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With absolutely nothing happening in the hockey world right now, and for the foreseeable future, I’ve decided to take the plunge and write player profiles for each member of the Calgary Flames.
As was the case when I did them last summer, we’ll be looking at the season they just put together and expectations moving forward.
I’ve written up five players thus far, with Sam Bennett being the most recent.
Today we’re going with Derek Ryan.
Counting stats: 68 games played, 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists), 14:33 average time on ice
5v5 underlyings: 1.75 points/60, -1.15 CF% Rel, +13.37 GF% Rel, -0.69 xGF% Rel, 102.7 PDO
2019-20 review: There weren’t many bright spots in Calgary’s bottom-6 this season. Derek Ryan was one of the lone exceptions.
He scored at least 10 goals and produced at a ~35 point pace or better for the fourth consecutive season. He was a particularly efficient 5v5 player, recording points at a higher rate than Rickard Rakell, Anze Kopitar, Viktor Arvidsson and Alex DeBrincat.
You take that all day from a 3rd line center, especially when he routinely plays with Milan Lucic – someone whose offensive game has almost completely deteriorated over the last couple of years.
While Ryan’s relative impact on shot and expected goal share was negative, it was pretty minor and to be expected. Ryan’s impact on the scoreboard was more positive than that of any Flames player.
He finished with a plus-9 goal differential and a 58.82 Goals For% at 5v5, both of which led the team.
Some were a little skeptical of giving Ryan a three-year, $9.375 million, commitment but he continues to live up to the contract.
Fun fact(s): Ryan recorded more 5v5 points than Nicklas Backstrom, Evander Kane, Mikael Granlund and Jeff Skinner, to name but a few.
2020-21 outlook: I think Ryan is heading for the exact same role he’s handled over the last couple of years. He’ll lead the charge on the 3rd line, he’ll play special teams, and he’ll move up a spot or two once in the event Sean Monahan and/or Mikael Backlund a) suffer an injury or; b) really hit a funk.
Ryan will turn 34 next season but I don’t think he plays the kind of style that’ll be impacted too much by another year of age. His game is built more on smarts than speed or high-end skill. So long as he can continue to think the game at a high level, and anticipate plays, I think he’s a good bet to put up another 30 points and provide some responsible two-way hockey.
numbers via naturalstattrick.com and hockey-reference.com
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2020-21 player profile: Mikael Backlund
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2020-21 player profile: Elias Lindholm
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Calgary Flames Blogger • 
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