Following a stellar breakout campaign, the Predators prospect prepares to lead the Spartan offense as the sole representative to earn conference honors ahead of a high-stakes season.
Michigan State hockey is just one week away from beginning its 2026-27 season with an exhibition matchup against Boston College.
The Spartans will welcome the Eagles to Munn Ice Arena on Oct. 2 before opening the regular season the following weekend against Northern Michigan.
Before the puck drops, however, the Big Ten has handed out its preseason honors, and Michigan State has one representative on the list.
That representative is none other than The Wizard himself, Ryker Lee.
The sophomore forward was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team, making him the lone Spartan selected to either of the conference's two preseason teams.
A Breakout Freshman Season
Lee wasted little time showing Spartan fans why the Nashville Predators selected him in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.
As a freshman, Lee finished fourth on Michigan State in scoring and third in goals, producing 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points in 35 games. He also recorded eight multi-point games and two multi-goal performances.
His freshman numbers were impressive:
- Games: 35
- Goals: 15
- Assists: 15
- Points: 30
- Points per game: 0.86
- Power-play goals: 4
- Shots: 112
- Plus/minus: +5
- Penalty minutes: 26
- Time on ice: 15:04 per game
Lee's production was even more impressive considering he missed two games while representing Team USA at the 2026 World Junior Championship.
The Wizard Is Ready
Lee was selected 26th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2025 NHL Draft, becoming Michigan State's 13th first-round selection in program history.
Nashville saw plenty to like before Lee ever arrived in East Lansing. With the Madison Capitols of the USHL, he posted 31 goals and 37 assists for 68 points in 58 games and was named the league's Rookie of the Year.
Then he brought that creativity to Michigan State.
Spartan fans quickly became familiar with the skill that earned Lee the nickname "The Wizard." His stickhandling, creativity and ability to make something happen with the puck helped him become one of the most exciting young players on the roster.
He also continued to show those skills on the international stage, including scoring for Team USA.
At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Lee combines size with the kind of skating and puck skills that make him extremely difficult for defenders to contain. Nashville's scouting department specifically highlighted his offensive skill set, shot and release when discussing the decision to draft him.
A Bigger Role Awaits
Last season, Lee was able to make his mark while playing alongside a talented group of Spartans. Now, the expectations are different.
With Porter Martone moving on to the NHL after making an immediate impact with the Philadelphia Flyers, Lee enters his sophomore season with an opportunity to take on an even larger role offensively. Martone finished his first NHL stint with 10 points in nine games, including a six-game point streak to close the regular season.
For Lee, the challenge is to take everything he showed as a freshman and turn it into an even bigger sophomore campaign.
Michigan State is coming off its third consecutive Big Ten regular-season championship and will enter 2026-27 looking to continue its run at the top of the conference.
The Spartans also have their sights set on returning to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2008.
To get there, Michigan State will need contributions from all over the lineup.
And if the preseason honors are any indication, Ryker Lee is expected to be one of the players leading the way.
The Wizard is no longer a secret.
Now, he's ready for the spotlight.
