DAUPHIN, MB – The Dauphin Kings are happy to announce that 17 year old defenceman Ryder Richmond (2000) has signed on with the club for the 2017-18 hockey season.
Richmond spent last year with the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League’s Yellowhead Chiefs where he helped the group reach the league championship series.
During the regular season the 5’8 Forrest product led the team in D-man scoring with 5 goals and 35 assists for 40 points in 42 contests. That total put him just inside the league’s top 30 scorers. In the post season Richmond logged a lot of minutes and added a goal and five assists for the Chiefs.
“Ryder is a dynamic two way defenceman that we’ve been excited about since the day we drafted him. He had a great year last year with the Yellowhead Chiefs and is ready to take the step to junior hockey. Ryder is a player that we look forward to being a staple on our blue line for the next four seasons” says Kings Head Coach and General Manager Marc Berry.
“It’s really exciting. I’m glad to be a part of it and it’s where I want to be” says Ryder Richmond.
“I like to think of myself as a more offensive defenceman but I try and take care of my own end first and I’m a special teams type of guy too. I know a couple players in Dauphin like Grady Hobbs so it’ll make the transition a little easier and the Kings have a lot of good young talent.”
“It’s a cool feeling also knowing I could play with my brother down the road since he was drafted by the Kings on Sunday” added Richmond.
Ryder Richmond was a fourth round draft pick (36th overall) in 2015. With the addition of Richmond the Kings will see their first three picks from that year’s draft now on their club. Grady Hobbs (3rd overall) and Kyle Oleksiuk (14th overall) are going into their second full seasons with Dauphin.
The Kings would like to welcome Ryder and the rest of his family to the City of Sunshine!