Former Oiler Derek Ryan confirms retirement, praises Connor McDavid’s leadership

Former Edmonton Oilers forward Derek Ryan announced his retirement at the end of August, but that hasn’t stopped him from talking about the team. On Tuesday evening, he joined Bob Stauffer on 880 CHED to discuss hanging up the skates and, of course, the hot topic in Edmonton: Connor McDavid.

Asked what it was like to be McDavid’s teammate, Ryan offered a thoughtful answer about the captain’s personality behind the scenes:

“There are a lot of layers to Connor. From afar he keeps his distance, but if you’re in his inner circle, it’s amazing how much love and care he has for people. He opens up, he genuinely cares, and he’s one of the most genuine, loving, kind, caring people I’ve ever met. You don’t always see that in the media, but I can attest to it.”

That’s high praise from Ryan on McDavid. We all know how good he is on the ice, a perennial Art Ross and Hart Trophy favourite with the ability to change any game.

When fans discuss McDavid’s personality, they sometimes describe him as boring or robotic, particularly in his interactions with the media. But behind closed doors, there i someone that players love to be with, and those comments from Ryan magnify why McDavid wears the ‘C’ on his jersey.

Ryan also spoke about the decision to retire and step away from the game:

“No, I’m retiring. We, my family, are back home in Spokane. The kids started at their new school here today. I didn’t actively look for a job this off-season. Europe could’ve been an option, maybe other NHL teams, but if it wasn’t going to be Edmonton, I didn’t want to move the family again. As the kids get older that gets harder.

We had good roots in Edmonton, and, shoot, I’m almost 40. It’s nice to settle in here in Spokane. We have our house, friends, and family. It’s nice to be home.”

Ryan added he’ll be an assistant coach on his son’s team in Spokane. He first signed with the Oilers in the summer of 2021 and re-upped on June 13, 2023.

The former University of Alberta Golden Bear had one of the most interesting careers you’ll ever see, making his NHL debut at the age of 29 after playing in Europe. Over four seasons with Edmonton, Ryan appeared in 261 games and recorded 29 goals, 31 assists, and 60 points. He added two goals and five assists for seven points in 45 playoff games. He played 606 NHL games and scored 82 goals and 209 points.