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New York Times
20 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
How a ‘metamorphosis' turned Ryker Lee into one of the NHL's most gifted prospects
MINNEAPOLIS — One of the first times Adam Nightingale went to watch Ryker Lee, he was 'a wee little' 14-year-old, his stick was spray-painted black and he 'was doing all these stickhandling moves.' Nightingale took to calling him 'The Wizard.' A few years later, the nickname has stuck. He's also now a first-round pick of the Nashville Predators and a big part of a sterling freshman class for Nightingale's Michigan State program, joining the Spartans with fellow first-rounders Cayden Lindstrom and Porter Martone and second-rounder Eric Nilson. Advertisement This week, all four of them are in Minneapolis at Ridder Arena playing games in the World Junior Summer Showcase. In the tournament's opening game between USA White and Finland, he picked up two goals and an assist. He opened the scoring on a pretty give-and-go with Bruins first-rounder James Hagens, added a second to make it 4-2 early in the third period and then passed up the hat trick to find fellow Predators prospect Teddy Stiga for the empty-netter. In Monday's second game against Sweden, he had and created several more looks and was moved from the second power play to the first. To get here, Lee has undergone what his old Shattuck St. Mary's coach Tom Ward calls 'an absolute metamorphosis in his world and his life over the last five years because of his growth.' Four years ago, when Lee arrived at Shattuck for his bantam year, he was 5-foot-3 and Ward said 'like 68 pounds.' Bruins prospect Will Zellers, one of his teammates on that Shattuck team, guessed that he was 'like 5-foot and maybe 95 pounds' when he first met him. 'He was a bone rack,' Ward said. 'Oh man, he was a little guy.' When he started his U16 season at Shattuck three years ago, he was still just 5-foot-6. He was 5-foot-7 when he committed to Michigan State. In his U18 year at Shattuck under Ward, he registered 45 goals and 99 points in 57 games (second on a loaded team of future NHL picks as a young 2006 playing mostly with 2005s), and another two points in two games with the USHL's Madison Capitols at season's end, earning him a spot on Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he registered one point in five games. That was enough to earn him a 'B' rating on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list, which 'indicates a 2nd/3rd round candidate.' Advertisement At the start of his draft year, he'd shot up to 5-foot-11.5. He then won the USHL's Rookie of the Year Award, scoring 31 goals and 68 points in 58 games with the Capitols, both fourth in the league. He led Madison in goals and points by nine apiece and registered another six points in six playoff games, also tops on the team. At the midseason mark, he was named Player of the Game at the 2025 Chipotle All-American Game, scoring the game-winner in a 3-2 win with 4:54 left. At the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, they measured him at 6-foot-0.25 and 185 pounds. 'I think in the last 24 to 36 months he has grown like 8-10 inches,' Ward said. Through it — one growth spurt after another — he climbed the ranks, rising to No. 40 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters and then again to No. 28 on their final list. The Predators called his name with the 26th pick. Despite the newfound height, he's still got the wizardry he had to learn as a little guy, too. Capitols head coach and general manager Andy Brandt says Lee's stick skills are 'at a different level.' 'Stick. Brain. Off the charts,' Michigan State associate head coach Jared DeMichiel said earlier this year. 'What can I say? That kid is one of the most skilled offensive players with the puck on his stick,' Zellers said Sunday night. 'The things he does and tries in games, and pulls them off successful, I've never seen anything like it. He is one of a kind. And that guy's got a good goal-scoring touch too. He's a special player. And he has grown and still kept that hand-eye and that skill in his toolbox. I mean, it's pretty special. The sky's the limit for that type of player like him.' Now Lee is trying to show that he's more than just his hands. The two most common things scouts have talked about when they've talked about Lee over the last couple of years are, first, his hands and second, that his skating needed to improve. When he arrived at Shattuck, Ward said he was a little heavy-footed and 'kind of a thumper.' 'You could feel him coming behind you,' Ward said. Advertisement Part of that was the constant growing and the reality that things hadn't fallen into place for him yet. In Madison, Brandt set him up with their skating coach, Amy Claggett. Claggett would skate with the team once a week, and Lee another time. They worked on lengthening his stride to match his longer legs, his efficiency with his arm movement and also moving his feet more and the puck quicker — and trusting that he'd get it back. Lee said he enjoyed picking her brain about things that he could take into practice. Once the growth spurts slowed and three inches a year turned to one inch a year, his skating really started to come, and the results showed. In the agility testing for the prospects at the Chipotle All-American Game, he ranked near the top. 'It was something that he worked on, that he was mindful of, and it's something that he's continuing to grow into,' Brandt said of Lee's skating. 'He has continued to adapt to his growth while continuing to work on his skating. Just in a year, his foot speed improved noticeably.' Last season, he also worked hard with Madison's strength and conditioning coach Jason Johnson. Together, they didn't just maintain his weight in season (usually the goal), but actually managed to add five pounds. The coaching staff at MSU noticed it right away (that he was thicker in the shoulders and filling out) when he arrived on campus following Predators development camp earlier this summer. The results showed in the testing at the NHL Scouting Combine, too. He finished first in vertical jump (with a standing vertical jump of 25.67 inches), 13th in the no arm vertical jump, 10th in left-hand grip (151 pounds) and tied for 14th in pullups with 12. 