Following a full day at St. Sebastian’s School in late October, junior ice hockey forward Teddy Mutryn got a text message that presented quite the opportunity.

The 16-year-old Boston College commit was offered a chance to join the United States Under-17 National Team for the 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

“It was kind of spur of the moment,” Mutryn said. “I got the text right after school – ‘you’re flying out 8 A.M. Thursday morning.’ So, it’s a pretty quick and surreal turnaround. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. It was an awesome experience.”

This wasn’t Mutryn’s first foray with the Red, White and Blue. He represented the U.S. at the 2023 Five Nations tournament in August and had attended several camps with the National Team Development Program. Still, the opportunity to join the U.S. team at this tournament was something he could not pass up, and he had the full support of St. Sebastian’s head coach Sean McCann.

“To go up there, represent your country and play against two teams from Canada as well as teams from other countries, it just is a great opportunity and one that he should take,” McCann said. “Obviously, the play is at a high level, so it only helps his development overall.”

Mutryn registered a goal across the four games and helped lead the U.S. team to a second-place finish. This was the 18th podium finish for the U.S. at the tournament, and it provided Mutryn with an excellent opportunity to learn more from his fellow U.S. teammates, who hail from as close as the Northeast to as far away as the Midwest and West Coast.

“I learned some of the little things and some different slang from the Midwestern and Western guys,” Mutryn said. “The way they play the game ­– they’re fast and they think the game really well. It was cool to get their sense of it and put that into my game.”

The lessons learned didn’t solely come from his teammates and coaches, however, as Mutryn said observing the international teams has allowed him to witness how other players around the world are developing, and how the different play styles impact the game.

“Each country definitely presented their own challenge and unique way of playing,” Mutryn said. “Canada is always a really good team with structure. They make everything look so simple and easy, but it’s really not that easy. The European guys just know where everyone is at all times. Everything’s fast. They make two passes, and all of a sudden, they’re on a rush or a breakaway.”

After returning home, Mutryn’s focus shifted towards helping the Arrows hockey team in its pursuit of postseason glory in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC). He said returning home to see his teammates was a special moment.

“I was just happy to be back, honestly. I missed the guys,” Mutryn said. “I was just pumped to get started and get our season rolling. And I felt that what I learned out there, I could help the team out and help us have a good year and accomplish our goals.”

The Arrows have plenty to look forward to this upcoming season. The 2022-23 roster had no seniors, so the turnover heading into this season was non-existent. That team fell short in the NEPSAC playoffs, losing 6-3 in the quarterfinals to rival Tabor Academy.

McCann said that while not having that veteran leadership last year did impact the team, the Arrows will see some benefit from that development opportunity this season.

“Not having a senior, I think it hurt us at times,” McCann said. “But on the flip side, it also allowed us to develop them as players and as a group.”

St. Sebastian’s have 16 seniors on the roster this season, and that doesn’t even include Mutryn, his brother Casey, and Harvard commit Ben Merrill. 2023-24 has a chance to be a special one for the Arrows, and McCann says the team recognizes the opportunity and has tremendous chemistry.

“The big thing is that these kids love playing together,” McCann said. “They have been here for so long. They play with each other, have class together and do events together. They have become best friends.”

Mutryn will be a huge key to that success. He has registered 59 points in 52 games during his career with the Arrows and McCann believes the all-around nature of his game leads to his success.

“Teddy, he’s got a really well-rounded game,” McCann said. “He’s creative offensively. He’s responsible in his own end. He’s a good playmaker and he’s a great goal-scorer.”

McCann said Mutryn’s leadership abilities shine off the ice as well, especially alongside captains Matt Cataldo, Aidan Connors and Charles Leverone. This has helped the Arrows begin the 2023-24 season with victories over the Rivers School and Milton Academy.

Mutryn himself credited his teammates for his success and is looking forward to the opportunity to play alongside his brother and senior Nolan Flynn. While he emphasized that the Arrows have plenty of work to do, he said he feels like the team is primed to do some damage this winter.

“It’s still early, we still have a few things to work on,” Mutryn said. “But I think it just helps me to personally play better knowing I could just go out there do my thing and they’re going to do their thing. I think we just have to focus on ourselves and play our game and that’ll help us have some success.”