Members of the Flamborough U11 Sabres got an early Christmas surprise at practice Monday evening.
Millgrove native Ryder Carey, who now plays for the OHL's North Bay Battalion, dropped by to skate with the team, share some tips and sign a few autographs.
Carey, 16, was drafted in the first round (16th overall) by the Battalion. Currently, he's the Battalion's third line centre, seeing 15 to 17 minutes of playing time per game, says his father, Sean.
In a September interview with BayToday, Batallion General Manager John Winstanley noted Ryder's ability to score is what stood out to him and the scouting staff as Ryder’s Oakville Rangers team went on to win the OHL cup last spring. Winstanley also noted in that interview that Ryder is fitting in well with established Battalion players, such as Anthony Romani and Owen Van Steensel.
Sean says the the team, which is in a rebuilding year, is "a good spot" for his son. "They've treated him really well. So it's pretty good, getting lots of playing time. He loves it, and he's with great billets - a really nice family."
While home on a six-day break over the holiday, Ryder has been busy meeting up for a reunion in Mississauga with his Rangers teammates and skating with some friends at the Freelton outdoor rink. His visit with the U11 Sabres came about after Sean and the team's coach Darryl McWaters connected.
"He's happy to be home with his friends, and that he got to go out and help Darryl out," said Sean. "He remembers when he was younger, and what it was like to meet some older guys that were playing at a high level."
McWaters, who coached Ryder when he was a U11 player with the Hamilton AAA Bulldogs, said the kids, parents and other people in the building were abuzz at the arena Monday night.
"He was in his North Bay Battalion gear and everyone was talking about it - even the teams waiting to get on this ice were marveling," McWaters said.
For the visit with the rookie OHLer, McWaters built the suspense, telling parents only that there would be a special guest coming out on Monday. The coach says he was excited to watch as the kids took it all in.
"I remember what it was like as a 10-year-old kid watching the Kitchener Rangers with my dad," he said. "The OHL players were like gods."
Ryder laced up and showed the kids some moves on the ice, and spent time talking with them in the dressing room. And even though he's a gifted offensive player, noted McWaters, the team was also interested in hearing about one of his most recent milestones: his first OHL fight.
"The kids were challenging him at the end," laughed Sean.
Ryder, who will be heading into his NHL draft year next year, has made a smooth transition to playing in the OHL, playhing with a team far from home, attending a new school and making new friends. Still, the work continues both on and off the ice, Sean says.
"He's working hard, but I stay on him to be a good person, and to do the right thing, all the time," he said.
McWaters noted that Ryder has been working towards the OHL for a long time.
"At that age, to be drafted to a team far away and living with a billet family - it's a lot," he said. "When I asked Ryder about it he didn't hesitate - he said 'I love it. It's awesome.' This has always been a goal of his."
And that is something that shone through during Monday's practice, said the coach.
"I wanted it to be fun and inspiring and that was achieved," said McWaters.
