Ryan Michael Commits to RPI
The 4-star LD will bring a reliable presence and "hard skill" to the Engineer D
RPI earned a commitment from Kamloops Blazers captain Ryan Michael back in January, as Eric Lang’s defensive overhaul continues to take shape. Michael’s commitment marks the continuum of a strategic shift into the WHL by the staff. Lang has spoken at length about wanting players with “hard skill”, and Ryan Michael fits that to a tee. He plays a highly reliable game and is well-known for his leadership qualities, with size and stick skill to go with it.
Michael joins Grayson Burzynski and James Guo as defenseman slated to come to RPI in the fall, in what figures to be a very young and promising unit. With Michael and Burzynski coming in, RPI now projects to have 7 LDs on the 2026 roster. I'd be willing to wager that this will not be the case so keep an eye out for some turnover as Michael and Burzynski have to go to college this year and can’t be delayed. Let’s take a look at Ryan’s game and what has us so excited:
Game Breakdown:
Michael’s game is all about hockey IQ and reliability. He has been on the top pair for Kamloops this season and worn the C, which is a testament to his leadership ability. Scouting reports describe him as a player that coaches can heavily trust in his own end and is relied upon on the PK. He combines his intelligence with size and skating ability which makes him a very well-rounded prospect. Michael stands 6’2 and 200 lbs and is one of the oldest eligible prospects, so he will certainly be ready to play on day 1.
I wouldn’t say Michael touts the offensive game of Thomas Klassek or Grayson Burzynski, but he is a good fit for the RPI defense which is quickly filling up with offensive types. He has good hands and can pass and move the puck the way Lang values in defenseman. I see some of former Engineer Jake Johnson in his game due to his skating, IQ, and willingness to block shots.
Team Fit
Ryan is the type of “hard skill” player that Lang’s staff covets, and I think he can be a real staple on the back end. His game is less flashy than others but puck-moving defenseman with a simple style thrive in this system. RPI is quickly developing a young core of defenseman with potential to be a top unit in the ECAC. Lang had success with this style of puck-mover at AIC in the late 2010s, and this unit figures to have the same skill with a bit more size.
Burzynski (FR) - Sobieski (JR)
Klassek (SO) - Guo (FR)
Michael (FR) - Hilditch (SO)
Extras: Ozolins (JR), VanDamme (SR), Lemieux (SO), Jovanovic (SO)
I am not suggesting that RPI’s defensive alignment will look like that next year, but merely trying to illustrate what I think a lineup centered on the higher potential, young guns looks like. I do think that a defensive alignment the following year would pretty much exactly like that though. It is a young core of defensemen with a lot of potential and the chance to be the backbone of teams to come.
Michael is listed as a 4-star by Neutral Zone and has been for years. His D partner in Kamloops is a 2nd-round pick with NHL and World Junior experience for the Penguins and Canada respectively. Michael clearly belongs and is the type of recruit that RPI wants to continue pursuing. If they can make a living recruiting older 4-stars and better, this program will be in great shape.
Ryan is a plug-and-play defenseman that projects into the top-4 in years to come. 3 years of wearing a letter in Kamloops suggests that he will be an excellent voice to have in the locker room and is a future captain here. Congratulations to Ryan and his family, we look forward to watching him this fall!