The hype around rising Vancouver Canucks defense prospect Sawyer Mynio appears to be real after all. On Friday, it was revealed that the 19-year-old former third-round pick will be representing the Canucks at the 2025 World Junior Championships after surviving the final cuts to Team Canada's roster.
Mynio, drafted 89th overall by the Canucks in the 2023 NHL Draft, joins a Team Canada defense core that features Beau Akey, Oliver Bonk, Sam Dickinson, Andrew Gibson, Tanner Molendyk, Caden Price, and 2025 draft-eligible Matthew Schaefer.
Check out the 2⃣5⃣ players who will wear the 🍁 at the #WorldJuniors in Ottawa! 🇨🇦
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) December 13, 2024
Voici les 2⃣5⃣ joueurs qui arboreront la 🍁 au #MondialJunior à Ottawa! 🇨🇦
ROSTER: https://t.co/rkEYGrNFYr
FORMATION : https://t.co/aaliYCMONH pic.twitter.com/JFDvmr9tYG
The Canucks prospect's inclusion was a bit of a surprise, as Mynio survived Canada's final cuts while Zayne Parekh, drafted ninth overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2024 NHL Draft in June, did not. Washington Capitals defense prospect Cam Allen was Canada's other cut at the position.
Notable other cuts from Canada's World Juniors roster include 2024 No. 3 overall pick Beckett Sennecke, returnee Matthew Wood, and OHL star Denver Barkey.
Sawyer Mynio could be a hidden gem for the Canucks
For those who may not know much about Mynio, he currently plays his junior hockey with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. After a respectable D+1 season where he scored 16 goals, 37 assists, and 53 points in 63 games, Mynio has taken his game to a new level this year.
Now the captain of the Thunderbirds, Mynio is already up to five goals, 14 assists, and 19 points in 18 games and is on pace to finish the season with 15 goals, 43 assists, and 58 points in only 55 games.
“We always knew that there was offense there because he’s got a cannon of a shot, and he can really skate, so you could see the offense but he just wasn’t put in those positions,” Thunderbirds general manager Bil La Forge told The Athletic's Scott Wheeler. “What happened to Sawyer is he learned how to penalty kill, he learned how to defend, and he’s really developed a complete game because of that.”
Being able to represent your country at any time is an honor for every player, and for Mynio to represent Canada and the Canucks ahead of a guy like Zayne Parekh speaks volumes about the impression he made on Canada's staff over the last year. Mynio's performances at World Juniors will certainly be something for Canucks fans to keep their eyes on this winter.