Derek Ryan's career path led to creating chemistry on the ice for Flames

As a collegiate hockey player at the University of Alberta, Derek Ryan's game plan for life centred on grinding out his undergraduate degree in human physiology.

From there, he hoped to gain entry into the pharmacy program with an eye to working in a hospital as opposed to the local drug store.

"We all have dreams," the Calgary Flames centre says from his perch in the dressing room at the Scotiabank Saddledome. "Once I did some clinical physiology and learned a bit about what goes on there, I was more excited about working in a clinical setting."

As it turns out, life had other plans for Ryan. Instead of mixing compounds in a lab, the Spokane, Wash. product is a master of creating chemistry on the ice.

The man they call Doc is an elite penalty killer, solid in the faceoff dot and one of those guys who elevates the play of his linemates.

"His story gives everybody hope," marvels Calgary sophomore Dillon Dube. "It's just incredible."

Unconventional route

Taking a path rarely travelled to the NHL, Ryan excelled in his four years as a U of A Golden Bear. He collected 25 points in 28 games as a rookie and hoisted the University Cup that season as a national champion.

"Winning at any level is something you cherish," says Ryan, who played junior with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. "Our coaches used to talk about how that brotherhood had been formed. The guys I played with, I can reunite with them after not seeing each other for four or five years, and we can get right back on the same page.

"It's something I'll cherish."

As a senior, Ryan registered 47 points in 28 game en route to being named the Canada West MVP and U Sports First-Team All Canadian.

"I was in a science program with four or five classes a semester," Ryan says. "Three or four of those classes have labs, which is basically another class. Your time management skills have to get up to pace really fast or else you can become overwhelmed and end up falling behind.

"I was able to manage my time well and make some wise decisions, but it's hard. It's a lot of work. And it's a lot of sacrifice."

'Maybe I have a chance'

Upon graduation, Ryan chose to stick with hockey and made the sacrifice of moving overseas. He played in Hungary and Austria before catching on in 2014-15 with Orebro.

That season, he led the Swedish Elite League in scoring with 60 points in 55 games.

"I was having a really good year," Ryan says. "And it really started to sink in that `Okay, maybe I should go back and try and play in the NHL. Maybe I have a chance.'"

Did he ever. At the end of the season, Ryan signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.

"Derek is a skilled, playmaking centre," Carolina general manager Ron Francis said at the time. "He's taken a bit of an unconventional path but has earned a chance to play professionally in North America after having success at every level in Europe."

That success continued in North America. He initially excelled with the American Hockey League Charlotte Checkers and played his first NHL game on March 1, 2016 against the New Jersey Devils.

That night Ryan unleashed a perfect wrist shot under the right arm of Corey Schneider for his first NHL goal. He was 29.

More than an average player

"I think every hockey player dreams of playing in the NHL," Ryan says. "I mean, my little boy is six and – it's a different team every day – but he dreams of playing in the NHL.

"I don't know if he realizes how hard that is, quite yet."

His dream realized, Ryan is hardly content. In this his second season in Calgary, Ryan, who was placed on injured reserve on Monday, has 10 goals and 18 assists in 59 games this season. He leads the team in plus-minus at plus-9.

"I've kind of carved out my role here," says Ryan, now 33. "I'm comfortable with where I fit in the lineup where I've fit on the roster and what I can do to help the team win.

"I feel like I'm just relaxed and I'm playing my game."

In playing his game, Ryan inspires those around him.

"He works so hard," Dube says. "He didn't just get to the NHL and be an average player. He's one of our go-to, two-way forwards.

"And he just keeps getting better."