Tyler Ryder was a terrific late addition for the Peoria Rivermen during the 2025-26 season.
Now the defending SPHL regular-season champions want the big defenseman with them from the beginning.
The Rivermen signed the 6-foot-3, 205-pound blueliner on Aug. 6 to anchor their defense unit in 2026-27.
“I fell in love with the team and with Peoria, everything was just a great experience for me as a rookie,” Ryder said. “We didn’t get the job done, and that’s just fuel for my belly. I’m coming back with a purpose.”
The Grand Rapids, Michigan native joined Peoria last season after his college season ended in late February, and he made his pro debut with a Rivermen team that included his older brother, Terry.
Ryder spent four seasons with NCAA Division-III University of Wisconsin-Superior, where he played 98 games and earned WIAC All-Conference honors.
“I want to come back to Peoria and be more dominant in my play,” Ryder said. “When I came in last spring, I was in classes and had a lot going on. Now I’ve graduated (dual degrees in supply chain management and transportation logistics), and I have more time to spend in the community and devote to the game.”
The puck-moving defenseman joined the first-place Rivermen and notched a goal and an assist in his pro debut on Feb. 27.
He went on to score two goals, notch three assists and earn a +1 rating in 10 regular-season games.
Then he added a goal and two assists in Peoria’s nine-game postseason run to the President’s Cup Finals.
Ryder then scored the game-winner 88 seconds into sudden-death overtime for a 2-1 decision in Game 1 of the league championship series against Evansville.
“It was the way I would have dreamed it up,” Ryder said. “My parents were here to see my first game, and then later that playoff game-winner, too. My brother on the ice with me. It was just amazing.”
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star senior writer and sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Rivermen bring back player who scored OT game-winner in SPHL Finals
Reporting by Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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By Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
