Talyn Boyko – 2021 NHL Entry Draft Prospect Profile

by

Talyn Boyko

2020-21 Team: Tri-City Americans
Date of Birth: Oct.16, 2002
Place of Birth: Drumheller, AB, Canada
Ht: 6-foot-6 Wt: 201 pounds
Catches: L
Position: Goalie
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2021 first-year eligible

Rankings

With only a handful of goalies listed in this year’s NHL Entry Draft, Talyn Boyko is on a mission to make his name known. At a colossal 6-foot-6, he has established himself as one of the largest goalies in his draft class.

Related: THW’s 2021 Draft Guide

Born in Drumheller, Alberta, Boyko played three seasons at the phenomenal Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy in Kelowna, BC, before he was drafted by the Tri-City Americans in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft. He was a highly-touted rookie and began his WHL career in the 2018-19 regular season, suiting up for ten games and posting a 5.30 goals-against average (GAA) and a .862 save percentage (SV%). There were some improvements to be made in his game, but when he returned for the 2019-20 season, he was ready to rock.

Although the last couple of seasons have been a mess due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Boyko has made strides in his development. In the 2019-20 season, the Americans struggled terribly, posting a 17-40 record before the regular season was shutdown. Boyko ended the season with a 4.52 goals-against average (GAA) and a .892 save percentage (SV%) after appearing in 24 games. He shared the backup position with fellow goaltender Mason Dunsford.

After a long and dreadful wait, the WHL’s U.S. Division hit the ice for the first time in more than a year on March 18. For the first time in his career, Boyko was named the starting goalie for the Americans. In 14 games, he improved to a 3.02 goals-against average (GAA) and a .901 save percentage (SV%), which goes to show that he is progressing with each season. He is a player who relies on his size to get across the crease quickly, and although he is a large goalie, he is mobile with strong vision.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Talyn Boyko – NHL Draft Projection

He is a skyscraper in net with a unique toolkit, which is attractive to many general managers. Given his C-ranked status, he should be selected in the third or fourth round.

Quotables

“Goalie Talyn Boyko has size of his own – he comes in at 6-foot-6 – and was scrambling last year behind a young team. His numbers suffered but he showed flashes that caught scout’s eyes.” – Andy Edie, NHL.com

“Boyko, to me, is a meat-and-potatoes type. He is not overly flashy or won’t go out with technical prowess that will wow fans and scouts but does a fair job at what task his at hand. He’s one who fits perfectly into a system, works in sync with his defensemen (one thing that he proved me tonight) and who will take advantage of each inches of his 6-foot-6 frame.” – FCHockey

Strenghts

  • Massive frame
  • Puck playing
  • Mental game
  • Glove hand

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

  • Athleticism

NHL Potential

Boyko is a work in progress, but given the right development, he could pan out to become an NHL goaltender. As mentioned earlier, his stature and unique skillset have attracted scouts and general managers. He has drawn comparisons to Ben Bishop for his size, and if anything, that’s a compliment.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 4/5, Reward – 2/5

Awards/Achievements

In 2015, Boyko won the CSSHL U15 Championship with the Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy.

Talyn Boyko Statistics

Videos