Ryder Ritchie will be the focal point of the Raiders offensive attack this season. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nolan Kowal

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The Prince Albert Raiders and their fans are hoping there is no sophomore slump for superstar forward Ryder Ritchie.

The now 17-year-old Calgary native was outstanding in his rookie season in the Western Hockey League (WHL) last year with the Raiders, notching 55 points in 61 games.

Now, fans and WHL followers alike are wondering what he’ll do for an encore this season.

“I try not to focus on it too much,” said Ritchie, who is preparing for his team’s season opener on Friday night against the Moose Jaw Warriors. “I just try to go out there and play, take it game by game. Doing what I can to help the team win is the big thing for me.”

In the pre-season, Ritchie led the team with three goals and five points. The winger possesses a quick release that could give opposing goaltenders fits this season. But Ritchie said his shot wasn’t always a part of his arsenal growing up due to an injury.

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“Midget I broke my wrist actually. After that I shot pucks day and night just trying to develop a shot,” he said. “And then all summer before my 16-year-old year just shot, shot, shot. The shot’s come a long way and it’s going to continue to get better here.”

Ritchie, who uses a green and black HyperLite stick to match the Raiders colours, played on a line with Aiden Oiring and Sloan Stanick during the pre-season.

“I love playing with them. Aiden’s a great player, fast, quick bursts, he can find you…great hockey smarts,” Ritchie said. “And then Stan, he can protect the puck, make plays, but he can score too. So it’s nice when you can find him and he can score, so yeah I love playing with those guys.”

Even with his goal-scoring prowess, Ritchie knows he has to work on his all-around game as he embarks on another WHL season.

“I want to develop as a two-way player for sure. I think I’ve taken some steps, last year especially, and starting to take more steps this year…I think that’s a big part of my game,” said Ritchie, who will be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft in 2024. “But I also want to develop all the other parts of my game…keep developing my shot, passing, and hockey IQ, just all the things that I can get better at.”

After missing the playoffs last year, the Raiders seem poised to be a much-improved team this season, and Ritchie thinks the returning players and plethora of 19-year-olds on the roster will serve them well.

“We’ve been through it, we’ve been through the ups and downs and I think we’re more prepared going into this year,” he said. “I’m feeling confident in the group we have and I’m excited.”

The Raiders host the Moose Jaw Warriors at 7:00 Friday night at the Art Hauser Centre.

You can catch the game live on 101.5 Beach Radio with the pre-game show starting at 6:30 p.m.

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nolan.kowal@pattisonmedia.com