Happy development camp week to all who celebrate and especially to those Michigan State hockey players — past, future, and current — who are participating in their NHL team’s camp.
I’ve been covering all of the Spartans who are making their ways to development camps this week, and it feels like almost every team in the NHL has Michigan State representation. OK, so maybe not every team, but easily at least one-third of the league either has a Spartan on the roster or they drafted one.
The Nashville Predators are one of the few NHL teams with multiple Michigan State representatives as two Spartans are participating in development camp down in Tennessee this week.
And they’re about to be new teammates in East Lansing this season.
The first is Ryker Lee, a 2006-born prospect, who spent his freshman season at Michigan State, totaling an impressive 15 goals and 15 assists over 35 games. He was one of the breakout stars on the 2025-26 roster that secured a third straight Big Ten title. Lee was drafted 16th overall by Nashville a year ago.
The other Predators camp invitee from Michigan State is Tommy Bleyl, a fellow first-rounder who was picked No. 31 overall by Nashville this past weekend.
Lee and Bleyl are already getting acquainted with one another.
Ryker Lee takes no credit for getting Tommy Bleyl to MSU early
Entering the draft, it was presumed that Michigan State would be adding Chase Reid, Ethan Belchetz, Nikita Klepov, and Jack Hextall to the upcoming roster. Many expected Bleyl to wait until 2027-28.
However, things changed and reports indicated that the 2026 first-rounder would be ditching his final season of juniors to head to Michigan State for the 2026-27 season.
Lee was asked if he played any part in that decision, but he laughed it off and said that Bleyl actually broke the news to him at camp.
Ryker Lee says he can’t take too much credit for Tommy Bleyl committing early to Michigan State. pic.twitter.com/T3q6OObh13
— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) June 30, 2026
Lee went on to say that he’s excited for the upcoming season and to team up with Bleyl in East Lansing when it was assumed that wouldn’t happen this year.
Bleyl and Lee are building chemistry before the season even starts. Love to see it.
The sophomore playmaker also said that it’s a great time to be a college hockey player because it’s the best for development right now. Hearing a top NHL prospect say that might just get a few more prospects to take a look at the NCAA ranks — specifically Michigan State.
Business is booming in East Lansing.
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