Ryan Lin

A projected top-15 selection in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft will continue his development in Colorado next season. According to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects, defenseman Ryan Lin has committed to the University of Denver for his collegiate career.

Lin, 17, has spent the last two years playing for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. He has been dynamic offensively throughout his time there, scoring 19 goals and 110 points in 113 games, with a -8 rating. NHL Central Scouting has Lin ranked as the 13th-best prospect ahead of the draft, and the fifth-best defenseman.

Despite his -8 rating throughout his WHL career, Lin is better defensively than his numbers may indicate, especially as a smaller defenseman. Standing at 5’11”, 176lbs, Lin has the physical makeup of an offense-first power-play quarterback.

However, his skating and hockey IQ make him more of a two-way defenseman. Although he may have some issues muscling forwards off of the puck, he has the edge work and intelligence to put himself in the best position to defend, which is a talent in and of itself. While it isn’t a direct comparison, Tampa Bay Lightning veteran Ryan McDonagh has often been cited as one of the best-positioned defenders throughout his NHL career, and Lin has brought a lot of that to his amateur career.

Additionally, there are few programs better for development than the University of Denver. Even recently, Eric Pohlkamp, the 132nd overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks, is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in his second season after scoring 18 goals and 39 points in 41 games with a +25 rating. Including Zeev Buium in that mix, it’s clear that head coach David Carle has a knack for turning defensemen into better versions of themselves.