The offseason is in full swing, and so are the player grades for the Edmonton Oilers. The first report card was given to Evan Bouchard, and next up is Derek Ryan. Ryan started the season in Edmonton, but eventually lost his spot on the roster, resulting in a demotion to the Bakersfield Condors, the Oilers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.
The 38-year-old veteran has a unique story and path to the NHL. He didn’t play his first game until he was 29 years old, and still played 606 career NHL games with three different teams, including four seasons in Oil Country. Unfortunately, his age caught up to him, and he could no longer keep up and be effective.
Related: Oilers 2024-25 Report Cards: Evan Bouchard
Ryan isn’t your prototypical fourth-line centre, at only 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. He’s undersized, lacks speed, and is not extremely physical, only recording 25 hits last season. Despite that, the undrafted forward found a role in the NHL for a decade, and he defied all the odds.
His biggest impact came in the faceoff circle. He was often trusted in the defensive zone to win important draws before leaving the ice for a line change. He took 250 faceoffs last season, winning 60.4 percent of them, the highest percentage of his career. Ryan has always been solid in the dot, winning at least 50 percent of his faceoffs in every season. However, you need to do more than win faceoffs to stay in the lineup.
Ryan Didn’t Play Much
After playing 225 games with the Oilers through his first three seasons, he only suited up for 36 games last season, and none in the playoffs. He recorded a measly one goal and six points with a minus-4 rating, averaging just 9:21 of ice time, a career low. He didn’t generate any offence and couldn’t skate at the NHL level.
Ryan was a healthy scratch in 11 of 15 games, leading to his AHL demotion in January. He played a game on Jan. 4 against the Seattle Kraken, but didn’t play in the NHL again until April 13, against the Winnipeg Jets, his last game in an Oilers uniform.
The Spokane, Washington, native played 13 games in Bakersfield after his demotion, recording three goals and eight points, and was a solid veteran presence for that group. He was recalled at the end of the season, and practiced with the big club throughout the playoffs and was a placeholder on days when the regulars didn’t skate. Despite his regression, he was still a valued and respected member of the locker…
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