Isaac Ratcliffe

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Isaac Ratcliffe
Isaac Radcliffe January 15 2020 (cropped).jpg
Ratcliffe with the Phantoms in 2020
Born (1999-02-15) February 15, 1999 (age 23)
London, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team		 Philadelphia Flyers
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)
NHL Draft 35th overall, 2017
Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career 2018–present

Isaac Ratcliffe (born February 15, 1999) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Flyers in the second round, 35th overall, of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Early life[]

Ratcliffe was born on February 15, 1999, in London, Ontario,[1] to Elaine and Al Ratcliffe. Born into a basketball family, Ratcliffe followed his older brother Landon into ice hockey, learning to skate at the age of three and playing in coordinated games two years later.[2] He was childhood friends with fellow London native and future National Hockey League (NHL) player Nick Suzuki, and the pair would play ice hockey, golf, and soccer together.[3] Originally a defenceman, Ratcliffe was converted to a power forward at the age of 11, as he spent most of his time in his team's offensive zone.[2] He and Suzuki went on to play minor ice hockey together for the London Jr. Knights of Alliance Hockey.[4] In his final season with the London Jr. Knights of the Alliance Hockey league, Ratcliffe recorded 22 goals and 27 assists for a total of 49 points in 32 games.[2]

Playing career[]

Junior[]

The Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) drafted Ratcliffe in the first round, 15th overall, of the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.[5] He joined the team for the 2015–16 OHL season, scoring his first junior ice hockey goal on October 3, 2015, against goaltender of the Saginaw Spirit.[6] Ratcliffe finished his first season in Guelph with five goals and eight assists in 46 games.[7] His rookie season was limited by a number of injuries, but he soon saw an offensive surge during the 2016–17 OHL season, with seven goals and 10 assists in the first 19 games of the season.[8] 43 games into his sophomore season, Ratcliffe had nearly tripled his previous-season totals, with 20 goals and 18 assists,[9] and he was one of two Guelph Storm skaters named to the 2017 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.[10] He finished the season with 56 points in 67 games, including a team-leading 28 goals, and was named the Storm's Most Improved Player.[11] That June, the Philadelphia Flyers selected Ratcliffe in the second round, 35th overall, of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, and he signed an entry-level contract with them shortly thereafter.[12]

After joining the Flyers for training camp, Ratcliffe returned to the Storm for the 2017–18 OHL season.[13] He had trouble early in the season, struggling with his speed and accuracy, but soon picked up his play with 37 goals through his first 61 games.[14] Finishing the season with 68 points and a career-high 4 goals, Ratcliffe earned the Glad Mowatt Most Valuable Player Award, Fay Scott Memorial Award, and Top Scorer Award at the Storm's end-of-year team banquet.[15] When the Guelph season concluded, Ratcliffe joined the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, for the end of their 2017–18 season.[16] He played two AHL games that season, scoring his first professional ice hockey goal on April 13 in a 5–2 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.[17]

Ratcliffe rejoined the Storm for the 2018–19 OHL season, where he was named captain.[17] On March 18, 2019, Ratcliffe scored his 49th and 50th goals of the season in a 5–2 defeat of the Erie Otters, making him the fifth player in franchise history to reach the 50-goal mark in a single season.[18] He finished the regular season with 50 goals and 82 points in 65 games,[19] and he took home the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy for leadership in the OHL that spring.[20] Ratcliffe added another 15 goals and 30 points in 24 OHL playoff games as he captained the Storm to their first J. Ross Robertson Cup in six years and a berth in the Memorial Cup.[21] Although the Storm fell in the Memorial Cup semifinal round, Ratcliffe added an additional 15 goals and 14 assists in 24 games,[22] and he was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.[23]

Professional[]

Ratcliffe joined the Phantoms again in 2019–20 for his first full season of professional ice hockey. He struggled with the transition from junior to professional hockey, particularly the greater resistance he faced from opposing skaters, but showed signs of improvement before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2019–20 AHL season. He finished the year with six goals and 15 points in 53 games with the Phantoms.[24] He was also limited by injuries during the 2020–21 AHL season, with two goals, eight points, and a −7 plus–minus in only 22 games.[25]

Facing a slew of injuries to their forwards, the Flyers called Ratcliffe up to the NHL on January 27, 2022, to play on the fourth line with Zack MacEwen and Connor Bunnaman for their January 29 game against the Los Angeles Kings.[26]

