Controlling the controllables and taking on everything else as it comes is a philosophy that has guided Prince Albert Raiders’ head coach Ryan McDonald through every stage of his career.
“You need to come in every day and you want to try and be the best version of yourself, which might not always happen, so you want to try and figure out how to get back on the horse to put your best foot forward.”
When he first began coaching, McDonald knew he had knowledge and skills he wanted to pass on to the next generation of athletes, but his ultimate success in the new role came from knowing there was more to gain from others within his field.
That desire led McDonald to seek out opportunities to speak with anyone who would share their wisdom from their years within sport, whether hockey specific or not.
“I had as many conversations as I could and would try to talk to as many people that would listen, or want to share knowledge with me. That was the best part of it, everyone was so willing and open to share their knowledge and share their experiences and allow you to keep developing your craft.”
And in the years since, that communication has gone beyond just professional development, as he now has brought it into his coaching practice with his athletes. McDonald works to prioritize his connection with individual players and create an overall safe space for the team.
“It all boils down to the relationship that you have with your athletes and with your group. They care that you care. So, the biggest thing is caring and not just about them as an athlete, but about them as an individual so they are comfortable coming and having conversations when days aren’t good, but also comfortable to come have conversations when days are good as well.”
That mentality has followed him throughout his career, including his work with youth teams and Hockey Saskatchewan’s Program of Excellence up to the Western Hockey League and stints at the international level with Team Canada.
Most recently, McDonald donned the red and white as the assistant coach for Team Canada at the beginning of August for 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, a tournament that saw the Canadian men’s summer U18 team go undefeated and bring home gold by dominating the United States 8-1 in the final.
For McDonald, the event and result were a high point in his career. It was an outcome any coach would be proud of.
“Any opportunity you get to put your flag on the front of your jersey, or as a coach, a pin on the front of your suit is an experience you don’t take for granted. There is a lot responsibility that comes with it. I am just extremely happy with the outcome we were able to achieve.”
