Ryder de Nys commits to post-secondary hockey with the University of Calgary in U Sports

Written by: Scott Savard

Headline photo: Chad Goddard

Headline graphic: Kiana Briscoe

Okotoks, AB (April 25, 2026) – The Okotoks Oilers have announced that assistant captain Ryder de Nys (Canmore, AB) has earned a commitment to post-secondary hockey with the University of Calgary Dinos in U Sports next season.

de Nys first appeared in an Oilers uniform during the 2022-2023 season, where he posted an impressive five points (2G, 3A) in 13 games before becoming a mainstay on the Green and Gold’s blue line for the next three seasons. With his junior career coming to a close, de Nys finished off with 51 points (8G, 43A) in 135 games.

“Yeah, I’m excited. Obviously, a bit of a crazy year for me, but I think it’s a good spot for me to go with some familiar family and a familiar place for myself. I’ve heard nothing but good things, and I’m excited for the challenge there,” de Nys said about his commitment to the Dinos.

“Yeah, kind of been in chats with them the whole kind of second half of the year, a little bit. The one big thing is, they have a lot of guys returning there. I know that it’s going to be a challenge to come in there and kind of earn my way. But I think the biggest thing is they are familiar with my game, and I’m familiar with what they expect. So, just trying to get a good summer of training in and come there ready to help out anyway I can.”

One of the biggest changes de Nys will have next season is getting used to wearing a red jersey instead of the green one, as he has for the past four seasons.

“Yeah, it’ll be different. It’s been a couple of years now wearing green, so it’ll be an adjustment. But, yeah, I’m excited for a new challenge,” he added.

de Nys explained that even though he posted 12 assists in 30 games during his final season with the Green and Gold, he personally felt it was a down year for himself as he had to deal with some injuries, and with the team missing the post-season, but he is excited to start his turnaround next season with the Dinos.

“Yeah, it was difficult this year for sure. Both individually and just the team, but I’m excited. Going to school, a good academic school, and a very well-respected hockey program as well,” de Nys said.

While injuries kept de Nys off the ice for parts of this past season, including the final games, he still showed up to every game, sitting in the stands and supporting his group. In the closing game of the season, the Oilers, who were down healthy bodies, had both de Nys and Hunter Sawka (Cochrane, AB) on the bench for moral support, which worked in their favour as they beat the BCHL’s number one seed, the West Kelowna Warriors, 5-4 in overtime.

“Yeah, definitely it was difficult that last little bit, even when I was playing, I feel like I couldn’t contribute as much as I could have with, my wrist injury, but, yeah, it was definitely good to be back down with the boys on the bench and be a part of the ending the season on a little bit of a higher note than it looked like on paper. So, yeah, that was good,” he explained.

With the junior hockey landscape continuing to change on what seems to be a daily basis, it’s rare for a player to play their whole junior hockey career with a single team. de Nys was one of those rare examples of playing his whole junior career with the Oilers, and he is happy he was able to do it in Okotoks.

“Yeah, I just really enjoyed, you know, the culture and being a part of the community in Okotoks. I feel like there’s not many places you can play in the BC Hockey League that are such a small-town feel, as far as the hockey culture, while also being very close to so many cool things, like being so close to Calgary. So, yeah, I just love being a part of the culture in Okotoks and going around to the schools and just feeling like you can make an impact on people,” de Nys mentioned.

de Nys’ junior career has seen a ton of change while still staying in Okotoks, as he was a part of the move to the BCHL and playing while the new NCAA rule changes took effect.

“Yeah, it was definitely a lot tougher than a lot of other age groups. I mean, kind of similar to the guys who went through COVID, I guess, in a certain aspect. I mean, it was just stuff you had to adjust to, but it was a great experience, and I wouldn’t change any of it,” he said.

When it comes to what de Nys will remember the most during his time with the Green and Gold, he quickly responded with the playoff series against the Brooks Bandits.

“I’d say just those playoff series against Brooks. A couple of real close series that if one of those games goes another way, we could have probably made a run for an actual championship. So, just those close games and feeling that intensity of the playoffs is nothing like I’ve really ever felt before. So, definitely remember that,” de Nys expressed.

de Nys would also give credit to his coaches throughout his time with the Oilers for helping him not only continue to grow on the ice, but also as a person.

“Yeah, I can’t thank all the coaches enough. I mean, (Derek Purfield) was the guy that kind of brought me in there, and he’s such a good person, always there for you, concerned about you, and just wants the best for you. Then, as far as Tyler (Deis), Brody (Hailwood), Reid (Hnatowich), all those guys, same thing. They really care about you as players, and I feel like they’ve really helped me mature as a person and as a player, both. As far as my game goes, just kind of evolving it into a real reliable game, and then as a person, just teaching lessons along the way, and coming out definitely a better person than when you, when you showed up. I can’t thank those guys enough, and then also Corban (Knight) this year, teaching a lot of details and providing insight where you felt like it was needed,” he said.

As for the players who are looking to return next season, de Nys, who was proud to wear the “A” this season, left some encouraging words for the squad that aims to suit up for the 2026-2027 BCHL season.

“Yeah, I think obviously there’s a lot of lessons to be taken from this year. So I think just taking those and applying them. The biggest one is probably just really buying in and believing in each other. I mean, you kind of saw it near the end of the year there. I mean, our roster was nowhere near as strong as it was early on, but we ended up taking down a couple of pretty good teams in our last couple of games, and I feel like that was really a belief in each other and a belief in the systems the coaches were applying. So, just day in, day out, every week, just kind of fully believing in, trusting, and making sure you do everything to commit to those plans,” de Nys explained.