Ryan Ossenmacher

husband, father, teacher, hockey coach

[Mike Snee @MikeSnee218]

A statewide culture of community/not-for-profit ice arenas is the most underappreciated (and important) part of Minnesota’s hockey success.
-1/59 of Americans are MN
-1/10 of Americans that play hockey are MN
-1/5 of American men & 1/3 women in NHL/PWHL are MN
Thank you Delano!

[Jason Guerriero @JasonGuerriero]

Michigan High School Hockey Players can Play!! Thanks for a great game Team Michigan. #goblue #goUSA @usahockey #4Nations

[Topher Scott @HockeyThinkTank]

It’s honestly amazing how Minnesota continues to pump out the most elite players in our game (by far) yet seemingly everywhere in the hockey world goes - you know what, I think I’ll do the exact opposite.

There are a few academies that do a great job - but this market and arms race is becoming so saturated and so expensive that it will be really interesting to see how it all shakes out in 5-7 years.

[Ryan Ossenmacher @rjo99]

Success leaves clues…

[Topher Scott @HockeyThinkTank]

More eye-opening stats on @MinnHockey leading the way on elite player development with triple the draft picks of any other state. Michigan and Massachusetts had the 5th/6th most. WOW.

These two states continue to go further into the professional model and MN continues to win.

I’d love for people in these states to stand up and say enough is enough. Too expensive and too much narrowing of the talent pyramid too early DOES NOT lead to more elite players. Data continues to show the exact opposite.

Thanks @louissnee99 for the breakdown.

[Aberdeen Wings @AberdeenWings]

🚨ROUND 3, PICK 81🚨
The Aberdeen Wings have picked Isaac Nelson!
Welcome to the #WingsFamily!
#WingsFamily #NAHL

[Ryan Ossenmacher @rjo99]

@timhorvath Thank you

[Ryan Ossenmacher @rjo99]

@coach_hogan Thank you

[Ryan Ossenmacher @rjo99]

Another example of why MN has more hockey players than anywhere else in our country.
The larger the base the larger the pyramid can become.

Success leaves clues…

[Mike Snee @MikeSnee218]

It’s pretty special that the leadership of the Minnesota Wild Foundation & the Minnesota Wild recognize the success of community hockey and the importance of preserving and strengthening it for the State of Hockey.
#SkateItForward #CommunityHockey

[Minnesota Hockey @MinnHockey]

Per @collegehockey:

Men's D-I: 249 Minnesotans, with the next closest state at 117—more than the 2nd and 3rd states combined. 90% played HS hockey.

Women's D-I: 205 Minnesotans, with the next closest state at 115—more than the 2nd and 3rd states combined. 99% played HS hockey.

[Topher Scott @HockeyThinkTank]

Haha I just had a conversation tonight with a buddy coaching D1. He has an 8 year old that’s a pretty good little player.

He’s getting calls from “elite” programs left and right, early Brick stuff, etc…

His response to them?

Nah, we’re good.

He’s already seeing the stress it’s causing other kids and parents that are either going that route or thinking about it.

He just wants his kid to have fun, play hockey with his friends, and knows his son will pass the kids choosing to go that “elite” route in a few years because his kid will love the game and those kids and families will likely start to get burned out.

It’s so bizarre that the research, the data, and the top development people in our game keep pointing us to more community, fun, passion building, multiple sports, etc…

Yet our sport keeps going in the complete opposite direction. More elitism, more specialization, more professionalization at younger and younger ages. It’s absolutely backwards.

For all the parents out there that are struggling with the BS that this time of year brings in youth hockey, with everyone jockeying for positioning for next year even though this year isn’t even close to over…

Just thought this might be some perspective that might help.

[Ryan Ossenmacher @rjo99]

Success leaves clues.

[Minnesota Hockey @MinnHockey]

Minnesota leads the way with 9 players named to the @usahockey 2025 World Juniors team! Congratulations to all who will represent Team USA!

[STATE CHAMPS! Michigan @statechampsmich]

🏒 STATE CHAMPS! Hockey Gametime Live 🏒

The defending Division 2 State Champs, Byron Center, are hitting the road to take on the Northville Mustangs! 🔥

Join Jonathon Kidd and Sean Baligian for an preview of this highly anticipated matchup, and expect the Kidd Kam during the broadcast! 🎥

📅 Friday, December 6th
🕢 7:30 PM
📺 Tune in LIVE on the STATE CHAMPS! YouTube Channel! https://t.co/JItalJmpaG

@BCBulldogHockey | @Nvillehockey

Don’t miss out on the action! #StateChampsHockey #ByronCenter #Northville #HockeyGameTime #KiddKam

Powered by @altaequipment | @lawrencetechu | @MHSAA | @salmich | @ReactionTech | @DAC_Detroit | @WarriorHockey | @MichHSHockey

[Ryan Ossenmacher @rjo99]

Success leaves clues…and @MinnHockey leaves a lot of them.

