Mike Van Ryn
Canadian defenceman who played for three NHL teams.
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Mike Van Ryn is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He is currently an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Van Ryn was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the first round, 26th overall, in the 1998 NHL entry draft, but became a free agent through a legal challenge and signed with the Blues.
Lore & Background
Van Ryn played college hockey at the University of Michigan, helping the Wolverines win the National Championship in 1998. He then played one season of major junior hockey with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League before becoming a free agent. He signed with the St. Louis Blues and made his NHL debut in 2000. After parts of three seasons with the Blues, he was traded to the Florida Panthers in March 2003.
With the Panthers, Van Ryn had his most productive NHL seasons, scoring 13 goals and 37 points in 2003–04, the most by any Panthers defenceman that season. He played four seasons with Florida before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008. His time with the Maple Leafs was cut short by injuries, including knee surgery, and he did not play after the 2009–10 season.
Reader's Guide
Van Ryn's NHL career spanned from 2000 to 2010, with his most notable years coming with the Florida Panthers. In 2003–04, he led all Panthers defencemen in goals and points, finishing third in team scoring. He matched his career high of 37 points again in 2005–06.
After his playing career ended, Van Ryn transitioned to coaching, serving as an assistant coach for the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL, the Houston Aeros of the AHL, and as an associate coach and later head coach for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL. He later became an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His career is notable for the legal challenge that allowed him to become a free agent after playing major junior hockey, a case that affected NHL draft rules for college players.
Career statistics and honours
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1995–96 | London Nationals | WOHL | 44 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | London Nationals | WOHL | 46 | 14 | 31 | 45 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | University of Michigan | CCHA | 38 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | University of Michigan | CCHA | 37 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–2000 | Sarnia Sting | OHL | 61 | 6 | 35 | 41 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 2000–01 | Worcester IceCats | AHL | 37 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2000–01 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Worcester IceCats | AHL | 24 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 48 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 20 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Worcester IceCats | AHL | 33 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 79 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 80 | 8 | 29 | 37 | 90 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 78 | 4 | 25 | 29 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 20 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 27 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | 353 | 30 | 99 | 129 | 260 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Canada | WJC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1999 | Canada | WJC | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Junior totals | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
Coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Finish | Result | ||
| KIT | 2015–16 | 68 | 44 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 95 | 3rd in Midwest | Won in conference quarter-finals (4-1 vs. WSR) / Lost in conference semi-finals (0-4 vs. LDN) |
| TUC | 2017–18 | 68 | 42 | 20 | — | 5 | 90 | 1st in Pacific | Won in division semi-finals (3-1 vs. SJ) / Lost in division finals (1-4 vs. TEX) |
| OHL Totals | 68 | 44 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 95 | 0 Division Titles | 4-5 (0.444) | |
| AHL Totals | 68 | 42 | 20 | — | 5 | 90 | 1 Division Titles | 4-5 (0.444) | |
Awards and honours
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| All-CCHA Rookie Team | 1997–98 |
| CCHA All-Tournament Team | 1999 |
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Mike Van Ryn (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Did You Know?
- Van Ryn scored his first NHL goal against Martin Biron of the Buffalo Sabres on January 23, 2002.
- He underwent an osteotomy on his left knee in October 2009.
More in Florida Panthers Players
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Mike Van Ryn (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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