With the 48th pick in the 2026 NHL draft, the Florida Panthers selected Ryder Cali, a physical two-way center with a projectable floor and a very interesting background.
Eliteprospects.com describes Florida Panthers’ second-round pick (48th overall) of the 2026 NHL draft as a ‘man amongst boys’, and that’s exactly what Ryder Cali is hoping to bring to the organization.
When looking at the makeup of the Panthers’ roster, size and physicality are two components they value, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that the Panthers emphasized that in the draft.
With their first pick at 40th overall, they took Lithuanian winger Simas Ignatavicius, a 6-foot-3 right-winger who plays a power-forward game. Just eight picks later, the Panthers went back to the same well, selecting 6-foot-2, left-handed center Ryder Cali.
Cali has a very interesting story: he was born in Switzerland, grew up in the Cayman Islands, and now represents Canada at the international level. Through all the movement of his early life, one thing remained true: he is a hard-working player with the determination to get to the NHL.
Cali completed his first full season in the OHL last year with the North Bay Battalion, where he scored 16 goals and 36 points in 47 games. Not overly impressive numbers, but considering the fact that he was born nine days before the draft cut-off and is amongst the youngest players drafted in the 2026 draft, Cali held his own.
Although the production doesn’t match where he was ultimately selected, he brings other vital elements.
As mentioned earlier, Cali is considered a ‘man amongst boys’ due to his ability to leverage his frame. Standing 6-foot-2, 218 pounds, Cali already possesses an NHL-ready frame with an attentiveness to the defensive side of the game. When speaking to the media following the draft, Cali mentioned Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov as a player he enjoys watching.
“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,” said Cali.
“It’s gonna be a little weird,” said the 17-year-old when asked about what it will feel like to meet Barkov. “I’m gonna try and keep it cool and play it calm, but yeah, we’ll see what happens.”
Like every prospect, Cali has parts of his game that need refinement. To move to the next levels, Cali has to become more dangerous offensively. He went on a scorching run to end the OHL season, demonstrating strong offensive instincts and solid hands to make and finish plays.
Next season at Providence College in the NCAA, Cali will need to do so consistently. Cali is a projectable player because he has a safe floor due to his size and two-way game, but to become a middle-six threat, Cali will have to adopt the offensive habits of Barkov and Anton Lundell.
Cali will be an intriguing prospect to follow for the next few seasons.
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