[Minnesota Hockey @MinnHockey]

Minnesota leads the U.S. with 40 players on NHL opening night rosters! 37 of them played high school hockey, with 26 different high schools represented. To see all of the players, click the link: https://t.co/veqBDw1afF

[Ryan Ossenmacher @rjo99]

Success leaves clues…

[Minnesota Hockey @MinnHockey]

Per @collegehockey, 249 D1 Men's hockey players will hail from MN in the 24-25 season.

- Up from 233 in 23-24
- MN makes up 22% of all American-born skaters and 14% of all D1 players
- 249 is more than double the next closest state and more than the 2nd and 3rd states combined

[Jeremy Frisch @JeremyFrisch]

Since it's youth football Jamboree day here's a message to all the football parents and coaches out there...

Back in 2017, my 5th/6th grade youth football team went 0-8
No wins... lots of losses.

In 2024/25 7 out of those 18 kids will play a college sport.

I can't tell you how meaningless youth football is to your son's potential high school football career.

Nothing truly happens until after puberty.

Doesn't matter what "elite" organization you play for.
Doesn't matter what town you play for.
Doesn't matter if you're the best player or only play 10 plays.
Doesn't matter how many times you go to Florida.
Doesn't matter how many superbowls you win.

The only thing that matters is that you have fun and learn to love the game.

I've seen the best youth player quit in high school...
I've seen heavy slow lineman become a stud high school running back.
I've seen the monster kid just average size in high school.

Do not care,
do not compare...
Learn skills...
Have fun...
Love the game...
#football

[Unsyndicated @unsyndicatedpod]

Wut The Puck?! Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association Special feat Ryan Ossenmacher & Nick Mahy https://t.co/heMc3L4Jnu

[Topher Scott @HockeyThinkTank]

If players ask themselves this one question on a daily basis, I can pretty much guarantee you they are going to take their development to the next level. This question is cliche, but so incredibly powerful.

“What's your why?”

If you're a kid, why do you play hockey?

For most kids, if not all, it's because it's fun. Make sure that when you're going to the rink, THAT is what’s top of mind.

The more you do what you love, it won’t be work. It’ll be hard, but you’ll enjoy the hard.

So often kids I’ve worked with have a mindset when they come to the rink focusing on external pressures. Nah. Come to the rink with a mindset of being grateful that you get to do something you love to do. It’ll flip your whole demeanor and you’ll enjoy it a whole hell of a lot more, especially when it’s hard.

Taking things further….

If you're a hockey parent, what's your why?
Is it…I want to make sure that my kid learns life lessons like discipline and accountability? I want them to learn how to be a part of a team? Or is it to make sure they make the NHL at 12?
Sometimes as parents our why’s start the right way but the pressures heaped upon families at too young of an age get us to stray from our values and belief systems.

Which is why it’s so important to continually check back in with your why. For your kid’s sake, and your own mental health!

Why did you put your kid in youth hockey?

And then as a coach, what's your why?

Is it…I want to have a positive impact on kids? To create a positive environment where kids enjoy coming to the rink? To challenge kids to reach heights they didn’t know they had?

Sometimes our why as coaches gets too fixated on results or external pressures that we forget our main responsibilities and what gets us excited to work with players.

Consistently coming back to our why allows us to consistently come back to our values and what’s important to us on our journeys. And when we live our values, we get the most out of ourselves and the people we impact on a daily basis.

[Joel Cressman @JoelCressman]

Athletes from the Olympics’ big 3 invasion games were found to sample sports the longest.

The multi-sport sampling periods lasted:

• Football: 7.5 years
• Basketball: 7.4 years
• Ice Hockey: 7.2 years

Focusing only on these sports in childhood is not the most efficient learning path long-term.

[Topher Scott @HockeyThinkTank]

Text I just got from a college coach that has a kid committed to a big time college hockey program.

[Northville Varsity Hockey @Nvillehockey]

Congratulation to @CVissotski and his selection to the Division 1 Honorable Mention - All-State Team.
Well deserved.