Last Saturday Virden’s Wyatt Kalynuk got one of the best phone calls of his life.
The son of Leanne and Randy Kalynuk was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the seventh round, 196th overall, of the 2017 NHL Draft on Jun. 24. Wyatt is currently in Madison, Wisc., where he is attending summer classes and training in preparation for his first season with the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team.
“I was actually just lying in my dorm room bed here in Madison when my advisor called me,” the 20-year-old forward wrote in an email interview. “When he told me that the Flyers selected me I was in shock at first, followed by a ton of excitement. It was a dream come true to hear that.”
His parents were at home watching the draft as it unfolded on TV. Leanne wrote in an email interview it was exciting to see his name come across the screen.
“We are thankful for modern technology to Facetime with Wyatt – for a few minutes – to congratulate him on his draft.”
Almost immediately after his advisor told Wyatt Philadelphia had picked him, Flyers scout Nick Pryor, who he had talked to throughout the year, called to welcome him to the organization. Later in the day, Philadelphia head of player development John Riley called.
In regards to his team’s selection of Wyatt, Flyers general manager Ron Hextall, a Brandon product and former NHL netminder, was quoted on CSNPhilly.com as saying:
"Really good skater," said Hextall, who picked Elkhorn’s Travis Sanheim in the first round in 2014. "Good mobility and size, good puck skills. He's been through drafts and he's going to Wisconsin, which we really like. So we have four years with him."
The NHL Draft currently consists of seven rounds while in the past it used to be longer. A number of late round draft picks have emerged as pro contributors. Picks after the sixth round that have panned out include: New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg, Nashville Predators netminder Pekka Rinne, and Winnipeg Jet Dustin Byfuglien.
Leanne said the family is happy for Wyatt as he has put in a lot of hard work.
“Well, some of it is hard work,” Leanne wrote. “The hours spent on the outdoor rink, playing and practicing have been the fun part and not really considered work because he loves the game so much.
“There have been many early mornings to work out with a trainer, sacrifices to personal and family life along the way in order to stay committed to his goals. These were the ‘hard’ parts.
It has not always been a straight or easy road. There have been highs, and there have been lows. Wyatt took the lows as motivation to work harder and we are very proud of him for that.”
Wyatt’s hockey journey started when he fell in love with the game growing up in Virden. He frequently could be found at the outdoor rink at the Virden Junior High, where his father is a long-time educator. As a 16-year-old, he suited up for his hometown Virden Oil Capitals in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
“There are many people from the Virden area that have had a huge impact on my hockey career,” Wyatt wrote. “In particular, Mike Robertson, Dale Lewis, Troy Leslie, Chad Leslie, and the entire Virden Oil Capital Organization.”
He is also quick to praise his family for their support.
"The people that have had, without a doubt, the biggest influence not only in my hockey career, but my life have for sure been my family. My mom Leanne, dad Randy, sisters Lexie and Quinn and her fiancée Donovan, and my biggest supporter - my Grandma Betty McSorley, have provided me with every opportunity to be successful as well as providingendless support."
After playing for the Oil Capitals, Wyatt headed south and played for the United States Hockey League’s Lincoln (Neb.) Stars. The last two seasons he has played for the Bloomington (Ill.) Thunder. This past winter Wyatt earned a hat trick of awards as the team’s MVP, Top Defenceman, and Offensive Defenceman. He earned USHL Third Team honours, recorded 31 points in 60 games, and served as an alternate captain.
Now Wyatt is excited to take his game to the NCAA Division I level. The Badgers are certainly happy to have him. On uwbadgers.com in April, head coach Tony Granato, a former NHLer, said:
"He's a very smart two-way defenseman," Granato said. "He sees the game very well. He'll have the opportunity to be a power-play guy as soon as he gets here. Just a solid player."
