Ryder Ritchie
| Ryder Ritchie | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Ritchie with the Prince Albert Raiders in 2024 | |||
| Born |
August 3, 2006 Calgary, Alberta, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 174 lb (79 kg; 12 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| WHL team | Prince Albert Raiders | ||
| NHL draft | Eligible 2024 | ||
Ryder Ritchie (born August 3, 2006) is a Swedish-Canadian junior ice hockey forward for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career[edit]
Ritchie was selected 14th overall in the 2021 Western Hockey League (WHL) Prospects Draft.[1] In his rookie season in the WHL, the 2022–23 season, Ritchie scored 20 goals and 55 points in 61 games, and won the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL's rookie of the year.[2] The Raiders would not qualify for the playoffs that year.[3]
Ritchie was selected as one of 40 draft-eligible prospects to compete in the 2024 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.[4] In December 2023, he suffered a lower-body injury.[5] He finished the year with 44 points in 47 games, a similar per-game rate to his rookie season.[6]
International play[edit]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Canada
| ||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| World U18 Championships | ||
 |
2024 Finland | |
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | ||
|
2023 Czechia/Slovakia | |
Ritchie skated for Team Canada White at the 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, recording four goals in six games, and for Team Canada the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he scored three goals and nine points en route to a gold medal.[2]
Personal life[edit]
Ritchie is the son of former NHL player Byron Ritchie, who played for the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, and Vancouver Canucks in his eight season, 300+ game career.[2]
Career statistics[edit]
Regular season and playoffs[edit]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2022–23 | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 61 | 20 | 35 | 55 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 47 | 19 | 25 | 44 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | ||
| WHL totals | 108 | 39 | 60 | 99 | 44 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | ||||
International[edit]
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Canada White | U17 | 6th | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | |
| 2023 | Canada | HG18 | 
|
5 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 11 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 4 | ||||
Awards and honours[edit]
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| WHL | ||
| Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy | 2023 | [2] |
References[edit]
- ^ Steinke, Darren (January 25, 2023). "Young Ritchie gives hope Raiders fans look for". paherold.sk.ca. Prince Albert Daily Herald. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Kepke, Cami (January 7, 2024). "'A'-rated NHL prospect Ryder Ritchie builds on Rookie of the Year season ahead of Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game". chl.ca. Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ Kowal, Nolan (September 21, 2023). "Top rookie Ritchie riding high heading into new season". northeastnow.com. North East Now. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ "Ryder Ritchie named to Top Prospects Game". panow.com. Prince Albert Now. December 19, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ Kowal, Nolan (December 28, 2023). "Raiders fall to Blades in topsy turvy affair". sasknow.com. Saskatoon Now. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ Horn, Logan (April 11, 2024). "Ryder Ritchie – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile". thehockeywriters.com. The Hockey Writers. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
External links[edit]
- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database