Prospect Info: Avs draft F Calum Ritchie (2023 #27 overall)

[Richard Doll]

I have received flack over this thought process before, but I have not changed my mind.

I am good with moving pieces to improve, but I am not good with moving top pieces just to go all in.

I believe in the team having a future as well as a present. I do not look forward to the days we are in the cellar again. Those days suck and are very long seasons. It will happen again someday, and when we are at the point when we can't even make the playoffs anymore, then fine, sell the farm and go for the rebuild.

I want to contend as long as I can, and then be on the playoff fringes as long as I can.

If a top prospect can be moved to bring in a bonafide player that keeps us as a top 5 team for MULTIPLE seasons, that is a conversation, but I am not for trading top prospects for a player that will be wearing another jersey the following year.

 

[MaKarter]

IMO it is all on a scale... Ritchie in a Lindholm deal would be a bit rough, but if that is the best way to shore up this team, it is probably a risk worth taking. Ritchie in a Monahan deal would be incredibly irritating. Ritchie in Mittelstadt deal would be a no brainer.

Would we be able to sign Mittelstadt longterm?

 

[henchman21]

Would we be able to sign Mittelstadt longterm?

Of course... there would likely have to be some cap clearing given he's looking at ~7m.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I have received flack over this thought process before, but I have not changed my mind.

I am good with moving pieces to improve, but I am not good with moving top pieces just to go all in.

I believe in the team having a future as well as a present. I do not look forward to the days we are in the cellar again. Those days suck and are very long seasons. It will happen again someday, and when we are at the point when we can't even make the playoffs anymore, then fine, sell the farm and go for the rebuild.

I want to contend as long as I can, and then be on the playoff fringes as long as I can.

If a top prospect can be moved to bring in a bonafide player that keeps us as a top 5 team for MULTIPLE seasons, that is a conversation, but I am not for trading top prospects for a player that will be wearing another jersey the following year.

Same boat, I’m not opposed to moving basically anyone on the team. However, it all depends on who we are getting and for how long. If we someone wanted Olausson in a rental deal? Sure! If they want Guly or Ritchie, nah. I want to compete as much as anyone, but we shouldn’t be so shortsighted that we are trading higher value assets for a mediocre return.

 

[willy702]

I have received flack over this thought process before, but I have not changed my mind.

I am good with moving pieces to improve, but I am not good with moving top pieces just to go all in.

I believe in the team having a future as well as a present. I do not look forward to the days we are in the cellar again. Those days suck and are very long seasons. It will happen again someday, and when we are at the point when we can't even make the playoffs anymore, then fine, sell the farm and go for the rebuild.

I want to contend as long as I can, and then be on the playoff fringes as long as I can.

If a top prospect can be moved to bring in a bonafide player that keeps us as a top 5 team for MULTIPLE seasons, that is a conversation, but I am not for trading top prospects for a player that will be wearing another jersey the following year.

Whether you get flack or not I'm guessing this is the Avs strategy as well. The team can't afford a hard rebuild with years of irrelevance. Look at the Broncos and how the fanbase is absolutely losing it over a difficult stretch to rebuild even though they have won 3 titles in just over 25 years. If such a stretch hit the Avs there would be a lot of empty seats and TV ratings would be miniscule.

If guys like Ritchie and Behrens plus the tail end of the vets careers keeps the team relevant and competitive, the organization will do fine financially. Lots of posters have an all or nothing mindset which is fine, but it's not realistic for a business. While they did make moves and traded away some prospects in the past, what have those guys done? If anything maybe they were shrewd enough to realize they didn't have enough to be worth keeping around.

 

[Pokecheque]

Whether you get flack or not I'm guessing this is the Avs strategy as well. The team can't afford a hard rebuild with years of irrelevance. Look at the Broncos and how the fanbase is absolutely losing it over a difficult stretch to rebuild even though they have won 3 titles in just over 25 years. If such a stretch hit the Avs there would be a lot of empty seats and TV ratings would be miniscule.

If guys like Ritchie and Behrens plus the tail end of the vets careers keeps the team relevant and competitive, the organization will do fine financially. Lots of posters have an all or nothing mindset which is fine, but it's not realistic for a business. While they did make moves and traded away some prospects in the past, what have those guys done? If anything maybe they were shrewd enough to realize they didn't have enough to be worth keeping around.

The team already tried a rebuild-on-the-fly and it failed miserably. And their first rebuild after the failed rebuild-on-the-fly also failed.