Career statistics[]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2014–15 London Jr. Knights ALLIANCE 32 22 27 49 16 13 6 1 7 12
2015–16 Guelph Storm OHL 46 5 8 13 24 — — — — —
2016–17 Guelph Storm OHL 67 28 26 54 65 — — — — —
2017–18 Guelph Storm OHL 67 41 27 68 58 6 5 4 9 8
2017–18 Lehigh Valley Phantoms AHL 2 1 0 1 4 — — — — —
2018–19 Guelph Storm OHL 65 50 32 82 105 24 15 15 30 20
2019–20 Lehigh Valley Phantoms AHL 53 6 9 15 40 — — — — —
2020–21 Lehigh Valley Phantoms AHL 22 2 6 8 15 — — — — —
AHL totals 77 9 15 24 59 — — — — —

References[]

  1. ^ "Isaac Ratcliffe Stats and News". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Coratti, Stephanie (March 29, 2016). "Player Spotlight: Isaac Ratcliffe". Ontario Hockey League. Guelph Storm. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  3. ^ Dixon, Ryan (June 25, 2021). "At Last: How Nick Suzuki became the Canadiens' centre of the future". Sportsnet. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  4. ^ Pyette, Ryan (June 25, 2021). "Nick Suzuki dazzles Montreal, delights loved ones back in London". The London Free Press. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  5. ^ "Storm select Isaac Ratcliffe 15th Overall". Ontario Hockey League. Guelph Storm. April 11, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  6. ^ Saxon, Tony (October 7, 2015). "Storm's Ratcliffe right on target". Guelph Mercury Tribune. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "Isaac Ratcliffe and Nate Schnarr Included on 2016–17 NHL Central Scouting Futures List". Ontario Hockey League. Guelph Storm. July 25, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  8. ^ Osborne, Paul (November 8, 2016). "From the Stands: superb start to sophomore season for Storm player". Guelph Mercury Tribune. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  9. ^ "Five Storm Players ranked in NHL Central Scouting Midterm Report". National Hockey League. Guelph Storm. January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "Ratcliffe and Schnarr named to 2017 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game rosters". National Hockey League. Guelph Storm. December 14, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  11. ^ "Five Storm skaters ranked in final Cenral Scouting rankings". Ontario Hockey League. Guelph Storm. April 11, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  12. ^ "Flyers sign 2017 Draft Picks Morgan Frost, Isaac Ratcliffe". National Hockey League. Philadelphia Flyers. August 3, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  13. ^ Carchidi, Sam (September 18, 2018). "Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald eyes return; Morgan Frost, Isaac Ratcliffe sent to juniors". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  14. ^ Wells, Kurtis (March 6, 2018). "Isaac Ratcliffe Surging With the Storm". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  15. ^ "Ratcliffe named Storm MVP". Ontario Hockey League. Guelph Storm. March 19, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  16. ^ "Forwards Pascal Laberge, Isaac Ratcliffe Join Phantoms". American Hockey League. Lehigh Valley Phantoms. April 9, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Ratcliffe named Storm Captain". Ontario Hockey League. Guelph Storm. June 5, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  18. ^ "Storm's Ratcliffe records fifth 50-goal season in franchise history". Ontario Hockey League. Guelph Storm. March 18, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  19. ^ Donnellon, Sam (June 12, 2019). "Emerging skills of Flyers prospect Isaac Ratcliffe include leadership". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  20. ^ "Storm's Isaac Ratcliffe Awarded Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy". Ontario Hockey League. Guelph Storm. May 17, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  21. ^ Meltzer, Bill (May 13, 2019). "Ratcliffe captains Guelph to OHL title, berth in Memorial Cup". National Hockey League. Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  22. ^ Donnellon, Sam (June 28, 2019). "Flyers prospects Isaac Ratcliffe and Morgan Frost have grown as leaders". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  23. ^ "History – All-Star Teams". Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  24. ^ Carchidi, Sam (May 16, 2020). "Flyers prospect Isaac Ratcliffe progressing slowly, but Scott Gordon isn't concerned". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  25. ^ Carchidi, Sam (August 31, 2021). "Isaac Ratcliffe trying to regain form that made him a highly touted Flyers prospect". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  26. ^ Han, Giana (January 27, 2022). "Flyers, searching for production from fourth-line, call up prospect Isaac Ratcliffe". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 27, 2022.

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