We are less than 10 games into the Canadian junior hockey league season, but there have already been standout performances among those in the Capitals prospect pool. I touched upon Alexander Suzdalev’s hot start for Regina earlier this week. Another standout element, so far, has been Ryan Hofer of the Everett Silvertips, and his cannon of a shot.

Hofer scored a pair of goals Wednesday night against the Edmonton Oil Kings in Everett. Hofer’s first goal of the night came at 19:49 of the first frame, giving the Silvertips a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

Win board battles, score goals.

Ryan Hofer getting dirty to get it done!#ForEverett x @Capitals pic.twitter.com/oYmQfOOXU5

— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) October 13, 2022

Hofer’s second tally came on the power play at at 16:18 of the middle frame, tying the score at 2-2. He would launch a missile from the right faceoff circle for the tally.

Ryan Hofer with a bomb, his second goal of the game, third tally of the season. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Ts0i4SkFEp

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) October 13, 2022

Hofer recorded his first goal of the WHL season on October 2 against the Victoria Royals. The tally came in the second period on the powerplay. It was also a bomb from the right circle.

#ALLCAPS Ryan Hofer with a power play bomb, his first goal of the season. pic.twitter.com/5wlWwtjKTM

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) October 3, 2022

Hofer, 20, finds himself in a leadership position after signing with the Silvertips as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He was elected as an assistant captain for the 2022-23 season.

“Being in that leadership role with [Jackson] Berezowski helps a lot,” he explained. “He’s been here the longest. [You see] what he does and feed off that, preaching what the coaches and staff preach of the culture. You try to feed that into the young guys to keep it going.”

Hofer has begun the season centering the top line for the Silvertips.

After being passed over in the previous two NHL drafts, Hofer’s 58-point campaign last season, in which he finished fourth on the team in goals (25) in 67 Games Played, propelled him to notoriety among scouts, leading to his selection by the Caps in the sixth-round.

Did Ryan Hofer really knock a man down with his backside, fend off an oncoming hit then draw a penalty all in the same sequence?

Yes. Yes he did.#BearWitness x #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/6WZiEK8nlv

— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) April 26, 2022

Hofer was selected by the Capitals with the 181st overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He is playing in his third season for the Everett Silvertips in the WHL, and will be looking to make the jump to Hershey next fall.

By Jon Sorensen