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Ryan Winterton has reason to celebrate.
Returning from Texas with a gold medal in hand after representing Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship, the Hamilton Bulldogs centre helped the Great White North to a first-place finish in providing invaluable secondary scoring support to the tune of two goals and two assists through the seven-game set.
In all, it marked Winterton’s second showing with Team Canada’s Program of Excellence after previously suiting up at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge as well as a continuation of his strong rookie-season performance with the Bulldogs in 2019-20 in which he came up with 23 points counting 12 goals and 11 assists through 53 appearances.
A projected early selection in the upcoming NHL Draft, Winterton reflected on his experience at the under-18s, his freshman season with the Bulldogs, and more in the latest edition of the CHL Sunday Spotlight presented by WINMAR:
How do you evaluate your rookie season with the Bulldogs?
My rookie season in Hamilton went pretty well, for myself and for my team. I thought we had a good chance to make a playoff push, but COVID-19 hit and we were sent home. It was a lot of learning that year, especially in coming out of minor midget and not knowing a whole lot about the league. I just took the first couple of months to learn a little bit about the league and then from there I think I opened up a little bit and got more confident as we went on.
What was it like to win gold at the under-18s?
There is nothing really like winning the gold medal for your country. It was pretty cool to be a part of, just to see all of the guys and how they practice, their work ethic, going to the rink. I learned a lot from it. It is definitely something that I will remember for the rest of my life.
What was it like to share the ice with OHL counterpart Shane Wright?
I think playing on the same team as Shane was pretty cool. I got to experience that at the U17s as well on Team Canada Black. With both times, I can’t say enough about him. He is an exceptional talent. The way he carries himself off the ice and as a leader in our dressing room, it was pretty cool. I definitely learned a couple of things off him.
How are you preparing ahead of the upcoming NHL Draft?
Leading up to the draft, I am going to be in the gym and on the ice as much as I can, just trying to do whatever I can individually to put myself in a better situation come July.
Which NHL player do you model your game after?
I think a guy like Patrice Bergeron. He is a guy who really takes pride in his two-way game. He plays both sides of the puck really well. He has good offensive attributes and brings a lot to the table for Boston.
