A highly touted forward who was selected high in both the OH and NHL draft, Kerby Rychel has never really lived up to the hype at the professional level in a career featuring trades, drama and some sporadic scoring streaks.

The Californian native even began his career with a trade at the junior level with Barrie Colts trading his rights to Windsor who would later package him to Guelph Storm.
The 21st overall pick in the 2011 Priority Draft had a good scoring record in the OHL however, producing 271 points in 256 games and winning a championship in 2014.

The left-winger would remain a highly touted prospect and be selected 19th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013.

Rychel lasted just two years in the organisation that opted to select him so high, in a highly acrimonious ending.
Unhappy with not receiving enough playing time in the NHL, it was reported that Rychel and his father, acting as an agent, requested a trade during the 2015-16 campaign but he remained with the club until the season-end.

During his time in the AHL, Rychel played 88 games in which he put up a highly respectable 66 points, and helped Lake Erie win a championship.
After just 37 games in the NHL however, Rychel’s wish for a fresh start and a better opportunity came courtesy of being traded to Toronto in the summer of 2016.

The former Calder Cup Champion made an encouraging start with his new organisation, albeit at the AHL level.

Rychel led the Toronto Marlies penalty minutes (118) and points (52) although 55% of his points came courtesy of the power-play. He added five-points in eleven post-season games but wasn’t any close to cracking the NHL or the Leafs roster as the next campaign would prove.

After a further 55 games (thirty points) with the Toronto Marlies, Rychel found himself on the move again in February 2018, on this occasion traded to Montreal, where he enjoyed some brief success.
Eight points in twelve games for the Laval Rocket and a single goal and assist in four outings with the Montreal Canadiens.

Montreal opted to pass on the Restricted Free Agent and traded the winger’s rights to Calgary for whom he signed a one-year deal.
Though racking up 45 points in 52 games for Stockton Heat, Rychel found his NHL opportunities limited once again, playing just twice for the Calgary Flames.

Having not been tendered a qualifying offer, the American-born forward opted to head overseas and signed with Örebro HK for the 2019-20 campaign.

Before even playing a regular season game in Sweden, Rychel requested to be released so he could sign with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the KHL.

That proved another ill-advised and short-term move as he lasted just seven games with the Russian club who terminated his contract a month after parting ways Örebro.

He remained a free agent for around four weeks before heading back to North America and signing an AHL deal with Charlotte Checkers.

Injuries limited appearances to just six games and although there hasn’t been an official statement from the Charlotte Checkers, it appears from internet reports that Rychel was suspended by the team and removed from the roster.

Now 26 years of age, Kerby Rychel remains a free-agent and his future hockey playing career in doubt.