'I get his skating needs to come, but look out,' DeMichiel said. 'I don't think he's done growing either. Unreal kid, too. Great energy to him. He adores the game.' Advertisement He has also always been 'a competitive little guy,' according to Ward, which has helped him mitigate against his size and skating at different points in his career. Ward said that Shattuck actually got lucky that he was as small as he was because the players who have his skill and also more physical stature at an early age have 'everybody in the world wanting them.' 'It was a blessing that he started out as a little guy. And now that he's moving on out into the big, real hockey world, he has been blessed again, and he has had a growth spurt. Because he's not afraid of the gym,' Wars said. 'He's a strong kid, a farmer strong kid. He's wiry strong. He can hold his own, and he can hang. He's a good athlete. He's got good explosiveness. And he's losing his heavy feet. Now that he's getting stronger in his legs and his core, he can lift them up, and set them down, and get back, and cut and stop and start.' Because of that development, Ward said Nightingale and his staff are now the lucky ones. '(Nightingale) has got a good player. And he's a wonderful kid. He gets it. Like the tortoise does win the race and he has just had to stick with it,' Ward said. 'He's just a rink rat, throwback kind of kid. If he could be up at the rink all day long, whether it's on the ice or just in the dressing room, or training, or laughing, or just shooting the breeze with his buddies, he would be. He's just a rat, and in the greatest, most affectionate, most competitive way. (He's) a really good teammate, and he plays his ass off, and he has finally grown. And I'm so happy for him because he is a completely different person.' The Predators will be the next lucky ones. 'I was telling all of the guys from the (NHL) when they were calling and asking questions about him, if you don't take him when you have the chance to take him, you're going to be kicking yourself in four or five years because this kid's going to be ripping it up,' Ward said. Advertisement In that way, Ward thinks Lee's metamorphosis actually helped his development 'because it's almost a curse if you're a young kid and you're already the fastest skater or the biggest kid and you don't develop things in your game that are nuanced-based that are in your brain and your soul.' 'He came into his love of the game as a little guy and learned how to manipulate his way through the trees,' Ward said. 'And now he's a good, big average-sized kid, and he can handle his own, and I'm sure he's loving being on the other side of a few checks here.' Ask Brandt and Ward what they'll remember most about coaching Lee, and they both start with how much fun it was and how hardworking he was. 'Right from when Ryker stepped onto the ice, we knew his approach every day,' Ward said. 'We do skills every day, and when he gets on the ice and it's his turn, he takes every rep serious. He can also challenge players in one-on-one situations or small-area games, but he makes it fun. He's got a contagious attitude that he brings to the rink, and it's one of work ethic, but also one that he truly enjoys doing what he does.' But they always come back to his hands. For Brandt, it's the way he does it all with his head up. And he said Lee's edges while handling don't get talked about enough, either. 'He can cut on a dime and use his body and torque his body in different ways,' Brandt said. 'He can still skate, he can still make a play, all while having the puck on a string. And as a defender, that's hard because if you make a wrong read, it's a dangerous thing when he's got his head up. And then he also loves to shoot it, so as a goaltender, you're never sure if he's going to pass or shoot it, and his deceptiveness adds to his stick skills.' For Ward, it's the absurdity of the way he always finds his way in and out of the tightest cracks in coverage. Even on a team with guys such as Zellers, the reigning USHL Player of the Year, and Aidan Park, a draft pick of the Oilers known for his hands, it was Lee who was 'The Wizard.' Advertisement 'You could put three of us, four of us, in a phone booth and we'd never touch the puck,' Ward said. 'He's got that ability. And he can wire it, too. Like he can shoot it and he's not afraid to score. He's not one of these guys that is just enamored with stickhandling. He's just as enamored with scoring.' Ask Lee where his hands come from, and he says it's twofold. They were honed with hard work in his basement, but they were also a necessity of his reality as a smaller player. 'I had to learn how to be smarter and put myself in good positions,' Lee said. With his new size, he's learning to use his body more as well. Between development camp with the Preds and the World Junior Summer Showcase, he has also been in East Lansing working out with Michigan State's strength and conditioning coach Will Morlock, who he said was one of the main reasons he and others are now choosing the Spartans. 'I've been working with him ever since I got on campus, and the workouts have been hard, but that's exactly what I need, and he kind of caters everything to what you need specifically,' Lee said. After a strong start at the World Junior Summer Showcase, he's excited to continue to show USA Hockey the progress he has made this fall — and that he's more than just his hands — with his sights set on making the team in December. 'Obviously, I have an offensive game and I can bring offense to this team, but I also want to prove that I can outwork opponents and play in all situations for them,' he said. (Photo of Ryker Lee: Madison Capitols / Rosenau Photography)
CTV News
2 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
World Junior Summer Showcase roster includes hockey players from Kitchener and Brantford
