Michael Ryan (born May 16, 1980) is an American former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

forward who played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

. He is currently the Manager of Player Development for the

Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...

of the

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

. Ryan was selected by the

Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...

in the 2nd round (32nd overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

As a youth, Ryan played in the 1994

Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament () is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, and give an opportunity for international competition to p ...

with a

minor ice hockey Minor ice hockey or minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body c ...

team from South Shore. Ryan was drafted by the

in the second round, 32nd overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Ryan's rights were traded by the Stars to Buffalo, along with a draft pick, on March 10, 2003, in exchange for

Stu Barnes Stuart Douglas Barnes (born December 25, 1970) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward. He played 16 seasons at Centre (ice hockey), centre in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets (1972–96), Winnipeg Jets, ...

After playing four seasons for

Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU or NEU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association in 1898 as an all-male instit ...

, where he led the team in goals his final three years as a Husky, Ryan made his professional debut with the Sabres'

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

affiliate, the

Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Rochester, New York. They are the American Hockey League affiliate of the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home g ...

, in the 2003–04 season. He made his

debut with the Sabres in the 2006–07 season, appearing in 19 games. He scored his first two career NHL goals on March 2, 2007 against David Aebischer and the

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...

in an 8-5 Sabres victory. Ryan signed a one-year deal with the

HC Dinamo Minsk Hockey Club Dinamo Minsk or HC Dinamo Minsk (; , ''Dynama-Minsk'') is a professional ice hockey club based in Minsk, Belarus. It is a member of the Tarasov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Dinamo has qualified for the KHL playof ...

on August 9, 2008, but reported to the

Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...

training camp as a free agent tryout on September 19, 2008. He was subsequently released. On October 31, 2008, Ryan was signed by the

Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...

to a 1-year deal and was assigned to their affiliate, the

Albany River Rats The Albany River Rats were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center. History Before the formation of the franchise Without a viable indoor arena with ...

. Ryan played in 18 games for the Hurricanes during the 2008–09 season and was re-signed to another one-year contract on July 1, 2009. On October 24, 2010, Ryan signed a professional tryout (PTO) contract with the

Springfield Falcons The Springfield Falcons were a ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center. In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Arizona Co ...

of the AHL. On November 23, 2010, the

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...

signed Ryan to a one-year contract and assigned him to their AHL affiliate the Adirondack Phantoms. On August 9, 2011, the

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...

signed Ryan to a one-year contract to play for their AHL affiliate, the

. On May 10, 2012, Ryan left for Europe and signed a one-year contract with Ässät of the Finnish

SM-liiga The Liiga, colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. The league comprises 16 teams from all around Finland with relegation and promotion between the Mest ...

. on June 20, 2013 Ryan signed one-year contract with new

KHL The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs. It was considered in ...

team Medveščak Zagreb from Croatia. Following the 2015–16 season in Finland, having played in only 3 games, Ryan announced his retirement from professional hockey. Beginning with the 2016–17 season, Ryan was selected as an assistant coach of the inaugural

Springfield Thunderbirds The Springfield Thunderbirds are a professional ice hockey team based in Springfield, Massachusetts. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues. The Thunderbirds play their home games at th ...

of the American Hockey League, affiliate to the

Career statistics

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, Michael 1980 births Living people Adirondack Phantoms players Albany River Rats players American men's ice hockey forwards Porin Ässät (men's ice hockey) players Boston College High School alumni Buffalo Sabres players Carolina Hurricanes players Dallas Stars draft picks Florida Panthers coaches Ice hockey people from Massachusetts KHL Medveščak Zagreb players Northeastern Huskies men's ice hockey players Rochester Americans players Springfield Falcons players Ice hockey people from Boston