In Boston, things move faster.
It’s a way of life — a big city, chock full of history and charm, a population of people unapologetically devoted to their sports teams.
On Sunday, Patriots faithful relive the Tom Brady glory days. On a hot summer afternoon, fans line the streets outside Fenway, Red Sox gear adorned at every corner. The black and gold of the Bruins is everywhere, from the historic walls of TD Garden outward.
Ryan Walsh is familiar with the fast-paced nature of Boston. Drafted in the sixth round by the Bruins in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Walsh has forged a strong connection to the city. He’s been back in Boston for each of the last three summers, attending Bruins development camp with the rest of his fellow prospects.
This summer, though, things were a little bit different. A little bit slower.
“It was good, it was interesting,” Walsh said. “Definitely a different development camp than I usually have.”
Walsh was limited to solely off-ice activities, so when the rest of the campers would head out for skates, Walsh was working one-on-one with NHL trainers, strength and conditioning coaches and even running into some current Bruins players.
“Those guys are making $10 million a year, they have 100-point seasons, and they're doing the same thing as me. Going through the grind every day,” Walsh said. “[It was] definitely inspiring to see. I just went into camp with an open mind, and I thought it was one of the more fun camps that I've had.”
That camp was just another step taken by Walsh to reach his ultimate goal — playing in the NHL.
But Walsh is careful not to skip steps. Preparing for his junior year — and embracing his new role as captain — Walsh isn’t getting too ahead of himself, even with Boston occasionally knocking on the door.
“One of the biggest reasons why I wanted to come [to Cornell] was the education is obviously very good. It’s an Ivy League school. And then obviously the hockey speaks for itself,” Walsh said. “Education is really big. I really want to get my degree. I'm going to get my degree.”
Slow and Steady
Walsh’s parents — John and Kelly, who both attended college in upstate New York — were the first ones to instill the idea of taking time in him.
As a kid, Walsh excelled everywhere he played, starting in his hometown of Rochester, New York. The dream of playing professional hockey became less and less of a dream, and more a feasible goal. Soon, he was deciding what route he would take to get there, between boarding school and junior hockey.
In the back of his mind, his parents’ advice echoed.
“They've always been like, ‘no matter how long you play hockey, it won't be long enough,’” Walsh said. “Like, say you have a full pro career. You retire when you're 35, but then it's like, what do you do? You can't retire when you're 35.”
When Walsh enrolled at the Salisbury School in Connecticut in 2020, he decided to repeat his junior year of high school.
“That's kind of how I've always been. My dad always emphasized [not] to rush good times,” Walsh said. “Like, you’ll get to pro hockey, you'll get to the workforce soon enough, and then once you're in the workforce, you’ll want to be back in college, you'll want to be back at prep school.”
Walsh averaged over a point-per-game player at Salisbury — as an older junior, he posted 34 points in 33 games. As a senior, his 39 points ranked him second on the team and opened up the opportunity to play in the United States Hockey League. Walsh was drafted 54th overall by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the 2022 USHL Entry Draft. The following July, he committed to Cornell.
He doesn’t regret a second of it.
“Even now, like, I wish I could go back to prep school,” Walsh said. “My best friends are still from prep school. We do a trip every year. … Not rushing through those times [has] helped me on the ice, but maybe even more off the ice.”
Some might have argued that one year of boarding school would have sufficed, leaving Walsh to play two years in the USHL. That way, the transition to NCAA hockey would go smoother.
But that point was rendered moot — with Cedar Rapids in 2022-23, Walsh earned himself a spot on NHL draft boards. Walsh’s numbers skyrocketed, as he potted 30 goals and totaled 79 points, the latter ranking second in the USHL to future NHL first overall pick Macklin Celebrini.
“[I] only did one year out in Cedar Rapids. But once again, that's another development year,” Walsh said. “Don't get me wrong, there's benefits [to] coming in as true freshmen. There's benefits to signing pro early, but for me, I think taking my time has really benefited me.”
Taking the Next Step
Walsh takes warmups with the rest of his teammates. He skates methodically around the zone, firing pucks left and right, warming up like any other game.
A thought lingers in the back of his mind.
“There's been games and [Boston Bruins general manager] Don Sweeney up there. And I'm like, ‘well, I should probably play good.’”
Last season, Walsh got Boston’s attention — his 31 points as a sophomore led all Cornell skaters. He was heavily relied upon at the faceoff dot, winning the most faceoffs (419) and playing big minutes when the Red was down players. Walsh was one of only nine players that appeared in all 36 games for Cornell last season.
“He led our team in scoring last year, MVP,” said head coach Casey Jones ’90. “But the thing that I always talk about is [that] he's a skilled guy, but he plays a complete game.”
Walsh was a rock last season for Cornell. This year, with the ‘C’ on his chest, that will be all that much more true. He’ll likely see time on both the power play and penalty kill, embodying the core of a team with so many new faces.
At the root of it, it’s another year of development.
“I think he’ll take another step like he's healthy. [He] played through a lot last year, too,” Jones said. “He had a good summer. He’s in great shape. I'm excited for [him] to take that next step.”
“It’s kind of the same thing I've always been told and same thing I've wanted to work on — getting faster,” Walsh said. “You know, I'm not slow, but I'm also not the fastest guy. Especially once you get to the next level, everyone's bigger, stronger, faster. So really trying to focus on my skating, how I stride, that's a big focus of mine, and always has been.”
Walsh goes over tape consistently with the Cornell coaching staff. But after games throughout the year — especially ones where he lights the lamp or picks up some points — Walsh usually has a text from someone in the Bruins organization, breaking down film and telling him what he’s doing right, and giving him tips to work on. Walsh says he talks to the Bruins weekly.
“I think Boston's been very good at not pressuring me. I think they've always kind of let decisions up to me,” Walsh said. “But I also think one of the cool things is that even when they do come to my games, they'll do video and be like, ‘Hey, you could work on this here.’ But 95 percent of the video is just so positive.”
Getting a second — or third — set of eyes on plays he makes, goals he scores and passes he threads has been unequivocally valuable for Walsh. If nothing else, Walsh is a player that loves to get better at everything.
“I think that's who Ryan is, right?” Jones said. “He values being here. And those are the guys we have to recruit, you know?”
Walsh — a finance major in the Dyson School — knows what the future holds. One day, he’ll sign a contract. One day, he’ll play professional hockey. One day, his playing days at Cornell will be over.
Not quite yet, though.
“I think taking your time with development is really key,” Walsh said. “Definitely get my degree, though. You always say you don't want a backup plan, but an Ivy League degree is a good backup plan.”
Jane McNally is a senior editor on the 143rd editorial board and was the sports editor on the 142nd editorial board. She is a member of the Class of 2026 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. You can follow her on X @JaneMcNally_ and reach her at jmcnally@cornellsun.com.
