The 18-year-old London, Ontario native couldn’t have been a better pick for Carolina. Standing at 6′ (1.84m) and weighing in at 176 lbs (80kg), he’s a mid-sized forward. But not a very physical one. What he is, however, is an excellent playmaker and skater.
Selected first overall by the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League in 2017, it didn’t take long for Suzuki to make a splash. In the 2017-18 OHL season, Ryan caught the eyes of scouts by posting 44 points (14G-30A). He followed up with four points (1G-3A) in the Colt’s 12 postseason games. Not finished for the year, he garnered seven points in six games (3G-4A) during the WHC-17 league with the Canada Red U17.