Newest Hitmen defenceman is ready for action and thrilled to be in Calgary

Sawyer Mynio stepped onto the ice for practice with his new teammates on Thursday morning.

Mynio was acquired from the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday for defenceman Linden Burrett and forward Sawyer Mayes.  The Hitmen also sent a first round and fourth round pick in the 2025 WHL prospects draft and a first and fourth rounder in the 2026 WHL prospects draft.

It was a high price to pay but Mynio is regarded as one of the top defenceman in the WHL.

Mynio will be in the lineup on Friday night against the Saskatoon Blades  and he  says he’s excited to get his journey started with the Hitmen.

“It felt really good honestly,” said the 19-year-old.

“Obviously they have a really good record here and last night I got a taste of what the locker room is going to be like.  It’s a tight group, I can already tell that.  Everyone gets along and they’re making me feel really welcome.”

Back from world junior break

Mynio joins the Hitmen after suiting up for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa.

He says it wasn’t the result he was looking for but it was still a great experience.

“Yeah it was awesome, it was everything you could’ve dreamed of besides winning it,” he said.

“Just to be there was a good experience," he added. "Unfortunately, we lost in the quarters there but it's a memory that will last forever for sure.”

Joining his Team Canada teammate

Tanner Howe was Mynio’s teammate at the world juniors and the two got to know each other in Ottawa.  They’re now rooming together in Calgary and Howe says he’ll be a solid addition to the Hitmen lineup.

“You know he’s really good with the puck,” he said.

“He makes a good first pass and he loves to throw his weight around.  He’s really skilled in the offensive zone so I think he brings that 200-foot game that is going to help us a lot.”

Kindel sets franchise record

Mynio joins a red hot Hitmen squad.  They’re 8-2 in their last 10 games and are tied for first in the Eastern Conference.

On Wednesday night they downed the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-1 and in that game, forward Ben Kindel broke the Hitmen streak as he extended it to 21 games.  That beat the previous mark set by Pavel Brendl back in the 1998-99 season.

“It’s a great honour to be down in the Hitmen record books,” said Kindel.

“It’s not just me, it’s a lot of help from my teammates so it’s as much a team record as an individual record.”

The Hitmen and Saskatoon Blades  face off against each other at 7 p.m. on Friday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.