It can be hard to reach initial expectations as a young player, especially when you’re a young player whose first impression was winning WHL Rookie of the Year. Ryder Ritchie is a player with tantalizing skills who hit a bit of a plateau in his second WHL season. Some of that is related to injuries, which limited him to just 47 games this year, but his performance at the U18 tournament after the season highlighted what might make him worth the risk in the end.
While not the largest forward in the draft, the deceptive creativity in both playmaking and goal-scoring make him a potential sleeper pick.
Birthplace: Calgary, Alberta
Date of Birth: August 3, 2006
Shoots: Right
Position: Forward
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 174 lbs.
Team: Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
A first-round selection in the WHL Bantam Draft in 2021, Ritchie immediately announced his presence with the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2022-23 season, collecting 20 goals, and 35 assists in a season the Raiders finished as the fourth-worst team in the entire WHL. His standout performance was deemed the best by a first-year player, and set the table for his draft season.
There’s something that stands out about him very quickly: he has never met an angle of attack he couldn’t capitalize on in the offensive zone. On every rush into the offensive zone, he is looking to find new avenues of attack while still maintaining his focus on the goal. This forces goaltenders to figure out what Ritchie is planning to do next, and that opens another level to his game.
His ability to disguise his shot angles and attempts often catches goaltenders unaware. He will present as though he’s going to pass, then calmly roof a shot on the short side of the net. That bit of deception coupled with his constant shuffling in the offensive zone with the puck on his stick make him a headache for opposing defences. Even when well covered, he can suddenly shift his weight to make a cut toward the slot, then fire the puck across his body and leave everyone baffled as to how he did it.
This all works for his playmaking game as well, which is where his biggest value is. His unpredictable game makes him a nuisance as a playmaker. He will have his head up, eyes focused on the net, then promptly dump the puck off to a teammate who has a full net to shoot at.
He’s just limited to being a threat on the rush. He’s arguably just as dangerous when he’s set up on offence. He will circle the zone to probe for gaps, all while scanning for open teammates or lanes that he can use to cut to the slot and improve his scoring odds. When he sets up behind the net, he becomes even more of a threat as he uses the cage extremely well to shelter his movements from the opposing defences. His head might be looking one way, but he’s beginning to make a pivot for a pass in the opposite direction a teammate open at the side of goal.
As is the case with almost all prospects, there are areas of that stick out as red flags. The biggest of them is that his skating isn’t where it needs to be to continue his dynamic style at the next level of hockey. He isn’t slow by any measure, but he isn’t going to leave opponents in the dust as he transitions the play through the neutral zone.
NHL and amateur scouts both agree that he must continue to add more layers to his attacking pattern both with and without the puck. It’s fantastic that he will always look to cut to the slot or circle the zone, but adding more cutbacks and rapid shifts of pace is a must to further his development.
Preliminary Rankings
EliteProspects: #22
TSN/Bob McKenzie: #21
TSN/Craig Button: #32
McKeen’s: #26
NHL Central Scouting: #19 (North American Skaters)
Sam Cosentino: #27
Dobber Prospects: #36
Ryder Ritchie is a fascinating case of a late-first-round-ranked player who could be readily available to the Montreal Canadiens at 26th overall. His playmaking and deceptive skill set make him highly appealing to a team that is looking to add skilled pieces to a budding prospect pool. However, the Canadiens at their current point in the rebuild are looking to add difference-makers as well, and there are enough flags that might paint Ritchie as a complementary piece at best.
