Junior Hockey Career
Ryan Ellis started his junior hockey career in 2007 in the Ontario Hockey League with the Windsor Spitfires. He was a standout defenseman who ultimately spent four years in the CHL. Ellis played in 226 total games with the Windsor Spitfires and during that span he scored 314 points. His exceptional performances helped lead Windsor to back-to-back Memorial Cup Championships in 2009 and 2010. Similarly, he made the OHL All-star teams from 2009-2011.
Ellis has a very well decorated OHL career, but just as impressive is his international career. He played one season with the U17 World Junior team in 2008 where he won a gold medal. Then, from 2009-2011, Ellis played on the Canadian World Junior team. All three years he played for team Canada, they medaled. In 2009 they won the gold medal, and in 2010 and 2011 Canada won silver.
Ellis played 25 international junior games and scored 34 points. In his final season with the World Junior team, Ellis scored 10 points, leading all defensemen. This led to him receiving the award for best defenseman. He also made the All-star team in 2011 alongside future teammate Ryan Johansen. It was pretty apparent from the start that Ellis was comfortable being a leader wherever he played.
Ellis also won a gold medal with Canada in 2016 playing on their World Championship team, just adding to his international resume.