Jack Ricketts was in Salt Lake City when he got the call. Hanging out with a bunch of his Utah Grizzlies teammates around 11 PM, he saw an ad on television about Tucson. A couple of minutes later, Ricketts got a call from the Tucson Roadrunners.
“Hop on a plane. You’re playing in Tucson tomorrow.”
Less than 24 hours later, Ricketts found himself in Southern Arizona on a brand new team battling significant injuries playing against one of the teams battling for the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division with the Roadrunners. Though the game against the San Diego Gulls was his first American Hockey League (AHL) game, Ricketts is used to adjusting to new teams and new opportunities.
Ricketts has indeed adapted and thrived in the AHL. Nearly three months later, he’s still a consistent player in the Roadrunners lineup. The message in his head every day is simple. Just keep working.
The Callup From Utah
Entering his first pro season, it was a long shot for Ricketts to make an AHL roster, much less an NHL roster. Most undrafted players like him end up at a rookie camp and go from there to the ECHL. Just like them, Ricketts was invited to the Utah Mammoth’s rookie camp on an amateur tryout (ATO).
It wasn’t the first NHL camp that the forward had been at. During the prior summer, Ricketts had been at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ development camp.
The Mammoth’s rookie camp wouldn’t be the last camp he attended this past fall. After that ended, Ricketts attended the Mammoth’s, Roadrunners’, and Grizzlies’ training camp. He made enough of an impact to get a one-year AHL contract with the Roadrunners.
“After a strong Division I college career, we are eager to see what Jack can do as a pro,” said general manager John Ferguson.
It’s not hard to see the potential when looking over Rickett’s college resume. His five seasons in the NCAA saw him play with two different universities, producing at a constant rate during that time. With Holy Cross, Ricketts had back-to-back 30+ point seasons and was named captain for the 2023-24 season. In his lone season with Quinnipiac, he had a 20-goal season, which led the team in that category. In total, the forward produced 114 points in 158 NCAA games.
His experience in college is what he credits the most for preparing him for the pros. As NCAA hockey continues to grow, facilities and tools are getting closer to NHL quality. Schools like North Dakota, Penn State, and Arizona State are building state-of-the-art arenas. Holy Cross and Quinnipiac have not been exceptions to that trend.
“Holy Cross was great, and Quinnipiac was unbelievable,” Ricketts said. “I think the coaching staff there, the way they do everything, is built like a pro program. That really helped me develop and get ready for being here.”
Ricketts was assigned to the Grizzlies to begin the 2025-26 season. He scored his first pro goal in his second game of the season. By the middle of January, he had 18 points in 30 games, which placed him fifth on the team. His eight goals placed him third on the team.
JACK RICKETTS TIES THE GAME AT 3!!! pic.twitter.com/F6XDd3DbtB
— Utah Grizzlies (@UtahGrizzlies) November 7, 2025
While Ricketts himself was having a solid season, the team around him was not. The Grizzlies have been near the bottom of the Mountain Division all season long. On top of that, this will be the team’s last season in Utah, as they are set to relocate to Trenton. Despite the end of the team looming, Ricketts enjoyed his time with the Grizzlies, especially down the stretch when more fans started to come out to see the team one last time.
“It’s a great group of guys down there,” Ricketts said. “Got to know some of them really well. I played with one of my best buddies that I haven’t played with in a while, so that was a fun experience. The fans have been great. I think they’ve started to even support more and more down the stretch here. It’s nice to see. I know there are some fans who are a little sad about the move, but it’s good to see the support there.”
Related: From Frustration to Stability: Michael Carcone Earns Extension with Mammoth
Up in the AHL, the Roadrunners were dealing with significant roster depletion. Players like Kevin Rooney, Julian Lutz, and Terrell Goldsmith were all dealing with injuries, while others like Dmitri Simashev were called up to the NHL. With all their healthy scratches in the lineup, the Roadrunners needed bodies.
Enter Ricketts. As mentioned, he got the promotion call right before midnight from the Roadrunners. However, he didn’t know if he would get to Tucson in time to play that night. Luckily, he was able to get there from Utah in time for a quick meal and nap before the game. Ricketts was happy to be thrown in right away, and he fit right in, too, managing two shots on goal against the Gulls.
