A pair of Vancouver Canucks prospects have caught the head coach’s eye at training camp thus far.
The team is just two days into its preseason camp, yet Rick Tocchet has already been impressed by defenceman Kirill Kudryavtsev and Sawyer Mynio.
“The young defenceman, the Russian Kirill, I actually don’t mind watching out there,” said the head coach when asked which non-NHLers have stood out.
“He’s going to push that Abbotsford defence.”
Since being drafted in 2022, the seventh-round pick has exceeded all expectations. He’s consistently scored around 0.75 points per game in the OHL and has made massive strides in his defensive game.
Kudryavtsev is now expected to make the jump to professional hockey. While he was seen as likely a depth option for Abbotsford this year, Tocchet says he could push for a bigger role.
The head coach didn’t stop with the 20-year-old Kudryavtsev.
“Mynio is a guy; he’s a good player. He’s got a lot of potential.”
The Canucks picked Mynio in the third round of the 2023 NHL draft. He returned to the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL last year and scored 53 points in 63 games. Mynio then played a single game in Abbotsford at the end of the year.
The 19-year-old has turned a lot of heads with his competition and energy at camp, and he’s been a nuisance to compete against in drills.
The Canucks prospect pool isn’t among the league’s best after years of trading away draft picks, but they clearly still have young players who are showing promise for the future.
Both Mynio and Kudryavtsev are skating in the top groups, which are filled with NHLers at training camp, meaning they’re getting reps against some of the best players in the league. The experience will help them a lot before they return to their respective teams for the upcoming year.