After an excellent rookie season, Ryder Ritchie wants even more for himself and his team in the 2023-24 season. (submitted photo/Brandon Wheat Kings)

By Rob Mahon

Ritchie Reacts ROY

Ritchie thrilled with Rookie of the Year award but motivated to climb higher

May 9, 2023 | 1:00 PM

His rookie season may have officially come to an end nearly two months ago, but the 2022-23 season still had one last reward to offer Ryder Ritchie for his stellar campaign. Ritchie was named the winner of the Jim Piggot Memorial Award for WHL Rookie of the Year.

Spending his offseason back on the west coast training for the year ahead, Ritchie woke up to news he’d won the award this morning. Both the award and the message delivered with it, courtesy Prince Albert Raiders’ legend Dan Hodgson, put a smile on Ritchie’s face.

“When I saw Dan Hodgson, it was extremely humbling,” Ritchie said. “It was awesome for such a Prince Albert legend to make a video for me like that, so I was extremely honored.”

Ritchie didn’t quite hit Hodgson’s numbers (Hodgson had back-to-back seasons of over 180 points) but he still put up the best season of any 2006-born player in the WHL with 55 points in 61 games. Of those 55 points, 37 came in the post-January schedule as the Raiders pushed for the playoffs.

“I just think as the year went on I got more comfortable with my linemates and my teammates,” Ritchie said. “A big thank you to them, I couldn’t have done this without them and the coaching staff and the whole Prince Albert Raiders organization.”

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Not coincidentally, it was after January 1 that Ritchie was put on a line with Sloan Stanick and Aiden Oiring, a line that stayed together through most of the rest of the season. All three players are eligible to return to the Raiders this coming season.

“They’re both great players that can make plays all around the ice,” Ritchie said. “Stanick, he can definitely put the puck in the net and make plays, so can (Oiring). It was a lot of fun playing with them.”

Playing with those two again is just one aspect of the coming season Ritchie is already looking forward to. He’s in the midst of offseason training with an emphasis on getting faster and continuing to refine his shot, which goaltenders are already learning to fear.

“I’m extremely motivated to get better throughout the whole summer and keep working on my game,” Ritchie said. “I’m extremely excited to get back here and have another great season.”

Ritchie added he’s good friends with Berkly Catton, one of his fellow nominees, and has played with Cayden Lindstrom at the World Under-17s. He congratulated the other nominees on strong rookie seasons of their own.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP