Ryan Medel became the 22nd head coach in Varsity Blues men’s hockey program history in June, 2017.
Medel stepped into the head coaching role after seven seasons as an assistant coach with the Carleton Ravens. A native of Ruthven, Ont., outside of Windsor, Medel helped the Ravens to seven straight playoff appearances, including OUA bronze-medal finishes and national championship berths in 2013-14 and 2015-16.
He earned OUA West and U SPORTS coach of the year honours after leading the Blues to match their program-best 21 regular season wins in 2019-20. He became only the second U of T coach to earn the national honour, after legendary head coach Tom Watt in 1970-71. Under his guidance, the Blues boasted the top-ranked powerplay (30.8%), scored the most goals in the entire OUA (125), while allowing the fewest goals against (71) in the OUA West division.
Medel served as Team Canada's assistant/video coach and helped the Red & White to a gold-medal finish at the 2023 FISU Winter Universiade in Lake Placid, N.Y.
As a player, Medel enjoyed a solid junior hockey career with the Ottawa Junior A Senators, and briefly the Nepean Raiders, of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). He played two seasons with the Ravens before trading his equipment for a coach’s jacket.
He holds both a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts (Communications) from Carleton University.
Ryan Medel Coaching Record at U of T
*as of April 2025 - updated following each season.
| Season |
Regular Season |
Playoffs |
|
Exhibition |
Overall |
|
W |
L |
OTL |
W |
L |
OTL |
W |
L |
OTL |
W |
L |
OTL |
| 2024-25 |
17 |
11 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
23 |
17 |
0 |
| 2023-24 |
17 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
20 |
14 |
1 |
| 2022-23 |
14 |
10 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
18 |
18 |
3 |
| 2021-22 |
9 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
12 |
10 |
4 |
| 2020-21 |
No Season - COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2019-20 |
21 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
25 |
9 |
2 |
| 2018-19 |
11 |
13 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
13 |
16 |
7 |
| 2017-18 |
11 |
16 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
14 |
19 |
2 |
| TOTAL |
100 |
71 |
13 |
7 |
12 |
1 |
18 |
20 |
5 |
125 |
103 |
19 |
