Derek Ryan: Centre

Regular Season: 81 GP, 13 G, 25 A, 38 Pts, 24 PIM, +21, 1.5 CFRel%

Playoffs: 5 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 Pts, 2 PIM

Individual Grades

MarkParkinson14 = (B+) Derek Ryan was a solid Bill Peters addition to the Flames roster this season. The 32 year old set career high’s in games played (81) and assists (25), while tying his career high in points with 38. Ryan bounced throughout the Flames lineup this season, but was a solid presence from Day 1.

MGMacGillivray = (A-) Almost immediately after the Flames hired Bill Peters, I went looking for guys who could follow him to Calgary and Ryan’s name jumped to the top of the list. After speaking with some Carolina writers, the notion was that he was a player who was often overplayed by Peters with the Canes, but Calgary’s depth allowed Ryan to be put in a role that he really excelled at down the stretch. The Flames got 38 points from a third/fourth line centre for the first time I can remember in recent memory, and his faceoff acumen was something we haven’t seen in Calgary for years. He showed an ability to excel at all spots in the lineup, and looks to be worth every penny that the Flames paid him.

Madeline Campbell = (B+) It’s hard to pick out anything too major to complain about in Ryan’s game. He wasn’t terribly flashy, but in all of his movement up and down the lineup, he found a way to be solid, no matter what. He wasn’t always full-on stellar, but he was almost always good. And that’s just fine! You don’t necessarily need a team full of guys who are flashy and noticeable 100 percent of the time. Solid depth players make a good team, and depth is something we recognized as a strength of this team, overall, and Ryan was a big part of making that the case.