at the next level. "I think it is important to watch every detail in the practice and get your habits in check. I think that's the biggest thing about turning pro is you can't make these little mistakes. You have to be dialled into everything in. The little details of the game are super important. It was an eye opener at camp and especially the thing that I'm focusing on here this year in Seattle." Mynio is the type of prospect Canucks fans should get excited about, even if he did grow up an Oilers fan. A player who takes inspiration from Shea Theodore and Duncan Keith, he continues to improve his game and has developed into an intriguing prospect. While it is still early in his development, as he doesn't turn 19 until April, he has the potential to develop into a key piece for Vancouver in the future.
