Young signs entry-level deal

By Lethbridge Herald on September 26, 2023.

THE CANADIAN PRESS PHOTO Vancouver Canucks goalie Ty Young skates back to the net after taking a break during the opening day of the NHL hockey teamÕs training camp, in Victoria, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Young has agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Coaldale product and current Prince George Cougars goalie Ty Young took another step to making the NHL a reality this week.

Young signed his three-year, entry-level deal with the Vancouver Canucks, who drafted him in the fifth round at 155th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

The entry-level contract is the first contract a player signs as rookie and includes signing bonuses.

Young appeared in a career-high 34 games with the Western Hockey League’s Cougars last season where he posted a 15-13-3-1 regular season record  and a .889 save percentage.

“Yeah it was a big honour,” said Young.

“Especially like it just kind of hit a little bit more of home. It was kind of the team I had cheered for growing up , like you’d think you’d be (cheering for) the Flames for being from Lethbridge But I have family, my grandparents lived out on the Island. So I went  there for a bit and they kind of converted me to a Canucks fan. So I was a Canucks fan growing up and it’s just a great feeling and kind of surreal just even thinking about it. I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet.”

Young said the biggest thing they saw was probably just the improvement.

“Like it’s not even just where I’m at right now,” said Young.

“I think they see the kind of future and potential in me and I think that’s probably the biggest part and the biggest reason why that I was able … Like goalies usually develop later, so you’re not going into the NHL right away and be this all-star. So they kind of look at future and I think that’s probably what they saw.”

Young had the opportunity to attend the Canucks’ development, rookie and main camps.

“I think it was really, really good,” said Young.

“The coaches get to show you a little bit and kind of teach you the speed of the game, and kind of what you need to do, kind of the tips and strengths I guess of players, and tendencies and kind of  just how skilled you see those NHL players are. So you kind of get that first kind of taste of it and I was experiencing  those high-level shots, (which)  kind of give you a little bit more confidence that you can stop them and see them.”

Now Young will prepare to play the rest of the season with the Cougars.