Cochrane native and Airdrie minor hockey alumnus Ty Mueller fulfilled a lifelong dream last week, when he heard his name called during the 2023 NHL Draft.
Mueller, 20, was selected in the fourth round as the 105th overall pick by the Vancouver Canucks during the June 28 draft.
Currently playing with the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks in the NCAA Division 1, Mueller previously laced his skates for the Airdrie Xtreme and the Airdrie Bisons AAA teams as a teen. The Cochrane native was the Bisons' top scorer in 2018-19, posting 10 goals and 34 points across 34 games for a point-per-game average.
In 2018, he was a key member of the Airdrie Xtreme squad that won the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League provincial championship, recording more than a point per game during both the regular season and playoffs.
After his minor career but before moving south to play for the University of Nebraska, Mueller played two seasons of junior A hockey for the Sherwood Park Crusaders. However, both of his years in the Alberta Junior Hockey League were hindered by COVID-19 restrictions. From 2019 to 2021, he logged 41 points in 65 games for the Crusaders.
During his NCAA career, Mueller has registered 38 points in 54 games for the Mavericks.