Ottawa's junior hockey scene has a brand-new headline name: 67's goaltender Ryder Fetterolf, who has been named the Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Year for the 2025-26 season.
A breakout rookie season
Fetterolf, an American rookie, earned the CHL's top goaltending honour in his first season — an impressive feat for any young netminder stepping into one of the most competitive junior leagues in the world. The award recognizes the best goaltender across the entire Canadian Hockey League, spanning the OHL, QMJHL and WHL, which makes the distinction all the more notable for a player wearing the Ottawa 67's colours.
Winning a league-wide award as a rookie is the kind of milestone that tends to follow a player throughout their career, and it instantly puts Fetterolf among the names that Ottawa hockey fans will be watching closely in the seasons ahead.
Why it matters for Ottawa
The Ottawa 67's have long been one of the city's most beloved sports institutions, a fixture of the local hockey calendar and a development pipeline that Ottawa fans take real pride in. Seeing one of their own recognized as the best at his position across the entire CHL is a genuine point of celebration for the capital.
For a city that lives and breathes hockey through the winter months, awards like this give local fans something to rally around. The 67's faithful who pack the stands to watch their team have plenty of reason to be excited about what a rookie of this calibre could mean for the club's fortunes.
A name to remember
Fetterolf's recognition as CHL Goaltender of the Year caps a season that clearly set him apart from his peers. As an American making his mark in Canadian junior hockey while playing in Ottawa, he's the kind of story that connects the local team to a broader hockey world — and reminds Ottawa fans why the 67's remain such a draw.
With the honour now secured, attention turns to what comes next for the young goaltender and for an Ottawa 67's squad that has a standout between the pipes. For now, though, the capital can simply enjoy the moment: one of Ottawa's own has been named the best junior goaltender in the country.
Source: CBC Ottawa.
