leafalytics

[leafalytics]

an old thing i made for an old leafs blog that no longer exists on the internet

I’ve been in love with Kenny Ryan ever since I first found out he existed. The 50th overall selection by the Leafs in the 2009 Entry Draft, his 36 points in 46 points with the US Development Program, he looked like a good pick up. The next year he went over to the OHL to play with Windsor and had a rough time adjusting, putting up 35 points in 52 games which is not very good for an NHL prospect. The next year, still with Windsor Kenny put up 60 points in 62 games. And while I have never seen Kenny play live, this showed me what kind of player he was. Kenny Ryan was the Zach Hyman beta, he was never going to be the best, but he would work harder than everyone else. 

After his 60 points year with the Spitfire Ryan was signed to the Leafs on his ELC, where he started playing with the Marlies. This only lasted 16 games and he spent the remainder of the season with the Reading Royals of the ECHL, where he put up 23 points in 32 games. The next season he was given another shot at the Marlies lineup and this time he wasn't going to let it go to waste. He managed to stay up with the team all year and put up 21 points in 59 games, a great improvement from the last year. The 2014 season would sadly also be his last in the Leafs organization. He regressed and could only put up 9 goals and 16 points in 50 total games, and they just didn't need him anymore. After he left the Marlies he went on to put up similar numbers on different AHL and ECHL teams and now finds himself playing in a Swiss league. That furthers my belief that this mystical players that I've never seen works harder than everyone else. Most player, when they can't even hold an American League job decide to call it quits, but not Kenny Ryan. He found a league where he can be point per game, with 4 points in 4 game so far, and refused to give up his dream of being a hockey player, and strangely enough through just these stats, I think he could still play in the NHL some day. Someone that needs a defensive player to help with some not so great defensive ones, like a lesser Connor Brown. And if he keeps trying I think it can happen.

I remembered about Kenny when I was playing the all time classic game, NHL 14 and came across him and his 3.5 star red potential and immediately decided that I was going to make him an NHL player. And in that file it's now the 17-18 season and he's 82 overall. And even in the game he feels like he works harder to get that. He's not great in any category, but decent enough in all of them, and that's how I got obsessed with my favourite ex prospect I've never seen before.