Sawyer Mynio’s first year of pro hockey didn’t come with a soft landing. The Canucks had injuries in both Abbotsford and Vancouver early in the season, and instead of easing into the AHL in sheltered minutes, the 21-year-old defenseman was pushed into a far bigger role than anyone likely planned.
That kind of baptism can overwhelm a rookie. Mynio handled it well enough to keep moving up the organizational ladder.
A third-round pick, 89th overall in 2023, Mynio spent this past season with the Abbotsford Canucks after a junior career that included a trip to the Memorial Cup in his draft year. He was a steady presence for a strong Seattle Thunderbirds team in the WHL and put up solid numbers along the way.
In Abbotsford, he was asked to do much more than the usual first-year minor-league defenseman. He played all situations for stretches, logged heavy five-on-five minutes, and even saw time on both the penalty kill and power play.
What stands out is that he kept earning trust even after the roster settled down. Once Abbotsford’s blue line got healthier, Mynio still held onto the top power-play job over Kirill Kudryavtsev and Victor Mancini. He finished with three goals and 18 assists for 21 points in 58 games.
The plus-minus is ugly, but that comes with the territory on a team that spent too much time chasing the puck. Abbotsford gave up a lot more goals than it scored, and for a rookie defenseman playing major minutes, that number doesn’t tell the full story.
The appeal with Mynio is pretty clear. He skates well, moves the puck well, and sees the ice with real confidence on offense.
His point shot gives him another layer, and on the defensive side, the same mobility and awareness show up again. He gets to the right spots, reads the play well, and has the look of a dependable two-way defender.
The one thing holding him back right now is strength. At 6’1” and 185 pounds, he can still be moved off pucks and nudged around the crease a little too easily.
He competes, though. That part isn’t in question.
The battle level is there, and if he adds more muscle, the rest of his game could take another step.
For a player making the jump into pro hockey, this was a demanding season. Mynio was thrown into the deep end and still came out with a year that exceeded expectations. If he builds on it, NHL games could be coming sooner rather than later.
The ceiling here is a bottom-four NHL defenseman who can settle into a strong third-pair role and maybe slide up to the second pair when needed. There’s also some secondary power-play quarterback upside in the mix, with the kind of profile that can handle about 17 minutes a night and contribute in all situations.
The floor is a top-pairing AHL defenseman and reliable organizational depth, the sort of player who can move between the NHL and AHL as needed. The comparison offered was Christian Wolanin.
As for the timeline, there’s a chance Mynio gets NHL action down the stretch this season. He probably won’t be in the conversation to make the team out of camp, but spring call-ups or injury-related opportunities could open the door. The following season may be the one where he really gets a chance to push for a full-time NHL job, especially if he adds the strength his game still needs.
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