Puttin’ on the Ritz

Justin Hryckowian, aka Ritzy, has had a profound effect on Texas hockey since getting signed in March of 2024. Earning AHL’s Rookie of the year the following season allowed the bold career jump from Austin to Dallas with the Stars franchise, consistently earning a lineup spot all season long. Considering he was passed over in the draft due to being undersized, he has conquered remarkable achievements on the ice, leaving an impression that he’s more than just a forward after goals.

Ritzy fits in seamlessly with Dallas’s style of player versatility, he’s not afraid to see the inside of the penalty box- a whopping 43 minutes spent there last season. A game that perhaps demonstrates just how strong Ritzy’s defensive skill set is goes back to March 12th against the Oilers with chirps between him and McDavid- successfully baiting McDavid into dropping gloves for his only nhl career fight, Ritzy’s fourth. He has strong numbers across the board with 14 goals, 16 assists, and an epic 119 hits in the regular season, and a shot that will drill you at 85 mph, but that’s not the most impressive part of his game. Dominate in face offs, he is already at the elite level with 55% in the 25-26 season; 60% in the short spurt he had in the season before. Not afraid to be biased here, these are percentages players spend decades trying to retire with and he’s starting his career off with full intent to set records. Perhaps what’s so impressive about his face off skill set is he’s not a player to study tapes to prepare for an opponent, he studies players as he encounters them on the ice. Quoting from an interview, he “just puts his head down and gives 100% to every face off” claiming “that’s how you’re going to win at least half of them” an approach that’s placing him on leaderboards.

Simply put, Ritzy adds roster competition, earning him a spot on every game’s lineup and several times with the starting line. He’s a humble player whose modest contract shows he’s looking to stay in Dallas, considering what other teams could offer him. Given his accomplishments and pathway to continue improving his current stats, he’s the kind of player we try and lockdown long term next season with the cap jump. What lineup would he best fit in to prove his game- for me I would love to see him with Miko, Wyatt, Miro, and Bichsel; he has the perfect amount of grit, speed, and stick-handling to pull the line together for what should be an intricate shot to block.