Vernon, BC: The Vipers have added a left shot power winger. Ryan Shostak, who will turn 18 in early September, is delighted to commit to Vernon: “I am so excited that I will play for the Vernon Vipers. I want to help the Vipers win a championship and to also land a scholarship and I believe Vernon is the best place to achieve both of those goals.”
Ryan considers himself “a power forward with good hockey sense and a high level of compete. I am also a character guy and a leader.” Coach and GM Jason McKee agrees with Ryan’s self-assessment: “Ryan is a strong player in all areas of the game with a winning pedigree. We expect him to be a very positive addition to our forward group.”
Last year his team, the Calgary Buffaloes, won the Alberta AAA midget title and played very well at the Telus Cup. In seven games at that national tournament, Ryan notched seven assists, four of them on the power play and one short handed. Those stats back up his contention that he’s a power forward.
Ryan has the size to play a physical, grinding game. The Elite Prospects website listed him at 6 feet and 181 pounds last year, and he’s still developing physically. His stats consistently support the profile of a power winger. Last year, in addition to the 7 assists at the Telus Cup, he had 17 goals and 20 assists in 34 regular season games and he contributed 5 goals and 4 assists in 11 playoff games. Ryan has demonstrated discipline while employing a physical style, averaging less than one penalty per four games played.
His size and playing style have caught the attention of Junior A teams. Two years ago, he suited up twice for the Canmore Eagles and last year he played two games with the Calgary Mustangs. Viper fans will get their first look at Ryan when training camp opens in three weeks.
