Ryan Mast: What’s the Forecast?

Ryan Mast, a towering right shot defenseman standing at 6’5″ and weighing 221 lbs, had drawn interest among NHL scouts mainly because of his physical presence. Born on January 14, 2003, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Mast’s journey from a young hockey enthusiast to professional player is worth a look at.

Early Career and Draft

Mast’s hockey career began to take shape when he joined the Sarnia Sting in the Ontario Hockey League. His rookie season in 2019-20 saw him record 11 points (1 goal, 10 assists) in 58 games. Despite the challenges posed by the suspension of the 2020-21 OHL season, Mast continued to develop his game and showcased his skills in the Erie PBHH Showcase.

In the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Mast was selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round, 181st overall. This marked a significant milestone in his career, as he joined one of the most storied franchises in NHL history.

Scouting Report

Mast is known for his versatility and dependability on the ice. He is very good at zone exits with either an accurate stretch pass or skating it out himself. He is also capable of jumping into the rush but is very careful of picking his spots. He has pretty good vision and can make accurate tape-to-tape passes. He doesn’t have a howitzer for a shot but he can get multiple types of shots on target from the point. One thing I have always questioned was whether his offense translates to the pro game, and the early results suggest it does not.

Defensively, Mast excels at escaping the forecheck and finding open ice to make a play to exit the zone. His poise under pressure makes him a reliable presence in his own end. His size and strength allow him to win battles along the walls and to gain position in front of his net. He is also very effective on the penalty kill. Mast has said many times he tries to take things from Brandon Carlo’s game to better himself.

Mast is a technically sound skater, and despite his size, has some speed, especially in his first-step acceleration which allows him to be effective at escaping the forecheck. His backward skating is good as well as his lateral movement. His pivots from forward to backward skating are very good.

Future Development

As of now, Mast looks to be a longshot for the Boston Bruins. His size, skating ability, hockey IQ and willingness to play a physical brand of hockey are a good start, but developing those traits to the fullest has become stagnant. He is a second-year pro and has yet to earn a full-time roster spot on a Providence team that is lacking on the blueline so, there may still be opportunities moving forward.  

At this point Mast is projected to develop into a reliable shut down defenseman in the AHL who can contribute on the penalty kill and to protect the lead. His ability to read the game and make smart decisions will be crucial if he hopes to earn an NHL roster spot one day. With continued development and experience, Mast has the potential, but there is a long way to go.

In case you missed it, here are the players we previously looked at: Michael DiPietro; Georgii Merkulov; Brett Harrison; Fabian Lysell; Frederic Brunet; Trevor Kuntar; Riley Duran. John Farinacci, Jackson Edward.