Vancouver Giants' Trio of 20-Year-Olds Navigate Final WHL Games
The Vancouver Giants' trio of Misha Volotovskii, Ethan Mittelsteadt, and Kelton Pyne have amassed a combined 681 regular season games in the Western Hockey League (WHL). As 20-year-olds, they face just six more games at most this weekend, marking the end of their junior hockey careers. The Giants will visit the Kamloops Blazers on Friday and host them at the Langley Events Centre on Saturday for their regular season finale.
Reflecting on a Rapid Journey
Volotovskii, Mittelsteadt, and Pyne, each with five years in the WHL, echoed the common sentiment among graduating players: time has flown by. "The 20 year olds always seemed so much older than me," said Volotovskii, a centre born in Russia but raised in Calgary, with 284 regular season games. "You never think 'that's going to be me in a two or three years.' All of a sudden it is you, and you're the guy who's so much older. It's cliché, but it does fly by. You really have to enjoy every moment."
Vancouver (25-38-1-2) entered this season with high hopes but underperformed at times and dealt with injuries, leading to their elimination from playoff contention earlier this month. This marks their first missed post-season since 2016-17, and they haven't won a playoff series since upsetting the Everett Silvertips in 2021-22.
Trade Histories and Future Plans
All three players joined the Giants via trades. Mittelsteadt, a rearguard, arrived in November 2024 from the Kelowna Rockets. Pyne, a goaltender, was acquired in October from the Regina Pats. Volotovskii was traded from the Medicine Hat Tigers at the January 8 deadline, a move necessitated when the Tigers became overloaded with 20-year-olds after the Calgary Flames reassigned Andrew Basha.
Despite moving from a title contender to a struggling team, Volotovskii praised Medicine Hat's management. "He was upfront and honest about it," he said of general manager/coach Willie Desjardins. "I have the utmost respect for Willie. It's hockey. Sometimes guys get traded. It's part of the game." Volotovskii has 17 goals and 34 points in 60 games this season.
Pyne, who split goaltending duties with NHL-drafted prospect Burke Hood, noted the challenges of trading 20-year-olds in the WHL. "It's tough to trade 20 year olds in this league. If you're going somewhere you're probably going there to stay," he reasoned. Pyne has played 32 games with a 7-19-0-1 record, a 3.74 goals against average, and an .898 save percentage.
Looking Ahead to Collegiate Careers
The trio is set to pursue higher education and hockey next year, benefiting from recent NCAA rule changes that allow Major Junior players to receive scholarships. Volotovskii will join the UMass Lowell River Hawks in the NCAA, while Mittelsteadt is headed to the Princeton Tigers. Pyne aims to play collegiately at either a U Sports or NCAA school.
"U Sports is still awesome. It's a great league with good schools," said Mittelsteadt, a Victoria native with 261 WHL games. "But it's awesome that this has opened up and given a guy like me a chance to do something like this." Mittelsteadt has three goals and 13 points in 59 games this season.
Embracing the Final Moments
While disappointed about missing the playoffs, the players see a silver lining in having time to savor their final days. Mittelsteadt described the abrupt end of playoff runs: "You go from 100 miles per hour to zero in a blink of an eye." With Vancouver already out of contention, they can focus on enjoying their last games.
"You obviously want to be in the playoffs," Mittelsteadt added. "If you're not, you want to enjoy the last couple of weeks of the season and I think we have. We've been playing better hockey lately and winning some games. We're all competitive guys. It may be two games that don't mean anything in the standings but we're going to try to sweep the weekend and put on a show."
As they prepare for their final WHL appearances, Volotovskii, Mittelsteadt, and Pyne reflect on a journey that has shaped their careers and look forward to new challenges in collegiate hockey.
