Ritchie, 18, completed his second campaign with the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Hockey League in 2022-23, recording 59 points (24g/35a) in 59 regular-season games while serving as alternate captain. He ranked third on team in power-play points (19) and fourth in goals. The 6-foot-2, 184-pound center appeared in five postseason outings with Oshawa, tallying six points (2g/4a).
Ritchie totaled 104 points (43g/61a) in 124 career OHL games, all with the Generals and added 13 points (6g/7a) in 11 career postseason contests. As a rookie in 2021-22, he tallied 45 points (19g/26a) in 65 games, earning a selection to the OHL First All-Rookie First Team. He recorded seven points (4g/3a) in six playoff games with the Generals.
The Brampton, Ontario native represented his country at the 2023 IIHF U-18 World Championship, recording nine points (3g/6a) in seven games. He ranked third on the team in points to help Canada capture a bronze medal. Ritchie also secured a gold medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with Canada, leading all skaters in points (10) and assists (6) in five appearances.
Ritchie was the 13th-ranked North American skater in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings for the 2023 NHL Draft, moving up from No. 17 in the midterm rankings.
Gulyayev, 18, made his debut in the Kontinental Hockey League, the top professional hockey league in Russia, during the 2022-23 campaign recording one point (1a) in 13 games for Avangard Omsk. He began the year with Omskie Krylya in the VHL, Russia's minor league, and collected four points (4a) in 12 outings. The 5-foot-10, 172-pound defenseman skated in 22 games in the MHL, the Russian junior league, with Omskie Yastreby, tallying 25 points (2g/23a). Gulyayev helped Omskie Yastreby to the MHL final, collecting ten points (2g/8a) in 17 postseason contests. The blueliner made his debut in the MHL during the 2021-22 season, collecting 35 points (7g/28a) with Omskie Yastreby. He added five points (0g/5a) in 13 playoff outings.
The Novosibirsk, Russia, native represented his country and the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, recording five points (2g/3a) in five contests to help his country capture the gold medal.
Gulyayev was the 10th-ranked European skater in the NHL Central Scouting's final rankings for the 2023 NHL Draft. The NHL Draft resumes tomorrow (Thursday, June 29) with rounds 2-7 beginning at 9 a.m. MT on the NHL Network.
Tonight marked the eighth time in franchise history and fourth time since relocating to Denver that the Avalanche has made multiple selections in the first round. The last time Colorado had two picks in the first round was in the 2019 NHL Draft, selecting Bowen Byram (4th overall), Alex Newhook (16th overall).
