Mintyukov's 2021-22 season was critical for the defenseman after he missed an entire season due to the cancellation of the OHL season in 2020-21 due to COVID. During that time Mintyukov practiced and trained with his OHL club, the Saginaw Spirit, which gave him a unique opportunity to work and grow different skill sets heading into his draft year.
The defenseman believes his biggest area of improvement was his offensive game, which the numbers back up his hard work. Mintyukov became a major playmaker for the Spirit, recording 17 goals and 45 assists for a total of 62 points. His points total was third among defensemen in the OHL while his goals total was fifth by all blue liners.
He may have made headlines with his offensive game this season, but Mintyukov told reporters he believes an underrated part of his game is his defensive game. "I think my possession's good and (I) have a good active stick," Mintyukov said during his availability at the Combine.
As he did last seasons, Mintyukov will look to continue improvements with his offensive game and bring more physicality to his defensive game, which he said was the best advice he received recently. The defenseman had a strong return to games after a season off and is an exciting prospect to watch out for.
