Ritchie’s transition into college hockey has been underwhelming. When he has creative spurts, they are reflected in results: four goals and six assists in 12 games, and in the kinds of goals he is scoring. He has a deceptive shot when appropriately deployed and shines in his playmaking when the space and his linemates allow him to do so.

Ritchie committed to Boston University for the 2025-26 season. Moving to the NCAA should accelerate Ricthie’s development as he takes on a new challenge of playing against more experienced and physically mature opponents.

Ryder Ritchie looks to be the third WHL player off the board this year as another quick, skilled forward. Ritchie has swift feet and hands with excellent puck-handling posture, making him a superb puck carrier. Especially when given time and space to attack downhill, Ritchie is particularly adept at using those hands to find the middle of the ice for high-quality chances. Ritchie is also an effective positionally focused player, utilizing great puck spacing and support in all three zones, and prioritizing strong body positioning before establishing puck possession. The following steps will improve Ritchie’s standstill explosiveness and checking lanes (which hinder his ability to win puck battles), and add more layers of deception to his playmaking. Ritchie has a good read of where his options are, but too often telegraphs his intentions, making many of his passes unnecessarily risky. If Ritchie can improve in these areas and continue to develop, he could challenge Catton and Lindstrom for a top WHL draft-eligible. (November Rankings: 17th Overall)

At the college level, he has been getting beaten in puck and board battles consistently, which hurts his ability to activate the innovative spark he is capable of. He needs to develop his physicality on and off the puck to unleash a truly competitive, consistent game.

In his final Western Hockey League season, Ritchie played with Gavin McKenna on the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Tigers acquired Ritchie in an off-season trade with the Prince Albert Raiders, which involved St. Louis Blues prospect Tomas Mrsic going to the Raiders. Ritchie produced 53 points (29 goals and 32 assists) in 53 games with the eventual Tigers. He finished third in team scoring. Ritchie will likely spend the next couple of seasons in the NCAA before signing with the Minnesota Wild and turning pro.

June 2024 Ritchie was selected in the second round, 45th overall, by the Minnesota Wild in the 2024 NHL Draft. Hadi Kalakeche

Ryder Ritchie is a conundrum. Ritchie is a dynamic, high-energy forward with plenty of raw skill, but he never seemed able to put it together fully. Ritchie is a highly effective puck carrier with space and a head of steam, but can get shut down trying to do it all himself. He’s a slippery puck handler, but often bobbles pucks off the first touch. He’s got a cannon of a shot, but settles for long-distance chances. He makes smart reads and puts the puck in a dangerous area, but can take his time doing so and telegraphs his intentions. He shows great energy on the forecheck but gets overzealous and allows an escape. Ritchie’s floor is high as a middle-six transition target with energy, but there’s also plenty of reason to believe that with a patient approach and a return to basics, there is some untapped upside. Luke Sweeney (April Rankings: 45th)