After the Gulls game, Ricketts travelled with the Roadrunners to Nevada to play the Henderson Silver Knights. It was a special trip for the forward as the Ricketts family made the journey to the Las Vegas area.
“My parents came down to the Vegas games, so that was good,” Ricketts said. “At some point, they’ll try to get down here, try to see Tucson, but it was nice to have them at those games for sure.”
Hard Work Turned Into a Permanent Roster Spot
As weeks went by, Ricketts continued to be an everyday presence in the Roadrunners’ lineup. Throughout that time, he played all over the lineup. He started on a line with Maxim Barbashev and Kevin Connauton. Then he was paired with Sam Lipkin and Michal Kunc. Recently, he’s been on a line with Sammy Walker and Jalen Luypen.
Throughout the whole time, though, Ricketts has been consistently solid. His two-way play has continued to improve, but his physicality and hard work ethic have always been fantastic.
“I just try to have a good work ethic, compete and play my game,” Ricketts said. “I’m not trying to do anything special, just staying focused on that and my habits and trying to chip away and earn my spot.”
It’s shown. Players like Barbashev, who were called up from the Grizzlies during the Roadrunners’ battle with injuries, have since been sent down, but Ricketts is still in Tucson. Since then, he’s scored his first AHL goal against the Calgary Wranglers, tapping in a loose puck off a Miko Matikka shot. Ricketts ended up scoring a second in that game as well.
Jack Ricketts claims his first career AHL goal! CONGRATS, JACK! pic.twitter.com/74gTdT0cSY
— Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) February 7, 2026
That Wranglers series marked the start of an eight-game span in which Ricketts produced six points, three of which were goals. Even early on, head coach Steve Potvin saw how much effort Ricketts had put into his game. He appreciated the strong two-way play from the forward, especially against high-scoring teams like the Silver Knights.
“He’s really trying to do what he can to pour a lot of effort into his game,” Potvin said. “If you’re uncomfortable, you’re on the right track. He was willing to put himself in a position to be uncomfortable, move his feet, and dig in. Lack of a better word, he was trying to get lines. He’s good on the forecheck and defensively.”
Rickett’s hunger to keep improving and one day make the NHL is something all hockey players have. However, the forward isn’t just saying and dreaming that. He’s acting on it. Ricketts knows what he needs to work on in order to continue developing, and he works on that hard in practice.
In his spare time, he talks to some of the guys on the Roadrunners who have been in the NHL, trying to get lessons and tips from them. Even off the ice, Ricketts is trying his best to learn every day, in search of a chance to continue playing in the AHL and eventually, the NHL.
“I’m just trying to work on getting more confident, playing fast, and making quick plays,” Ricketts said. “I’m always working on my offensive side, same with defense, but I’m always chipping away at that little thing. Try to learn from some of these guys who have done it and have played in the NHL.”
Recently, Ricketts broke an eight-game point drought, assisting on Luypen’s goal against the Ontario Reign. Even across that drought, Ricketts was playing a solid two-way game and still got some shots on net. Obviously, it’s not a drought he wants to go through again, but it’s a learning curve. A production drought happens to a lot of players.
At 26 years old, making the NHL is a massive uphill battle. However, it’s not impossible. Ricketts is trying his best to defy the odds. He’s already proved he’s good enough to stick around in the AHL. The NHL is next in his sights.
Jack Ricketts scores in UNDER 1 MINUTE pic.twitter.com/NBcl5pkaIj
— Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) March 1, 2026
For Ricketts, he just wants to continue getting better. When he was brought up to Tucson, a lot of people texted him to congratulate him with a simple message he knows well. Keep working.
“Hearing from some people like Rand (Pecknold) and (Bill) Riga reaching out, all the coaches from my past just telling me to keep doing my thing, keep my head down, and keep working hard,” Ricketts said.
It’s uncommon to see hockey players on LinkedIn since hockey is their job. Ricketts is one of those athletes who has one. Right now, his current work status is a professional hockey player at the Tucson Roadrunners. It’s a status he’s proud of, but he’s now focused on the next update; professional hockey player in the NHL. If he sticks to the message he and everyone tells him, that dream update one day might become a reality.
