Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Rylan Toth was immediately drawn to hockey. He played other sports, but ultimately his passion for hockey couldn’t be ignored.
“In Saskatchewan, there’s not a lot to do in the winter … except go out on the outdoor rink,” Toth, who was recently an emergency backup goalie for the Vancouver Canucks on January 23. “I knew I loved hockey from a pretty young age.”
Toth remembers being infatuated with the bulky goalie gear early on, and simply liking the idea of being a puck stopper. As a kid, the young goaltender attended his fair share of Western Hockey League (WHL) games, supporting his local Saskatoon Blades and dreaming of one day playing in the league.
After going undrafted in the WHL bantam draft, Toth’s determination earned him a spot on the Red Deer Rebels at the age of 18 — started a 158-game career in the WHL that saw 90 wins and a WHL championship with the Seattle Thunderbirds in his final season of playing eligibility.
“I had a couple coaches [in the WHL] who were very demanding and tough at times. But, as an 18-, 19- and 20-year-old kid, some of the lessons that I learned from them about hard work and dedication [have] gone a long way for me.”
After aging out of junior hockey, Toth found himself in a difficult situation. Playing in the WHL made him realize how close he was to reaching his goal of playing pro hockey, but at the same time, how far he was.
In the summer of 2017, Toth committed to UBC, taking advantage of the WHL’s scholarship program which offered him a year of tuition for each season he played in the league.
“It was really good for me to take a step back and come to UBC where I had a chance to become a more well-rounded person, rather than just a hockey player,” said Toth. “It gave me a perspective on what I want out of life.”
Over the course of his five years in BC, Toth’s development as a goaltender has been steady and impressive.
If you’ve watched Toth play this season, you would know that he has many qualities that pro teams look for. His puck tracking is next level, his edge control is dazzling and his skilled but adventurous puck playing is a something that you don’t see many goalies confident enough to entertain these days.
From a young age, Toth remembers thinking that his goal stick could have a profound impact on the game, even when he wasn’t strong enough to lift it. But above all else, Toth’s demeanour in the net and his ability to stay calm are the most important parts of his game.
“I think a calm goalie is a sign of a strong goalie,” said Toth. “I was a big fan of Carey Price growing up, and [when] you watch him [you’d] almost think he doesn’t care. Everything [that happens] is like water off a duck’s back.” That analogy perfectly describes Toth’s style, and his appearance on the bench as he took in the Canucks 3–1 loss to the St Louis Blues.
Rylan Toth has been a staple in the T-Birds crease for the past five seasons, so it will take some time to adjust to his absence next year.
In what will be his final season with the club, Toth has drawn attention from across the hockey world with his MVP calibre play.
For the humble and honest 25-year-old goaltender, it should come as no surprise that his opportunity in the NHL on January 23 was simply the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to his craft, on and off the ice.
With the local Vancouver Canucks reaching far down their goaltending depth charts due to COVID-19 struggles, the news broke night of January 22 that the NHL club was looking at university goalie options to backup Michael DiPietro.
Toth went to bed on Saturday night thinking he would be on the bench in Abbotsford with the baby Canucks the next day, but found out in the morning that he would be putting on an NHL jersey instead.
“It [all] happened pretty quick,” said Toth, "I was excited, a little nervous … and just looking forward to it all day.”
On a normal game day the UBC netminder said he arrives about two hours before, but the Canucks had him there almost three hours ahead of puck drop to get settled in.
“It gave me some extra time to get ready,” he said. “I just went through my normal routine, and [tried] to prepare like [it was] a normal game.”
Throughout his time within the Canucks organization, Toth said it was 32-year-old defenceman Luke Schenn, a fellow Saskatoon native, who made his experience whole.
“[Schenn] could probably tell I was a little nervous and [that I] didn’t want to overstep,” said Toth, “He was just really welcoming.”
Schenn’s younger brother Brayden is a star winger for the St Louis Blues, the Canucks opponent on January 23.
In pre-game warmup, Toth recalled that Brayden and his teammate Tyler Bozak, who is also Saskatchewan born, gave him some friendly bumps.
“They just said welcome and enjoy it and stuff,” he smiled. “So that was cool.” Those that tuned in to the broadcast on game night would’ve seen the cameras panning to Toth multiple times as he sat on the bench. Each time, the goaltender appeared unfazed by his new surroundings.
“I was just trying to stay somewhat focused on the game [in case] I were to go in,” laughed Toth.
“[I didn’t] need to be quite as focused, but at the same time I didn’t want to be not paying attention at all.”
Though the amateur tryout contract Toth signed with the team didn’t bring him any money, he was given the jersey he wore that night as a reminder of the incredible experience.
For Toth, the opportunity has been the cherry on top of an astonishing final season with UBC. He currently leads the Canada West in nearly every goaltending statistic, posting a .930 save percentage and a 1.99 GAA with a record of 10–3–1. He has been the backbone of a T-Birds team that recently clinched a playoff spot, sitting tied for first in the conference.
“The success we had at the end of my third year, when we got a taste of Nationals … instilled a lot of belief in the team,” Toth said of the programs impressive season.
“I think not being able to play last year, especially for the older guys on the team, [gave] us some perspective [that] this is our last kick at the can.” He credits the leadership within the group as the biggest reason the team is having the success that they are this season.
Toth knew what a championship team looks like. In his final season of junior hockey with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, Toth watched from the sidelines as the team claimed the organizations first WHL championship.
Though he didn’t play a game in the playoffs run due to injury, Toth was instrumental to the leadership of the team, along with his now UBC teammate Jarret Tyszka.
“I see similarities [to] that [Seattle] team,” Toth said. “[Tyszka and I] talk about it at times, and how a big [similarity] is just how close the team is. A good team can only go so far, but when you really care about the guy sitting next to you, I think that’s the biggest difference maker.”
UBC head coach Sven Butenschön has watched the goaltender develop, from the team’s young backup, to the starting goalie and to among the league’s best in the crease.
"When you have all the good habits [he does], the big picture is usually pretty successful,” said Butenschön. “Right now, he's getting what he's putting into the game."
For Toth, his on-ice growth can be largely attributed to his off-ice maturity.
“Hockey is a mental game, but goaltending specifically takes a lot of focus, patience and self-belief,” he said. “Just [focusing] on stopping the puck and worrying about what you can control [are] a lot easier said than done. It takes a lot of years of figuring out who you are as a person … and I don’t think anybody is ever perfect at it.”
His experience with the Canucks was one of the better pro hockey introductions a player can have, but it certainly won’t be his last. This season has had more than the regular amount of pressures for Toth, as with each practice, and each game, his time to prepare for the next level shrinks.
Many goaltenders in his situation might try not to look too far ahead, but Toth feels it aids in his preparation, even if he gets a little frustrated sometimes.
“It’s just something that provides a bit of motivation,” Toth said. "I want to set myself up to play in as good a league as I can next year and in years to come.”
Now, with just one game remaining in the T-Birds regular season, Toth’s tranquil composure in net will be crucial in instilling confidence in a UBC team that holds high expectations heading into the playoffs. Though every game he will be playing could be the last of his university career, you can bet that he will remain unfazed, taking on each challenge like water off a duck’s back.