Ryder Ritchie gets by a Calgary Hitmen defender on Jan. 4, 2023. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Gold Fever

‘It’s a dream come true’: P.A.’s Ritchie discusses winning gold with Team Canada at Hlinka Gretzky

Aug 10, 2023 | 5:00 PM

It’s a moment Prince Albert Raiders’ Ryder Ritchie will never forget.

He was part of Team Canada which recently won gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

“It’s a dream come true, you watch Team Canada growing up and you obviously dream about winning that gold medal,” Ritchie said.

Despite coming out on top, he explained it was a difficult tournament. Because of that, it made winning even better.

“We went through a lot, we had a tough first game, and then winning (the gold medal) in overtime was pretty special in Czechia against Czechia,” he said.

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The reigning Western Hockey League (WHL) Rookie of the Year certainly proved during the tournament he deserved to be there.

He finished tied for fourth in scoring with three goals and six assists for nine points in five games. His six assists were also tied for second most in the tournament.

Despite showcasing his playmaking skills, Ritchie believes he’s also good at scoring.

“I’d say a bit of both. I can score, I can make plays too,” he said.

His only three goals of the tournament came in a five-point night against Team Slovakia which saw Canada win 14-4.

Ritchie also gave some credit to his linemate Roger McQueen, with the Brandon Wheat Kings, for his success. The two were recently a part of the same U17 team which made it easy for them to play well together.

“We had some good chemistry there, so it was a lot of fun playing with him,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ritchie’s performance will most certainly help his stock ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.

Despite this, he explained he’s trying not to think about it and is just focused on playing well for the Raiders.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow