Colin Ralph
2023-24 Team: Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-Prep)
Date of Birth: Oct. 4, 2005
Place of Birth: Maple Grove, MN, USA
Ht: 6-foot-4 Wt: 209 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 32nd (among NA skaters)
- Elite Prospects: 61st
Colin Ralph is a well-composed, big-body defenseman who stands out among his competition. His presence is known not only because he is 6-foot-4, but also because he has a comparable play style of many NHL veteran defensemen. His poise and vision are his greatest strengths, as he can control the puck while skating down the ice. He keeps his head up and anticipates his teammate’s moves, leading to frequent quality scoring chances.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Ralph is a strong skater, being both fast and efficient. By having such long legs, he can take long strides to catch up to the opposition. He is also very methodical in his skating, often taking the most efficient route towards the puck in addition to positioning himself well in the offensive and defensive zones.
The main knock to Ralph’s game is his weaker competition. While Shattuck St. Mary’s is a terrific prep school, they do not compete against premier competition. His competition is not much of a challenge compared to his fellow Americans, who play for the United States Developmental Program and compete against premier collegiate and American junior teams. While he has dominated the weaker competition, he has yet to show an ability to compete against the best competition he can, which will ultimately be a reason he drops in the draft.
However, there are many reasons to believe in Ralph’s development. He has a big body and a strong defensive presence, providing a higher ceiling than most of his fellow draft-eligible defensemen. He is committed to St. Cloud State University for next season, an opportunity that will present a challenge for the young defenseman. He is likely to face adversity with the increased competition, but it will be a challenge worth enduring as he continues his development.
Other Draft Profiles
Colin Ralph – NHL Draft Projection
Ralph does not project to be a first-round pick in this year’s draft, and it is hard to see him go in the second round, either. Once the third round comes around, he is likely going to be in many teams’ conversations, so hearing his name called then is a possibility. In the end, he is likely to get selected in the 80-125 range.
Quotables
“I have seen Ralph play twice, and in both games I was impressed with his defensive skill and physicality on the ice. He is a big player, a strong player, and he imposes that strength when he is on the ice. I can see a bit of ‘pain in the ass’ in Ralph’s game, and I say that as a positive. He can be the type of player that players hate to play against, but teammates love.” – Chad Carlsson, FC Hockey (from, ‘25459 – Phoenix vs. Shattuck St. Mary’s’ – 01/16/24)
Strengths
- Passing
- Silky hands
- Skating
- Vision
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Consistency
- Succeed against higher competition
- Hockey instinct
NHL Potential
His upside is a solid bottom-pairing defenseman in the NHL, occasionally playing the powerplay or penalty kill. A more realistic expectation is to see him develop into a depth piece, similar to New York Islanders’ defenseman, Sebastian Aho.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft’s Top 10 American Prospects
Both Ralph and Aho are smooth-skating, left-handed defensemen who show offensive upside but fail to produce consistently enough to earn full-time NHL gigs. However, Ralph is just 18 years old, so his upside is hard to gauge.
Risk – Reward Analysis
Risk – 3/5 , Reward 2.5/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offence – 4/10, Defense 6/10
Awards/Achievements
- Drafted #59 in 2023 by Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL Entry Draft
- Fifth-best United States prospect in the 2024 Draft according to NHL Central Scouting (final rankings)
- Led all defensemen in USHS-prep league with 58 assists in 2023-24
Colin Ralph Statistics
