It is no secret that the Flin Flon Bombers can score goals.
After all, they led the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in that category by a large margin. But, for the Bombers to claim their first championship in nearly 30 years they will need strong play in their own end as well and Ryder Richmond is part of a defensive core that is ready to take on that challenge.
The 20-year-old Richmond, who hails from Forrest, Man., just finished his second full season with the Bombers and while he played a big role in defending their own zone he also managed to contribute 17 points in 52 games. That output was more than double what he produced in 41 games last year and combined with the 20 games he played with the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Dauphin Kings as a 17-year-old, he has more than 100 games of Junior “A” experience under his belt giving the Bombers some invaluable leadership as they work towards a Canalta Cup championship.
Prior to relocating to Flin Flon, the 5-foot-8, 178-pound Richmond was a standout in two-plus seasons with the Yellowhead Chiefs of the Manitoba Midget AAA Hockey League as he registered 65 points in 116 games, including 40 points in 42 games as a 16-year-old. The following season he was enjoying another solid campaign with the Chiefs when he made the jump to the higher level in Dauphin and from there he has developed into a reliable player at both ends of the rink for the Bombers.
With Richmond having celebrated a birthday since the calendar flipped to 2020 he is eligible for one more season of junior hockey and that bodes well for the Bombers. However, the task at hand is the SJHL playoffs and it all starts with a best-of-seven match-up against the Humboldt Broncos. Richmond will undoubtedly be counted on in many situations to help Flin Flon make a deep run in the post-season.
