Is Gavin McKenna going WHL or NCAA? Ex-Canuck Byron Ritchie helping him decide

Byron Ritchie played pro hockey for 21 seasons , including eight with the Vancouver Canucks .

Ritchie is a skills coach at Kelowna’s Rink Academy , and part of the player development team for Creative Artists Agency Hockey.

The 47-year-old is also the family adviser for Gavin McKenna , the WHL 's No. 1 prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft .

McKenna is the test case for this new hockey world after the NCAA announced in the fall that players from Major Junior leagues would be eligible to compete in the American collegiate system next season .

Ryder Ritchie is the oldest of three siblings, with a younger sister and a younger brother.

Ryder has represented Canada at both the Under-18 worlds and the U.18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup .

Ryder is coached by former Canucks bench boss Willie Desjardins at WHL 's Medicine Hat .

Ritchie leaned on Jim regarding player development from Jim , and maintains that “every time you talk to him you come away from it smarter” Canuck fans can appreciate that, looking at how good Quinn has been the past couple of years especially.

Ritchie likes where the game is headed with the growing speed and skill aspects to it.

He does wonder if it wouldn’t benefit from larger rinks.