Ty Ronning, son of ex-Canuck Cliff Ronning, ready for NHL draft

Ty Ronning has big skates to fill.

The son of former Vancouver Canucks forward Cliff Ronning is hoping to embark on an NHL career of his own and it could all start this weekend at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

The youngerRonning is a forward with the Vancouver Giants, and the NHL's Central Scouting service has ranked him as the 88th-best North American skater available.

That means he is unlikely to go in Friday's first-round draft, but he has a shot at being picked up in later rounds.

• NHL draft: Canadian teams faced with dearth of homegrown talent
• NHL draft: 10 top prospects
• NHL approves Las Vegas expansion team

"I'm excited. I'm really, extremely excited,"Ronning told On The Coast guest host Michelle Eliot.

"The draft is getting your foot in the door. That's one thing. It's about pushing that door open. It's gonna take a lot more effort and a lot more sacrifices and a lot of skating and training and a lot of early days in the gym. So it's just one thing."

The elder Ronning, Cliff, says his son may be small, but he has a "tremendous" shot and is always dangerous on the ice.

But more importantly, he says, his son has no fear of hard work.

"It's a will. It's passion," Cliff Ronning said. "There's things that come along the way as a young kid you've got to give up that's just part of that sacrifice you've got to give up to get to the next level.

"We're real excited for him."

'It's something special looking up to him'

Cliff Ronning was drafted 134th overall in 1984 and logged more than 1,100 games played while scoring nearly 900 points.

He says he tries to share his knowledge with his son whenever he can, but Ty Ronning says he's not worried about living up to his father's legacy.

"It's something special looking up to him and I'm trying to follow in his footsteps, but, you know what? It's my journey," Ty Ronning said.

"My dad's been there for me and he's been through the NHL career with a smaller stature, but he's got the heat and I think I got the same."

The 2016 NHL Entry Draft runs until June 25 in Buffalo, New York.

With files from CBC Radio One's On The Coast

To hear the full story, click the audio labelled:'It's my journey:' Ty Ronning, son of Cliff Ronning, talks about dad's legacy and draft