Ryan Mantzz Biography

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EARLY LIFE
       Ryan Mantzz was born in February of 2007 in a Wisconsin city along lake Winnebago called Oshkosh. How Ryan fell in love with the game of hockey still does not have a clear answer. His father never played growing up and instead rode bulls, wrestled and played rugby. His mother never played either and was a track star in high school. Around 4 years old Ryan got a pair of ice skates from his grandpa and would take them out every time they would go ice fishing on lake Winnebago. 
While Ryan enjoyed the fishing, most of his time out there was spent using those ice skates teaching himself how to skate! As Ryan got older his parents signed him up for his youth hockey club. Ryan was always one of the top kids on the youth program with coaches hoping he would continue to put in the effort to grow his skills and become the best he could be. His skating was smooth, his puck control was impressive and he had a competitive drive that set him apart from his peers. His work ethic was also notable, as he was always the first to show up at practice and the last to leave. His parents recognized his dedication and made countless sacrifices to make sure he could attend elite camps and tournaments. All of this hard work and dedication started to catch the eyes of some scouts as he was preparing to enter his freshman year of high school. 

 

HIGH SCHOOL CAREER 

       His freshman year Ryan made the varsity hockey team and quickly became one of the standout players. His performance in games was highlighted by his ability to read plays and make crucial passes, as well as his relentless drive on the ice. Ryan finished his freshman year with 35 points in 25 games. His sophomore year is where he started to stand out getting 75 points in 25 games leading the state in scoring, and earning himself all state honors. Along with putting points on the score sheet his leadership skills were also evident, and he was announced team captain by his junior year. In his senior year Ryan led his high school team to the state championships, where he was recognized as one of the top players in the league. His success did not go unnoticed as college and junior hockey scouts began to show interest in him.

 

JUNIOR CAREER 
       After graduating high school Mantzz made the decision to pursue a junior hockey career, aiming to reach the VHL one day. He was drafted in the first round by the Erie Otters of the OHL. In his rookie season with the Otters Ryan made an immediate impact. The transition to junior hockey was tougher than he thought it would be but his maturity and work ethic to get better in the offseason made him stand out. He quickly earned a spot on the top line and his combination of skill, speed, and hockey IQ made him a dangerous scorer in the League. Ryan’s first junior season was filled with highs and lows and he finished with 22 goals and 29 assists in 62 games leading all rookies in goals and points. In his second season he broke out as one of the league's top players. He finished with 34 goals and 45 assists, which landed him a spot in the top 10 in the league for points on the year. Ryan’s ability to control the puck in all three zones and his high hockey IQ made him a player that opposing teams had to focus on. Just like his high school days his leadership was noticed by coaches and teammates, and he was named an alternate captain for the Otters that year. While Mantzz had made a very good name for himself during his time in the OHL he knew the hardest work was still ahead of him as he declared for the S98 VHL draft. 

 

POST JUNIORS
      With the VHL draft in his future Mantzz found himself as a free agent making him eligible to sign with a VHLM team. He decided to sign with Miami late in the year. The jump from juniors to professionals was massive and it showed for Mantzz. Only putting up 2 goals and 5 assists in 34 games something he was not familiar with. Despite the lack of production Mantzz gained lots of knowledge on how to grow as a player in the Leauge due to the great people of the Miami locker room. As his draft day gets closer Mantzz continues to show potential teams what has made him stand out his whole career. His worth ethic and drive to be the best teammate and do what he can to help bring a championship to whatever team is willing to take the chance on him. 

 

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