Ryan Dzingel

History

2008-09: Ryan Dzingel played for the Team Illinois U-16 midget majors. In 31 games, he scored 18 goals with 15 assists and had 30 PMs.

2009-10: Dzingel started the season with Team Illinois before joining the Lincoln Stars on a full-time basis. Dzingel provided an offensive spark as a rookie for the Stars but was inconsistent at times. He finished with 11 goals and 26 assists with a -18 plus/minus and 38 PMs in 36 games. In 31 games with Team Illinois, he scored 19 goals with 27 assists and had 28 PMs. Dzingel committed to playing college hockey at Ohio State in 2011-12. He was eligible for the 2010 NHL Draft but went unselected. Following the season, Dzingel returned to Illinois to finish his schooling at Wheaton Academy and was an all-state shortstop on the school's baseball team.

2010-11: Dzingel got off to a fast start in his second season with Lincoln and was named to the US Select squad that competed in the World Junior A Challenge. Playing on a line with fellow Ohio State recruit Max McCormick, Dzingel had three assists as the US squad won the tournament championship. Dzingel was the Stars' leading scorer and finished fifth in the league with 23 goals and 44 assists in 54 games. His +19 plus/minus was a 37-point improvement from 2009-10 and seven of his 23 goals were scored on the power play. His shot-to-goal percentage of .193 was second to Dubuque's John Gaudreau (.234) among the top 20 scorers in the USHL but he shot the puck just 119 times. After missing the playoffs the previous season, the Stars finished fourth in the USHL's Western division and were swept by Fargo, which finished with an identical record, in a two-game, first-round playoff. Dzingel scored once on the power play but was -3 in the two games. Dzingel was selected by the Senators in the 7th round (204th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

2011-12: One of two Ottawa draft picks to play for Ohio State as a freshman (left wing Max McCormick also skated for the Buckeyes), Dzingel shared the team scoring lead with Sharks' prospect Chris Crane. Dzingel scored 7 goals with a team-leading 17 assists in 33 games and was plus-four with 32 penalty minutes. Four of his seven goals were scored on the Buckeyes power play. Ohio State won just once in it's last 16 games, finishing tied for eight place in the CCHA with Notre Dame and ending the season 15-15-4 after losing to the Fighting Irish in an opening round playoff series.

 

Talent Analysis

Dzingel is a play-making, skill forward who sees the ice well and creates opportunities for his teammates. He does not play a physical style but seemed to be much more consistent in his second year of junior hockey. He is an accurate, dangerous shooter and some would like to see him shoot more often. Dzingel is still developing physically and will benefit from the time in college hockey.

 

Future

Dzingel is playing for Ohio State in the 2012-13 season. Already a player with gifted offensive instincts and a sound work ethic, Dzingel should develop the technical and physical aspects of his game during his college career. As with most seventh round picks, his long-term potential is unknown at this point.