Vancouver Giants Ryan Lin will play for Team White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge.
Vancouver Giants Ryan Lin will play for Team White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge.
November has officially arrived, which means it is time for the U17 World Challenge. The annual tournament brings together the best U17 players from Canada, the U.S.A., Sweden, Finland, and Czechia while giving NHL scouts an opportunity to get a firsthand look at the next wave of NHL prospects. One of those players who have eyes on returning with a Gold Medal is Vancouver Giants defenceman Ryan Lin, who is considered a top prospect for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Lin has had a strong start to his season, recording 13 assists in 13 games. He sits fourth in WHL rookie scoring, while his seven power play assists lead all rookies so far this year. Set to play for Canada White; Lin is excited for the opportunity to represent his country and measure where his game is compared to the others in his age group.
"It's awesome," said Lin. "I think any time and anyone can wear it, it's always a big pleasure, and I'm not going to take it for granted...I want to see where I compare, you know, with the rest of the world, I guess, and see areas I need to improve. "
Playing for Team Canada is not an easy task. The rosters are stacked, meaning ice time is not guaranteed, while the expectations to bring home a medal are always high. For Lin, he is ready to embrace these challenges head-on and do what it takes to be successful.
"I mean, it's Canada. You're supposed to be the best, and we want to be the best. You've got standards to uphold. It's always gonna be hard, but I'm looking forward to it."
While Lin wants to leave a positive impression on the tournament, his main goal is to return with a Gold Medal. If he does, he will join fellow Giants teammate Cameron Schmidt, who scored the Golden Goal at last year's tournament. A player with plenty of confidence heading into the tournament, Lin has eyes on Gold and isn't willing to settle for anything less.
"I want to win a Gold Medal. That's something I want to do with Team Canada in my life. I think that'd be pretty awesome. And yeah, I think just meeting new guys, forming friendships, and having a good time."
While it is still early in his WHL career, Lin is showing why Vancouver jumped at the opportunity to draft him sixth overall in 2023. He rarely makes significant mistakes and has a positive impact in both the offensive and defensive zones. Based on his early season play with the Giants, Lin could be in store for some massive performances at this year's U17 World Challenge.
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