Daniel Ryder

Daniel Ryder (born January 12, 1987) is a Canadian ice hockey player who is currently a free agent having last played for the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL). He is the younger brother of Dallas Stars forward Michael Ryder.

Playing career
Ryder was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the third round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He won the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as the Most Valuable Player in the 2006 OHL playoffs, leading his Peterborough Petes to the J. Ross Robertson Cup, scoring 31 points in 19 games. He finished his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career with the Plymouth Whalers in the 2006–07 season. He then signed an NHL entry-level contract with the Flames.

Just six games into the 2007–08 season, Ryder was suspended by the Quad City Flames, the Calgary Flames American Hockey League affiliate, with head coach Ryan McGill stating he was no longer a part of the team. This was after he showed up late to Calgary's main camp, after indecisiveness on choosing whether or not to play the season.

Daniel Ryder was heavily criticized for his indecision, and according to an interview with General Manager Darryl Sutter by the Calgary Sun, the door will not necessarily be open for a return to the team. However, in an interview with General Manager Darryl Sutter on the Fan 960 on July 3, 2008, Darryl Sutter stated that Daniel Ryder would attend 2008–09 training camp for the Flames.

Following training camp, Ryder was assigned again to Quad City and after 14 games was reassigned to the Las Vegas Wranglers. After four games in Las Vegas, the Calgary Flames suspended Ryder for a second time and it is very doubtful that his rights will be retained by Calgary.

On February 27, 2009 Ryder signed on with the AHL's Providence Bruins team for a twenty-five game tryout contract. Daniel's older brother Michael is currently playing on the Providence team's parent NHL club, the Boston Bruins. Daniel was released by Providence at the end of their hockey season.

Armed robbery
On January 6, 2010 Ryder turned himself in to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) after police issued a news release asking for the public’s help to identify a suspect who allegedly committed an armed robbery at the Red Circle Convenience Store in Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador. He was charged with armed robbery, using a disguise with intent to commit an indictable offense, using a firearm in the commission of an offense, and theft under $5,000. According to a police report, he walked into the main entrance of a Red Circle convenience store with a white shopping bag and asked for cigarettes and informed the cashier that he had a gun.

As of April 2010, Ryder was being held at the Waterford Hospital in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, because he was deemed a threat to public safety.

He was found "Not Guilty" on August 24, 2011.