After a few days golfing, go-karting, working out and meeting — but not skating — with players he hopes will be future Minnesota Wild teammates, forward prospect Ryder Ritchie is headed home to British Columbia and will soon figure out where he’s playing next season.
On a Medicine Hat team that finished second in the Memorial Cup, which crowns the champion of Canadian major junior hockey, Ritchie averaged better than a point a game. Amazingly, that was only good for third offensively for the Tigers, who were led by Gavin McKenna’s 129 points in 56 games — which is why McKenna is the early consensus for the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL entry draft.
Ritchie, picked in the second round by the Wild in 2024, spoke to reporters at the team’s annual Development Camp at TRIA Rink on Wednesday. He said despite reports that he has committed to Boston University, he is still working on a final decision.
“I’m still kind of looking at my options,” he said.
Ritchie, who turns 19 in August, said he has not set a deadline for a final decision on his 2025-26 hockey destination. He has spent the past three years in the Western Hockey League.
“I just haven’t made up my mind yet,” Ritchie said. “I think I’ve still got to kind of think things through and talk to my family.
Ritchie’s father, Byron, played more than 300 NHL games for a quartet of teams, and played pro hockey in Europe before retiring in 2017.
A year ago at this time, American college hockey would not have been an option for Ritchie, as players in Canadian major junior hockey were considered professionals by the NCAA and were therefore ineligible. But a lawsuit and a rules change handed down in November 2024 has opened college hockey to players in the three Canadian major junior leagues.
Before he started playing major junior for Prince Albert in 2022, Ritchie took a look at his college options, taking official visits to schools such as Michigan and Wisconsin. Since the 2024 ruling, that world is again an option on his road that he and the Wild hope will eventually land him in St. Paul.
“I tried not to think about it until after the year, because I was focusing on trying to win a championship, so I think that’s kind of why I’m still in the deciding factor right now, and trying to figure out what I want to do,” Ritchie said. “It’s obviously appealing. A lot of guys are leaving, so it’s going to be a tough decision.”
McKenna is reportedly weighing his college options, as well, considering an offer from Penn State, and visiting the Michigan State campus earlier this week to meet with the Spartans’ coaches.
The three-day Development Camp for the Wild took a different route in 2025, with just 15 players invited and no on-ice work. Instead the players did off-ice workouts, video study, seminars about nutrition and social media, and had fun away from the rink at a go-kart track, a golf course and an escape room.
Most agreed it was a fun break from the on-ice work that is usually a part of the summer get-together.
“Obviously, everyone likes to skate. That’s what we do. We’re hockey players,” said Wild prospect Riley Heidt, who played major junior last season for Prince George. “But it’s good to get in the gym and kind of focus on that stuff, too, especially earlier in the summer.”
Defenseman Theodor Hallquisth and forward Adam Benak, picked by the Wild in last weekend’s NHL Draft, were both camp participants, making their first visits to Minnesota.
More free agent moves
The Wild addressed some depth needs on Wednesday, signing a half-dozen free agents who likely to play the bulk of their time in Iowa. Among their moves:
– They inked a one-year entry-level contract for good-sized forward Bradley Marek, who played 50 games for the Iowa Wild last season, and is a former CCHA rookie of the year at Ferris State.
– Goalie depth was handled with the addition of Cal Petersen, an Iowa native who starred at Notre Dame a decade ago and has played in more than 100 NHL games for the Kings and Flyers. He signed a one-year contract.
– Forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel signed a one-year contract after the Albertan played 22 games for the Sabres and Rangers last season. He has more than 300 NHL games on his resume.
– Ben Gleason signed a one-year contract following 36 games in the AHL last season in the Edmonton and Philadelphia systems. His only NHL experience is four games with Dallas in 2018-19.
– Defenseman Matt Kierstad, who is originally from Elk River and played collegiately at North Dakota, signed with the Wild for two years after spending last season in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers. He has played in 39 career NHL games with the Florida Panthers.
– Veteran forward Tyler Pitlick, who played prep hockey at Centennial and a season at Minnesota State, Mankato, signed a two-year contract with the Wild. He has logged more than 400 games for eight different NHL teams over the past dozen seasons.
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