# Ryan Bayda

Ryan G. Bayda (born December 9, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger, who played 179 games in the National Hockey League (NHL).

## Playing career

Bayda was drafted in the third round, 80th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate known as the Lowell Lock Monsters, at the end of the 2001–02 season, scoring a goal and an assist in three regular season games and also scoring three goals in five playoff games. He made his NHL debut for Carolina, during the 2002–03 NHL season. Bayda scored his first career NHL goal against Ed Belfour and the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 18, 2003, in a 4-3 Hurricanes loss.
On July 3, 2007, the Hurricanes re-signed Bayda to a one-year, $475,000 contract. This is a two-way contract which also paid him $100,000 at the AHL level.
On July 1, 2008, the Hurricanes re-signed Bayda to a one-year, $475,000 contract for the 2008-09 season. Bayda in his first full NHL season, played a career-high of 70 games and helped the Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference finals. During the finals on May 22, 2009, Bayda was fined $2,500 as a result of a match penalty. He was assessed for cross-checking Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang in the chin, at the end of game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
On September 3, 2009, Bayda was invited to the St. Louis Blues training camp for the 2009-10 season. Ryan, however, turned down the offer after the Blues signed forward Derek Armstrong and accepted an invitation to the Pittsburgh Penguins training camp instead.
On July 12, 2013, after three seasons with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in Germany, Bayda left as a free agent to join DEL rivals Augsburger Panther on a one-year deal.
In the following 2014–15 season, Bayda was limited to just 6 games, in which he produced 10 points, due to a serious elbow injury. As the season ended, Bayda left as a free agent again and signed a one-year contract with fellow DEL club, the Straubing Tigers on March 26, 2015.
He retired upon the conclusion of the 2015–16 season with the Straubing Tigers and returned to his home town of Saskatoon, where he opened a tattoo removal business.

## Career statistics

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1996–97 | Saskatoon Contacts AAA | SMHL | 44 | 22 | 23 | 45 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | Saskatoon Contacts AAA | SMHL | 41 | 29 | 49 | 78 | 100 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | Vernon Vipers | BCHL | 45 | 24 | 58 | 82 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 8 |
| 1999–2000 | University of North Dakota | WCHA | 44 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | University of North Dakota | WCHA | 46 | 25 | 34 | 59 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | University of North Dakota | WCHA | 37 | 19 | 28 | 47 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 53 | 11 | 32 | 43 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 25 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 34 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 44 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 80 | 13 | 27 | 40 | 91 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| 2005–06 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 59 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 52 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 27 |
| 2006–07 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 55 | 29 | 25 | 54 | 66 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| 2006–07 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 21 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 31 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 70 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 26 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 18 |
| 2009–10 | Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 21 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers | DEL | 52 | 17 | 24 | 41 | 70 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011–12 | Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers | DEL | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers | DEL | 50 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 36 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2013–14 | Augsburger Panther | DEL | 49 | 18 | 23 | 41 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Augsburger Panther | DEL | 6 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Straubing Tigers | DEL | 44 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 49 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | AHL totals | 326 | 89 | 138 | 227 | 289 | 32 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 35 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 179 | 16 | 24 | 40 | 94 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 18 |
| DEL totals | DEL totals | DEL totals | 216 | 62 | 89 | 151 | 203 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |

## Awards and honors

| Award | Year |
| BCHL Rookie of the Year | 1999 |
| All-WCHA Rookie Team | 1999–00 |
| WCHA All-Tournament Team | 2000 |
| All-WCHA Second team | 2000–01 |
| All-WCHA Second team | 2001–02 |