The physical power forward joins Florida’s gritty core after a unique journey from Lithuania and the Cayman Islands, bringing a heavy two-way game tailored for the defending champions’ system.
The Florida Panthers were busy at the start of day two at the 2026 NHL Draft.
After not making any selections during the first round, Florida held both the 40th and 48th selections in round two.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Panthers used their picks on a pair of players who fit in well with the team’s gritty, physical style of play.
First they added 6-foot-3 Lithuanian forward Simas Ignatavicius, who you can read all about by clicking here, and then about 50 minutes later they selected 6-foot-2 power forward Ryder Cali from the OHL’s North Bay Battalion.
Known for his strong skating and two-way game, Cali is another player who perfectly personifies Panthers hockey.
He spoke to the media in Buffalo after being selected, and here is some of what he had to say to us:
On the moment he was drafted:
“I just had to make sure that they actually said my name, but I knew when everyone else stood up that it was true, so that was pretty cool. Florida's like the best place to get drafted ever, so couldn’t be more happy they took me.”
On his familiarity with the Panthers:
“I’ve got a teammate who was drafted there, Shamar Moses, so I'm fired up to see him again, but other than that, I’m excited to be in Florida. That's a destination spot for a lot of people in Ontario, so pretty cool to be able to do a development camp there. I can't wait to get the ice.”
On his style matching with many of Florida’s players:
“I think those are guys I can learn from. I think I fit the Florida Panthers play style as much as possible.”
On his hockey upbringing:
“My mom played professional league in Lugano, Switzerland. She met my dad there and had me, so I grew up in Lugano. When I was three, my dad got a new job in the Cayman Islands, so we moved there. I played roller hockey there, played with Jaxon Cover. We've been playing roller hockey together since we were 4 years old, so that's pretty crazy. We were like sitting a row apart from each other in the stands yesterday, so super small world in that sense. When I was seven, I moved to Canada. My mom is from Toronto, so that's why we came back here. And yeah, I kind of just always started playing hockey. My mom coached me my whole life. She loves it just as much as I do. So yeah, I think it was just a little passion for me, and now it's turned into this, which is pretty crazy.”
On if he ever thought he and Jaxon Cover would make it as far as they had:
“Not at all. I literally didn't talk to him after I moved away until I started playing against him in minor hockey, but even then, that was crazy enough that we were both in Canada seeing each other, so for this, this is insane. I never would have dreamed of this, really, especially for both of us. But yeah, it's pretty crazy. Two island boys. I was so happy he went 32nd, I couldn’t have been more happy. His family's amazing. I love his brother, Jayden. They're all great, so couldn't be more happy for him. He's gonna do great things, for sure.”
On transitioning from roller hockey to Ice:
“I remember, it's a core memory for me now, I couldn't stop, and everyone was like, ‘Who's this island boy who can't stop?’ So that was definitely pretty cool, but I think I picked it up pretty quickly, and it was good from there.”
On playing in North Bay last season:
“This was the best first year in the OHL I could have ever asked for. The coaching staff, after trading me, was amazing the whole time. I have nothing but good things to say about the coaching staff and the organization and the players as well. Without them, who knows what would have happened, but so happy that I ended up in North Bay, got to meet all these new people, and my billets were amazing too, so I’m thrilled that it was the Battalion.”
On what he learned from his mother:
“I think the biggest thing she taught me was to be a good teammate, to treat everyone the same, no matter what. I think that's something that helps a team win, especially when it starts. It escalates pretty quickly throughout the whole locker room, so I think that was a big thing. She also taught me to play the game the right way, don't shoot for offense. I think I’ve kind of taken that as a role in my game. I think it's carried me, and it's going to keep carrying me in my career.”
On being drafted and taking the next steps in his hockey career:
“I think the certainty is the best part. You don't really have to worry about any external factors, you just get to focus on yourself and getting better every day, and hopefully winning one day. So, it's nice to have some certainty.”
On Current Panthers he likes to watch play:
“I love Barkov. I mean, he's an amazing player. It sucks that he didn't really get to play this year, but yeah, he's a 200-foot guy, wins games.”
On what he thinks it’ll be like seeing Barkov for the first time in Fort Lauderdale:
“It’s gonna be a little weird. I'm gonna try and keep it cool and play it calm, but yeah, we'll see what happens.”
On whether he’ll bring his roller skates and play in the outdoor rinks outside the Panthers practice facility:
“Probably, if that's an option, I'll for sure do that.”
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