Ryker Lee could be the steal of the 2025 NHL Draft if he slides to the second round

Ryker Lee is a draft-eligible prospect who could be available late in the first round or somewhere in the second round.

The good news is that the Calgary Flames will likely pick either 31st or 32nd with Florida’s first-round pick and will pick 57th with the pick they received from Colorado. 

Let’s take a look at what Lee has to offer!

Scouting report

Lee is a right-shot right-winger who stands at 6’0”, 170 lbs after a recent growth spurt. After playing high school hockey in Minnesota, Lee played parts of his last two seasons with the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League. Lee was born on Nov. 8, 2006, meaning he’s one of the older first-time draft-eligible prospects.

Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff ranked Lee as his 37th-best prospect in the upcoming draft, noting:

“Lee has been one of the best players in the USHL this season, using his quick hands and excellent hockey IQ in the offensive zone to win so many battles. He’s not big and can be pushed around a bit too much at times, but he doesn’t let it get to him and is quite competitive. I hope to see him become quicker once he heads to college – if he could just use his footwork to win more puck races, he’d be even more effective.”

David Saad of Dobber Prospects wrote this in his report about Lee in March:

“In his D-1 season (being 5-10, ~160lbs), Lee was fun, but not highly regarded. Fortunately, Lee hit a growth spurt right before his USHL freshman season and has taken the league by storm. He’s tied for 5th in points and in 3rd in points-per-game.

Few players in the draft can match up to Lee’s highlight reel. He constantly exposes defenders with a myriad of solutions: spin passes, feints, tape-to-tape saucer passes, there seems to be no limit to what Lee can imagine.

However, the growth spurt did not come without its drawbacks. Lee’s skating mechanics have taken a hit, losing him considerable speed and making his effectiveness as a play-driving winger fluctuant. This weakness has improved as the season’s gone on, but part of the appeal with Lee will always centre around if he’s able to fully recapture that motor of his. If everything breaks right, Lee can become one of the bigger steals this draft has to offer, but the ‘if’ might be significant enough to see him drop.”

Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala ranked Lee as his 58th-best draft prospect, having this to say about the 18-year-old winger:

“Average skater with upright stride. Excellent puck touch. Deceptive release. Playmaker on the power play.”

The numbers

Lee only played two regular season games with the Capitols in 2023-24, scoring a goal and an assist, while playing three additional post-season games where he was held pointless.

The right-winger had that growth spurt, and he broke out in 2024-25, scoring 31 goals and 68 points in 58 games. He had the fourth-most goals and points in the United States Hockey League this past season. Unfortunately, the Capitols only played six post-season games, where Lee found the back of the net three times and added three helpers.

Lee is committed to Michigan State University next season.

Availability and fit

Starting with availability, Lee’s ranking varies depending on the pundit. He ranks early in the second round according to some (Daily Faceoff, The Hockey News, Dobber Prospects, Craig Button), but also towards where the Flames pick in the second round. If he’s available with the 57th overall pick, Lee has a chance to be a steal of the draft as he’s an incredible playmaker.

As for fit, the Flames have a whole bunch of wingers in their prospect pool, including Matvei Gridin, Jacob Battaglia, Sam Honzek, and others – but not a ton of right-shot wingers, though. While they have a bigger need for centres and left-shot defencemen, Lee is a winger the Flames should consider taking if he falls to them in the second round.