‘A’-rated NHL prospect Ryder Ritchie builds on Rookie of the Year season ahead of Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game
Ryder Ritchie was supremely talented from his earliest days playing hockey.
But so are a lot of other players.
It’s what Ritchie has done with his skill that has impressed his Prince Albert Raiders Head Coach, Jeff Truitt.
“The really elite guys will continue to get better and push themselves,” Truitt said. “They really push themselves and they’re so well educated now on off-ice and on-ice stuff. They put the time in and as they get to this age group, it seems to separate people.”
“Quick hands, good acceleration, shoots the puck extremely well reads the ice well. His competitive nature of wanting to be the best and perform at a high level every night is a key thing. Elite athletes sometimes can ride on their skill and whatnot. But, then you get the real good ones. Their skill is one thing, but their competitive nature and to put the time in, to work to get better is at another level.”
Ritchie is one of 18 WHL players who have earned the invite to the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on January 24 in Moncton, N.B.
The 6-foot, 173-pound forward entered the season with high expectations after winning the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL Rookie of the Year for 2022-23.
Ritchie put up an impressive 20 goals and 35 assists in 61 games in his first major junior campaign and is on pace to improve on that mark this season with 13 goals and 18 assists through 34 outings.
This, despite missing Prince Albert’s last two games due to an injury sustained before Christmas.
Truitt also says the Kelowna, B.C. product has put tremendous effort into improving his defensive play.
“He’s an ultra-offensive guy,” Truitt added. “He’s always around the puck or the puck always seems to find him. We talked a little bit about defending and being trustworthy that way… You take a look at Connor McDavid, nobody ever really thinks of him as being a defensive guy, but over a period of time, you can see that his game has evolved to 200 feet. So we talked a lot about the 200-foot game and coming back into your own zone and being reliable and trustworthy that way and there’s been steps made there for sure.”
Ritchie has represented Team Canada White at the 2022 World Under 17 Hockey Challenge, where he had four goals in six games, and the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he had three goals and six assists to help Canada clinch a goal medal.
The 2024 NHL Draft-eligible forward has earned an ‘A’ rating from NHL Central Scouting, projecting him as a potential first-round candidate.
Ritchie is the son of former WHL champion (Lethbridge, 1997) and NHLer Byron Ritchie, who suited up for more than 300 games over eight seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.
Basha, Andrew – Medicine Hat Tigers – Calgary, Alta. – 5’11” – 184 – LW
Catton, Berkly – Spokane Chiefs – Saskatoon, Sask. – 5’11” – 170 – C
Curran, Maxmilian – Tri-City Americans – Prague, Czechia – 6’3” – 179 – C
Howe, Tanner – Regina Pats – Prince Albert, Sask. – 5’10” – 182 – LW
Iginla, Tij – Kelowna Rockets – Lake Country, B.C. – 6’0” – 186 – C
Jecho, Adam – Edmonton Oil Kings – Zlin, Czechia – 6’5” – 201 – C
Josephson, Ollie – Red Deer Rebels – Victoria, B.C. – 6’0” – 185 C
Lindstrom, Cayden – Medicine Hat Tigers – Chetwynd, B.C. – 6’3” – 210 – C
Miettinen, Julius – Everett Silvertips – Helsinki, Finland – 6’3” – 205 – C
Parascak, Terik – Prince George Cougars – Lethbridge, Alta. – 6’0” – 176 – RW
Ritchie, Ryder – Prince Albert Raiders – Kelowna, B.C. – 6’0” – 175 – RW
Wetsch, Carson – Calgary Hitmen – Vancouver, B.C. – 6’0” – 187 – RW
Brunicke, Harrison – Kamloops Blazers – Calgary, Alta. – 6’2” – 185 – RD
Elick, Charlie – Brandon Wheat Kings – Calgary, Alta. – 6’3” – 200 – RD
Roberts, Colton – Vancouver Giants – Maple Ridge, B.C. – 6’4” – 198 – RD
Yakemchuk, Carter – Calgary Hitmen – Calgary, Alta. – 6’3” – 190 – RD
Cowan, Dawson – Spokane Chiefs – Warren, Man. – 6’2” – 185 – G
Matecha, Lukas – Tri-City Americans – Pardubice, Czechia – 6’3” – 194 – G
The 40 players will be assigned to either Team Red or Team White in the new year, while captains and alternates for both squads will also be announced in January.
The 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game will mark the 28th edition of this showcase and it will represent the first time that the event has taken place in the province of New Brunswick.
Of the 40 CHL players to compete at the 2023 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game in Langley, B.C., 37 went on to be selected in the 2023 NHL Draft, including Connor Bedard (Regina Pats), who was chosen first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Since the event was first introduced in 1996, it has featured 16 players who were later selected first overall in the NHL Draft, including Bedard (2023), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011) and Chris Phillips (1996).
The 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game airs live on TSN, TSN.ca, the TSN app, and RDS on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 (4:30 p.m. MT). With a limited number of tickets available, fans are encouraged to act quickly to secure their seat for the 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game in Moncton by visiting ticketmaster.ca.
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