All Access: Ryan Blankemeier

Photo by: USHL

In his first season in the United States Hockey League, Ryan Blankemeier has proven to be a huge asset for the Chicago Steel. After suiting up for the Chicago Young Americans, the Oak Park native was selected in the first round of the 2014 Phase II draft by the Steel. Blankemeier burst onto the scene this season, and ranks among the team leaders with 13 goals and a plus-five on-ice rating. Following his USHL career, Blankemeier will continue playing hockey at Dartmouth College, a school with not only a historic hockey program but also outstanding academics. We had a chance to chat with the Steel forward and get his perspective on his hockey career and his bright future, both on and off the ice.

Q: You have been a huge contributor offensively in your first season with the Steel. Can you talk about your play this season and how you’ve been able to come in and be so effective right away?

A: Yeah, at the beginning of the year it was tough to learn a new game. The game is faster and you have to make plays a lot quicker but you are also playing with guys that are a lot better. I found that once I was able to adjust to the pace, guys would find you. Scoring is harder because it’s a faster pace but it’s also easier to make plays with better guys, so once I found that groove everything was easier.

Q: What was the adjustment like jumping from the Chicago Young Americans to the USHL? 

Photo by: MJB Images

A: It’s just a lot of details that you have to pay attention to. In U-18 hockey, you can get away with a lot of things that you can’t here, like going easy on the back check, not finishing hits, not getting pucks out or making slow plays. Here, every shift you have to bear down because you are playing against a lot better guys. So the focus was a big adjustment. Also, the length of the season is a lot different and something I had to adjust to. You have to be durable and ready to practice every day.

Q: How has playing for the Steel, and in the USHL, affected your development as a player?

A: It’s been huge! Being on the ice every day and playing with a lot better players forces you to get better and get stronger or you’ll get left behind. I’m able to come in and be around great hockey players who are working hard and it has forced me to become a better player.

Q: What do you enjoy most about playing for the Steel?

A: I’ve really enjoyed being with the guys on road trips. Also playing in front of crowds has been exciting. The USHL really does a good job with the whole junior experience. It’s been a fun season.

Q: How long have you been playing hockey for and when did you decide that it was a large part of your future?

A: I started playing organized hockey when I was five years old. I played other sports, mainly baseball, until my first year of high school. After my freshman year though I decided I was going to drop the other sports and really focus on hockey.

Photo by: MJB Images

Q: You’re committed to play at Dartmouth College at the conclusion of your USHL career. What were some factors that led to your commitment to the Big Green?

A:  Yeah, it was an easy decision for me. I have family members that went to Dartmouth and I have known about the school for a while. I love the campus, I love the location, I love the hockey and obviously the academics were a plus too. So just that whole combination and my family history there made it an easy choice for me.

Q: You have also been selected as a National Merit Finalist. Can you talk about the process and what the recognition means to you?

A: Yeah, my brother was actually a finalist too so he set the bar high. My parents have always pushed the education along with hockey. I made sure to focus on school my first three years of high school which put me in a great spot. Now that I am a senior, I’ve had a little less school too worry about so I’ve been able to balance school and hockey. For the National Merit, I took the PSAT and based on my score I was selected as a semifinalist. I had to write a paper and answer some questions and I recently received the news that I was a finalist. It’s an honor and it reinforces what my family has been all about and it shows that I can focus on both school and hockey.

Q: This weekend, you guys face Omaha and Dubuque at home before heading to Dubuque on Sunday. In January, you scored a game-winning overtime goal against the Fighting Saints. What are your thoughts on the three games this weekend?

A: Both Omaha and Dubuque are high-skill teams. We only had one game last weekend so we should be fresh and able to use our speed against both opponents. It’s three big games with a possible six points. Being well rested, we’re hoping to come into the weekend strong, play our game and come away with points.

Photo by: MJB Images