Leon Draisaitl took to Instagram and paid a special tribute to his Edmonton Oilers teammate Derek Ryan, who announced his retirement on Friday at the age of 38. Despite being undrafted, Ryan went on to play 10 NHL seasons, including 606 regular-season games, scoring 82 goals and adding 209 points. In the playoffs, Ryan added 10 points.
Draisaitl posted a graphic celebrating Ryan’s retirement and used the German word “unglaublich” to describe his career. The English meaning of this word is “unbelievable” or “incredible.”
Ryan joined the Oilers in the 2021-22 season and was a defensively sound center, penalty-killing specialist, and locker-room anchor. He was part of the team’s two straight Stanley Cup final appearances. While he couldn’t add a Cup to his resume, his last four seasons with the Oilers helped him forge long-lasting bonds with his teammates, like Draisaitl.
Draisaitl’s “unglaublich” reaction best describes Derek Ryan’s career
Derek Ryan had an unconventional start to his ice hockey career. Despite being undrafted, Ryan played four seasons at a Canadian university hockey and had stints in Europe before earning a NHL contract. Thanks to his MVP season leading Sweden’s Örebro HK in scoring, the Carolina Hurricanes signed him to a one-year contract.
Ryan spent time with the Hurricanes, Calgary Flames and Oilers. He also represented Team USA at the 2018 World Championship at Denmark, earning a silver medal. In that tournament, he played nine games, finishing with four goals and three assists.
Beyond hockey, Ryan stood out as the NHL’s only known Latter-day Saints player.