Kitchener Rangers defenceman Cameron Reid and Brantford Bulldogs players Owen Protz, Jake O'Brien and Marek Vanacker are seen in this undated collage (Courtesy: OHL). The long-awaited World Junior Summer Showcase is underway in Minneapolis, Minn., and several Ontario Hockey League (OHL) players from Kitchener and Brantford are among those taking part. The annual event serves as an evaluation camp for players aiming to earn a spot on their national team for the 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Hockey Championship, set to begin in December. Players from Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland have been invited to represent their respective countries. This year, Hockey Canada selected 44 players from across the country to participate. Among them are Kitchener Rangers defenceman Cameron Reid and Brantford Bulldogs players Owen Protz, Jake O'Brien and Marek Vanacker. Throughout the week, athletes will take part in practices, scrimmages and three exhibition games against international opponents. Participants are split into two teams—Red and White—for internal matchups, including an intrasquad game scheduled for July 29. Canada is then set to face Finland on July 30, Sweden on Aug. 1 and the United States on Aug. 2. The IIHF uses a three-point system during competition: three points are awarded to the team that wins in regulation, one point each if the game is tied after regulation and an additional point to the winner of a five-minute overtime or shootout. Guelph Storm forward Jett Luchanko was also invited by Hockey Canada but was unable to attend the showcase. The World Junior Summer Showcase wraps up on Aug. 2. The 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship will run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canucks Prospect Cootes Named To Canada's 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase
Braeden Cootes is headed to Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vancouver Canucks first-round pick from the 2025 NHL Entry Draft has been named to Canada's 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase roster. Cootes was one of 44 players who will participate in the event for Canada, which begins on July 27, 2025.
Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes making his case at Canadian world junior camp
Vancouver Canucks 2025 first-round draft pick Braeden Cootes is among the 20 forwards and 36 players overall slated to represent Hockey Canada in the World Junior Showcase, which runs today through Saturday in Minneapolis. Cootes, 18, is a right-shot centre with the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds, and Vancouver picked him at No. 15 a month ago in Los Angeles. Cootes signed his three-year, entry-level deal with the Canucks July 9 , and he's expected to return this season to the Thunderbirds. He had 26 goals and 63 points in 60 regular season games with a young, rebuilding Seattle team last season. He was Seattle's captain as well. There were 44 players invited to the camp this week, but eight forwards are listed as 'unable to attend' by Hockey Canada. The includes Kelowna Rockets centre Tij Iginla and Brandon Wheat Kings centre Roger McQueen, who both missed much of last season with injuries. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Canada's invited list features seven players from last year's world junior squad who were eligible to return. Cootes is among 22 players invited who previously won gold at the Under-18 worlds. There are eight 18-year-old forwards invited, including Cootes. The remaining 20 are 19 years old. Longtime London Knights coach Dale Hunter is bench boss for this Canadian representative. The tournament is in Minneapolis and St. Paul and gets going Boxing Day. Cootes has been lauded for his leadership and character. Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said on draft day : 'They have a lot of great history of NHL players coming out of that program and Braeden being a captain, a leader of that team, that excited my staff.' Canucks defence prospect Sawyer Mynio, who was a Cootes teammate with Seattle before being traded to the Calgary Hitmen last year, played for Canada at last year's world juniors in Ottawa. Canada lost 4-3 to Czechia in the quarterfinals. Mynio and Cootes shared the 'C' before Mynio went to Calgary. The players this week will spit into two teams for practices and an intrasquad game on Tuesday before facing Finland on Wednesday, Sweden on Friday and the U.S. on Saturday. Every game will be livestreamed at but a subscription is required. SEwen@
CTV News
3 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
World Junior Hockey Showcase to feature plenty of London area ties
Canada head coach Dale Hunter runs drills during practice at the team Canada world juniors selection camp in Oakville, Ont., on Tuesday, Dec.10, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette) The London area is well represented as Hockey Canada gets set for the World Junior Summer Showcase this week in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Among the 44 players invited, Sam Dickinson and Sam O'Reilly of the London Knights, as well as area players Jett Luchanko (London) and Cameron Reid (Copenhagen), will compete in practices, scrimmages and a trio of exhibition games against Finland, Sweden and the United States in preparation for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26–Jan. 5 in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The players will be split into two teams – Red and White – for practices and an intrasquad game on July 29, before taking on Finland July 30, Sweden on Aug. 1 and the United States on Aug. 2. Knights head coach Dale Hunter will coach the squad and his brother Mark will be among those on the management side who helped in this selection process and will be part of the group who ultimately decides which young men will compete for Canada during the tournament this winter. London Knights equipment manager Chris Maton will also join Team Canada's staff at the World Junior Tournament, while former Knights assistant Misha Donskov is also an assistant coach for Canada.
