On day two of the 2022 National Hockey League Entry Draft on July 8 in Montreal, QC, the Ottawa Senators selected Cranbrook Bucks forward Tyson Dyck in the seventh round, 206th overall. Not only did that make Dyck the first NHL draft pick in Bucks franchise history — it also put a bow on his short, yet sensational stint in Cranbrook.
From a Bucks perspective, the franchise was just 972 days old, and had all of 74 regular season and six playoff games under its belt in the BC Hockey League when its first NHL draftee was announced. For Dyck — who’s been with the Bucks since day one — his hard work, determination, and competitiveness through a global pandemic paid off while he set the bar for an expansion team just getting its feet wet in the BCHL.
Dyck and the Bucks had their debut season in 2020-21 limited to just 20 games in a three-team pod due to restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The young forward suffered an injury in just the sixth game of what was already an extremely abbreviated season, but still managed to put up three goals and five points through those six contests before his campaign came to an abrupt end.
Then this past season, Dyck exploded for 34 goals, 41 assists, and 75 points through 54 games for the Bucks. Those numbers ranked him among the top-five in each offensive category across the BCHL at just 17-years-old. He then added four goals and an assist in Cranbrook’s six playoff contests this spring.
Dyck was named both a First-Team All-Star, and to the league’s All-Rookie Team in 2021-22. He finished runner-up for the Bruce Allison Memorial Trophy as BCHL rookie of the year behind Victoria Grizzlies 16-year-old phenom Matthew Wood — who led the league with 45 goals and 85 points in just 46 contests.
While he was navigating through and excelling in his first full season of junior hockey, Dyck twice found himself on NHL Central Scouting’s pre-draft rankings. In January, he was listed as the 191st North American skater for the upcoming draft, and by May he was ranked 110th. All of these accomplishments throughout the season were just steps along the journey to being Cranbrook’s first NHL draft pick.
In an article published by the BCHL recapping the league’s drafted players, Dyck shared his thoughts on the NHL draft leading to the next stage of his career.
“It was a surreal moment for my family and I to see my name get called. I am super excited to be a part of the Senators organization and am looking forward to getting started.”
In the weeks between Cranbrook’s season ending and the recent NHL draft, Dyck committed to continue developing his hockey career and his education at the University of Massachusetts. The 18-year-old is scheduled to begin his NCAA Division I career this fall, ending his Bucks tenure after two short seasons.
As he heads off to school a drafted NHL prospect, Dyck leaves behind an incredible mark on the BCHL’s newest franchise — including being Cranbrook’s first-ever NHL draft pick.
