The following year, he won the WHL's Plus-Minus Award, was named Most Spirited Player, and claimed the fourth overall ranking in league scoring (50 goals, 60 assists).
His hockey career continued with the Fredericton Canadiens where he was named Rookie of the Year in 1998, claimed second in goals (21), and led the league in fights (34).
[5] Despite his high draft ranking, Ryan played only 8 games in the NHL over parts of three seasons, all spent with Montreal, failing to register a single point and suffering a career-ending ankle injury in 2001, ending his chances at returning to the big leagues.
In 2000, Ryan won the St. John's Maple Leafs Humanitarian of the Year Award; in 2003 he led the Orlando Seals with playoff goals (6) to help them win the league championship.
[11] Ryan has played Newfoundland senior hockey with the St. John’s Capitals [2] and the Clarenville Caribous, who lost the 2014 Allan Cup final to the Dundas Real McCoys in overtime.
In 2008, he played with the Bentley Generals of the Alberta Senior Hockey League, winning a silver medal at the Allan Cup, and was named Top Scorer.
Ryan works in the film industry and has appeared on several episodes of the hit CBC television program Republic of Doyle, playing small roles.
In addition to playing "British Soldier #1" (Episode 1) - (the first on-screen casualty in the Netflix/Discovery Channel television series Frontier, starring Jason Momoa in the lead role), in 2017 Ryan also had small roles in Frontier Season 2,[2] Little Dog (CBC), Caught (CBC), Schitt's Creek, and various short films.
He is now also trying his hand at stand-up comedy and performed his second show to good reviews opening for Gerry Dee at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, Ontario on April 22, 2016.