Michigan State's Ryker Lee ready to bring unconventional creativity to 2026 World Juniors
SAINT PAUL, Minnesota – It’s fun watching Ryker Lee play hockey.
If you're a hockey nerd like we are at Elite Prospects, it’s the Michigan State freshman’s combination of skill and creativity that excites, whether it's Lee's unique ability to create something out of nothing, or how he manipulates space as it closes on him.
Or maybe you’ve simply seen the clip of him dribbling the puck with his stick like a basketball earlier this season against Notre Dame.
Regardless, the Nashville Predators prospect, taken 26th overall back in June, is one of the more intriguing prospects heading into the 2026 World Junior Championships, which open today in Minnesota.
“It’s a great opportunity for him. He’s been highly thought of. That’s why he was recruited like he was, why he was a first-rounder,” Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale said. “But I think there’s something great about seeing a kid work like he has, who hasn’t really had the national team experience before, to get it now on a big stage like he will.”
Lee started popping onto scouts’ radars during his 17-year-old season at Shattuck St. Mary’s, after a 99-point season in 57 games. It didn't take him long to move into first-round territory in his NHL draft year, following a highly-entertaining USHL season that saw him record 31 goals and 68 points in 58 games with the Madison Capitols.
Lee's skill was obvious, but there were questions about his combination of size and speed, and if he’d be able to parlay that junior hockey success into similar offensive chances at either the professional or NCAA level.
It’s something that Lee was aware of. He doesn’t pass the “off-the-bus” test, like some other first-round picks, but didn’t discourage him, nor did it limit his offensive showing at Michigan State. Through 16 NCAA games, Lee has 13 points. He’s a key cog on one of the top teams in the country, and helps drive a line with Shane Vansaghi and Eric Nillson, which has been a matchup nightmare for Big Ten opponents.
So why has Lee’s game translated so well, not just from the USHL to the NCAA, but the fact that he’s just two years removed from playing at the prep level?
“I think the hands have always been there. It’s something growing up I’d always be in the basement stickhandling and then taking extra ice to just have fun with it, finding every inch of space,” Lee said. “But I think in the past couple years I really realized how much space is a commodity. How you can do all of that, but it’s understanding the value of that space that forces the proper decisions.”
Lee also gives a ton of credit to Michigan State strength coach Will Morlock, who has worked with the forward closely this season.
“I already feel like a different player than I was before [arriving at Michigan State],” Lee said. “I’ve been building on things, feeling the growth. It’s gone a long way.”
Fittingly, Morlock is in Minnesota with Lee right now, serving in the same role as the strength and conditioning coach for Team USA (a role he also had with the Americans in 2024 and 2023).
Lee also credits many of his teammates, including Porter Martone, who is captaining Canada at 2026 World Juniors and is one of the few freshman outscoring Lee this season in the NCAA.
Michigan State practices are a battle, and the Martone line often goes head-to-head with Lee’s. It’s a classic case of “iron sharpens iron,” according to Nightingale.
But for all the toughness and the battles, in the end, Lee continues to stand out because of the fun and creativity he brings. Whether it’s in practice or a Big Ten game, Lee doesn’t shy away from the skills he’s developed and isn’t nervous about trying something unconventional to create space.
“I think what allows him to do that is his details,” Nightingale said. “There’s a lot of guys that can do things he does, but they don’t have the details. He has the balance that makes those things that much more dangerous, it’s a great lesson. It’s not just the highlights or the puck play, it’s the ability to stack that on top of everything, that’s why he’s so effective.”