November 30, 2019

By Fred Liggett
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So far this 2019-20 season we have been meeting several rookies that are on the Kansas City Mavericks roster this year, this week we meet one of the veterans in Forward Ryan Van Stralen.

This first year Maverick has been playing pro hockey for three years now with a previous ECHL stop in Wichita with the Thunder. Vanny as his new teammates call him is settling in nicely with the Mavericks who had three points in his first six games with the team.

Ryan’s favorite pro sports team is the NHL’s Boston Bruins, mainly due to how much Ryan enjoyed watching Milan Lucic play. Lucic is a 31 year old high scoring forward for the Bruins. Vanny hails from Prescott, Ontario, Canada where his mom, dad along with a brother and a sister root him on from home.

Ryan celebrated a birthday earlier this month with his new team as he turned 26 years old on November 10. Vanny’s favorite hockey memory so far occurred when he played for team Canada in the University Games back in 2015 that took place in Kazakhstan. Being from Canada it’s no surprise that Ryan put on his first pair of skates at age three.

Vanny’s favorite website to visit every day is Facebook. If not in pro hockey today he would be working in the real estate field. Ryan is preparing for that someday as he is currently taking online classes for his license. Vanny’s favorite sports movie is “Remember the Titans.” Following his playing days Ryan wishes to be remembered as a good team guy who had a good work ethic.

Vanny played alongside former KC Maverick Corey Durocher for three years in Ottawa, then a few more games this season here in Missouri before Durocher left the team.

Check out Ryan and the rest of the Mavericks on Saturday, Dec. 7 when they play host to the Fort Wayne Komets. Get there early, as that game serves as the annual Teddy Bear Toss night which proves to be very popular every season. The fun begins inside the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena when the puck drops at 7:05 p.m.

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