Samantha Ridgewell Explained

Birth Date:16 July 1996
Birth Place:Outlook, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:154
Position:Goaltender
Catches:Left
Team:PWHL Ottawa
League:PWHL
Sex:f
Career Start:2015

Samantha "Sam" Ridgewell (born July 16, 1996) is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender currently on reserve with PWHL Ottawa of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

Playing career

Ridgewell began playing hockey at the age of five, in Conquest, Saskatchewan. In her youth, she played for a variety of teams in towns in her native province, including a boys' team in Outlook and the Coteau Hills Coyotes, formed of girls from across the province. In Grade 10, she began playing for the Saskatoon Stars in the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League.[1]

From 2015 to 2019, she studied at Merrimack College in Massachusetts, in the United States, where she played for the Merrimack Warriors women's ice hockey program in the Hockey East conference of the NCAA Division I. She was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in her first season with the university, making 694 saves in league play, the second-highest total in women's Hockey East history.[2] She was only able to play 14 games in the 2016–17 season, missing large parts of the year due to a concussion. She posted five shutouts in the 2018–19 season, a Merrimack record, and was named to the Women's Hockey East Second Team All-Star Team.[3] She was one of four women nominated for the NCAA's 2019 Hockey Humanitarian Award, the first women's player in Merrimack history to be nominated for the award.[4]

After graduating, she explored opportunities in Sweden and Switzerland, eventually signing her first professional contract with Djurgårdens IF Hockey of the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL) in Stockholm.[5] In December 2019, she made 43 saves in a 3–1 victory over Brynäs IF.[6] She earned her first professional shutout in late January 2020, making 19 saves in a 2–0 victory over SDE Hockey.[7] She finished the season with a goals against average (GAA) of 2.03, the fifth best in the league, and a save percentage of .920, the seventh best in the league, as Djurgården were eliminated in the playoff semi-finals by HV71.[8]

In May 2020, she announced her return to North America, signing with the expansion Toronto Six in the NWHL, the second goaltender to sign with the team after Elaine Chuli.[9] [10]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

  Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPWLMinGASOGAAGPWLTMinGASOGAA
2011–12Saskatoon StarsSFU18AAAHL1511312421.7264201101.67
2012–13Saskatoon StarsSFU18AAAHL1961004422.6063301702.79
2013–14Notre Dame HoundsJWHL1911511651.06
2014–15Notre Dame HoundsJWHL85111311.62
2015–16Merrimack WarriorsNCAA DI2851938513.12
2016–17Merrimack WarriorsNCAA DI143724203.34
2017–18Merrimack WarriorsNCAA DI2381215032.35
2018–19Merrimack WarriorsNCAA DI33157106151.89
2019–20Djurgårdens IFSDHL2214604312.0352301502.67
2020–21Toronto SixNWHL1001504.621000103.76
2021–22Toronto SixPHF2011603.64
2021–22HV71SDHL3210612.42
2022–23Buffalo BeautsPHF2100010.00
PHF totals17112238:321112.771000103.76
SDHL totals2516701417:004922.0752301502.67
NCAA totals983148135598:4323892.55
Sources: Saskatchewan Female Under-18 AAA Hockey League,[11] [12] [13] [14] Junior Women's Hockey League,[15] [16] Elite Prospects,[17] USCHO,[18] Premier Hockey Federation[19]

As of 24 February 2023

Personal life

Ridgewell has a degree in health sciences.[20]

She wears jersey number 34 after Finnish goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, who was her favourite player growing up.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Luedtke. Shelley. 2019-07-19. Small Towns Play Big Role in Hockey Player's Success. 2020-12-30. The Outlook. en.
  2. Web site: McMahon. Mike. 2018-11-16. Merrimack goalie helping make young program a national force. 2020-11-22. The Eagle-Tribune. en.
  3. Web site: 2018-11-02. Women's Hockey: Ridgewell brilliant again for Warriors. 2020-11-22. The Eagle-Tribune. en.
  4. Web site: Fundaro. Gabriella. 2019-01-15. The Takeaway: Highlighting the women's Hockey Humanitarian Award nominees. 2020-11-23. The Ice Garden. en.
  5. Web site: Ekholm. Peter. 2019-05-29. Triss i nordamerikanskor till Djurgården. 2020-11-22. HockeySverige. sv.
  6. Web site: Liljekvist. Erik. 2019-12-20. Djurgården vann toppmötet mot Brynäs efter galet målvaktsspel. 2020-11-22. SVT Sport. sv.
  7. Web site: 2020-01-29. Djurgården derbyvann igen. 2020-11-23. Aftonbladet. sv.
  8. Web site: Murphy. Mike. 2021-01-21. 2021 NWHL Season Preview: Scouting the league's rookie goaltenders. The Ice Garden. en.
  9. Web site: Eastwood. Lindsay. 2020-05-19. NWHL Toronto Signs Curlew, Marcuzzi, Ridgewell, and McParland. 2020-11-22. The Hockey Writers. en-US.
  10. Web site: Daniels. Calvin. 2020-11-20. Sask. netminder on new TO Six. 2020-12-30. Yorkton This Week.
  11. Web site: 2011/12 Season – Regular Season, League Leading Goalies. 2020-11-22. sfu18aaahl.com.
  12. Web site: 2011/12 Season – Playoffs, League Leading Goalies. 2020-11-22. sfu18aaahl.com.
  13. Web site: 2012 - 2013 – Regular Season, League Leading Goalies. 2020-11-22. www.sfu18aaahl.com.
  14. Web site: 2012 - 2013 – Playoffs, League Leading Goalies. 2020-11-22. www.sfu18aaahl.com.
  15. Web site: Statistics - 2013-14 Regular Season - Major Junior Division. 2020-11-23. jwhl.org.
  16. Web site: Statistics - JWHL 2014-2015 JWHL Season - Major Junior Division. 2020-11-23. jwhl.org.
  17. Web site: Player Profile: Samantha Ridgewell. 2020-11-22. EliteProspects.com. en.
  18. Web site: Samantha Ridgewell: Career Statistics. 2020-11-22. US College Hockey Online. en-US.
  19. Web site: Samantha Ridgewell – Stats . 2023-02-20 . Premier Hockey Federation.
  20. Web site: 2019. 2018-19 Merrimack College Women's Ice Hockey Roster: #34 Samantha Ridgewell. 2020-11-22. Merrimack College Athletics. en.
  21. Web site: 2020-12-29. Samantha Ridgewell of the Toronto Six. 2020-11-22. Orion Sportscast. en.