[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (American Edition, Vol. 15):

C/RW Ryker Lee (6'0",181lbs)
Madison Capitols (USHL): 26gp/ 12g/ 19a/ 31pts, -1, 8 PIM

Ryker Lee earned a "B" rating (2nd or 3rd-round pick) by Central Scouting in their preliminary rankings, largely due to his performance in 2023-24 at Stattuck St.Mary's School, where he was one of the top players in the program, and had numbers in the same stratosphere as 2024 draft-eligibles Will Zellers and Dean Letourneau (99 points in 57 games). True, Lee is one of the older players in the 2025 Draft, with a Nov.8th birthday, but as a graduate of the Prep circuit, he's more raw than most. Lee is tops in scoring for the Madison Capitols (where he plays with linemate and fellow 2025 draft-eligible Mason Moe), who are in 8th-place out of 16 teams in the USHL, and 5th in goals-for, but he didn't move the needle much for Team USA in the Hlinka-Gretzky (1 point in 5 games), or the World Junior A Championship (1 point in 3 games). He is a two-way offensive player with a touch of power in his game.

Lee's primary asset is his lethal release on his wide array of hard, heavy shots, including an explosive wrister and a booming one-timer- both of which containing uncanny accuracy. He's proficient at snapping a curl-and-drag wrister around the reach of sticks and out of the range of checks, often deftly using his opponents as screens. Off the puck, he's smart and has high IQ in relocating to where the play is going in order to be in a good position in high-danger to get his shot off. While his playmaking is considered to be a secondary asset for him, he doesn't get enough credit for the advantages he creates with his skillful passing. There are times where he looks dynamic in this area, often displaying advanced ideas that don't always work out. He scans well and usually makes safe and smart decisions, but also has a patient delay game to wait for the best play to develop and the spatial awareness to draw defenders towards him in order to make room elsewhere for teammates. His puck-skills are well above average, with an assortment of deceptive 1-on-1 moves to fool defenders and get around in traffic, including dekes and fakes. These are used often to cut inside, or to rush the crease, and he looks dynamic at times with the ability to split the D or make opponents look silly in small spaces. These talents combine with his outstanding puck-protection, handling expertly outside of his adversary's reach while pushing through checks. He's rather stocky and strong, which makes him hard to knock off the puck as well. Lee is a physical player with some power, and he can drop a shoulder on occasion to bull his way to the middle, or towards the net- he has no problem with scoring ugly goals.

With the good, comes the bad. Unfortunately, Lee's mobility is average at best; his top speed is ok, but he requires a long runway to get there. There's work to be done on the mechanics of his stride, as it appears stiff and choppy, and his agility looks flawed as well. To exacerbate this problem, he also plays with less pace than he should. Most of the inadequacies in his game are due to his inferior skating; if he fixes this, and learns to play with a higher pace, he could be a major steal. He possesses some good defensive habits and is a reasonably responsible player, but like other aspects of his game- his speed can hurt him. He displays solid positioning in his own zone, but he struggles to apply the proper pressure to be disruptive, and regrettably- his effort and engagement are wildly inconsistent. Substandard motor and effort can be pervasive in all areas of his game. As said above, he's still quite raw, and will need a longer runway than some kids, but he'll get just that at Michigan State, where is committed to for the 2025-25 season. Look for him in the late 2nd, or early third round of the 2025 Draft.