Raiders forward Ritchie named Tempo WHL Player of the Week

Calgary, Alta. –  The Western Hockey League announced today Prince Albert Raiders forward Ryder Ritchie has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 15, 2023.

Ritchie, who is a top prospect eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft, recorded six points (2G-4A) in three games this week as the Raiders went 2-0-0-1 this past week.

The 6-foot, 173-pound right winger from Calgary, Alta., started his week with a three-assist performance Friday, October 13 as the Raiders bounced the Calgary Hitmen by a 7-2 margin. Ritchie’s second assist of the night was of the primary variety as he set up Aiden Oiring for the game-winning goal.

The 17-year-old followed up with a goal and an assist Saturday, October 14 as the Raiders doubled up the Moose Jaw Warriors by a score of 6-3. A mere 49 seconds after the Warriors had erased a 3-0 deficit, Ritchie scored a highlight-reel goal midway through the third period. The marker – Ritchie’s sixth of the campaign – went on stand as the game-winning goal. He added a primary assist on another goal by Oiring earlier in the contest.

Wrapping up the week, Ritchie put forward a First Star performance as the Raiders fell to the Saskatoons Blades by a 3-2 score, losing in a shootout. Ritchie collected his seventh goal of the season late in the second period and was the only Raider to strike in the shootout.

On the strength of having collected points in five consecutive games (4-0-0-1), the Prince Albert Raiders sit second in the WHL’s East Division, one point behind the division-leading Blades.

Ritchie’s big week moved him into a tie for fifth in scoring across the entire WHL, having secured 14 points (7G-7A) in 10 games.

Originally selected by the Prince Albert Raiders in the first round (14th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Ritchie has notched 69 points (27G-42A) in 71 games. He earned the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy for WHL Rookie of the Year after piling up 55 points (20G-35A) in 61 games during the 2022-23 season.

Ryder Ritchie and the Prince Albert Raiders return to action Friday, October 20 (7 p.m. MT) when they host the Regina Pats at the Art Hauser Centre.

2023-24 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
October 10, 2023: Easton Armstrong, Wenatchee Wild
October 2, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
September 25, 2023: Zac Funk, Prince George Cougars

About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.