The thing is, fans may or may not want to stick around for a full blown tanking but that doesn't matter, they won't stick around if your team avoids it and just sucks anyway. Or worse, maintains a dull stretch of mediocrity.

In any event, if the Avs play Asset Manager and hold onto second-tier prospects like they're diamonds, then they're fools. Them and everything else should be on the table, the key is to make certain they maximize their value in any given trade.

 

[Balthazar]

It's funny how protective we are of Ritchie when we haven't found one impactful player outside the top 10 in over a decade.

There's a chance Gulyayev or Ritchie could break the mold, but there's just as good of chance they're the next Newhook, Jost, Kaut, Elliot, Siemens, etc.

At one point people were also like this with Kaut, OO, Foudy, etc.

 

[NateTheGreat]

2g 1a for Ritchie so far tonight…kid is on a heater

Edit: 2g 2a

Edit again: 2g 3a

 

[The Merchant]

Might have a good one on our hands

 

[Foppa2118]

2g 1a for Ritchie so far tonight…kid is on a heater

Edit: 2g 2a

Edit again: 2g 3a

Last couple points in a matter of a few minutes it looks like.

Definitely going to be an interesting decision for the Avs.

Do you keep him because he's playing so well and you could use a young center with top six potential to grow into his prime, while the rest of the core ages? Potentially extending their window?

Or do you trade him for a 2C because he's playing so well his trade value is high, perhaps it's highest, since you don't have a lot of roster pieces you want to move in season, and not many prospects with value?

If that 2C they trade for is under contract with a decent cap hit beyond this season, I think that could sway the Avs towards the latter, but we'll see.

It actually has the potential to turn out well for the Avs no matter which way they go, which is a good position to be in, but time will tell.

 

[Perratrooper]

 

[Ararana]

Hype

 

[Perratrooper]

A 5 point game (so far) for Ritchie. Giving him 40 points in 24 games (1.67 ppg)

While it is a blow out, the plays he’s been making have been very high level imo.

 

[LTCPain75]

I can't find a quote, but I'm certain a hockey pundit said Ritchie was projected in the top 10 picks before his shoulder injury.

 

[Mighty Makar]

I can't find a quote, but I'm certain a hockey pundit said Ritchie was projected in the top 10 picks before his shoulder injury.

I remember reading that somewhere. Yes @wayninja, I know how to read.

 

[Perratrooper]

I can't find a quote, but I'm certain a hockey pundit said Ritchie was projected in the top 10 picks before his shoulder injury.

There was a point that he was considered to be the same level as Leo Carlson. I think Carlson has clearly separated, but that’s how highly thought of he was.

 

[LTCPain75]

There was a point that he was considered to be the same level as Leo Carlson. I think Carlson has clearly separated, but that’s how highly thought of he was.

I found it!

avsinsider
ESPN hockey analysts noted that Calum Ritchie was projected by many scouts to be a top 10 selection in this year’s draft before suffering a shoulder injury.

Ian no Instagram: "ESPN hockey analysts noted that Calum Ritchie ...

 

[Foppa2118]

It's funny how protective we are of Ritchie when we haven't found one impactful player outside the top 10 in over a decade.

There's a chance Gulyayev or Ritchie could break the mold, but there's just as good of chance they're the next Newhook, Jost, Kaut, Elliot, Siemens, etc.

That's a fair point, but also to be fair, Ritchie looks to be having a much better D+1 season than most if not all of the Avs forward prospects in recent memory.

Newhook and Jost are a little hard to compare in the NCAA, but they were point a game players, and Ritchie has 40 points in 24 games so far.

 

[lionsDen]

Might have a good one on our hands

It’s encouraging… seems we may have gotten lucky because of his injury.

 

[BobRossColton]

Joey Hishon had a great season in the OHL after his draft too, though.

 

[henchman21]

A 5 point game (so far) for Ritchie. Giving him 40 points in 24 games (1.67 ppg)

While it is a blow out, the plays he’s been making have been very high level imo.

No longer a bust!

 

[tigervixxxen]

Now the key is to get the Avs to integrate him like Wyatt Johnston and Matthew Piotras before Ritchie gets traded for a third goalie in 2028.

 

[Balthazar]

Now the key is to get the Avs to integrate him like Wyatt Johnston and Matthew Piotras before Ritchie gets traded for a third goalie in 2028.

I wouldn't expect him in the NHL next season. It's pretty clear that Bednar wants to win all the regular season games at all cost, he isn't going to take his time and develop a young player.

We've literally just witnessed it with Newhook.

 

[Foppa2118]

Joey Hishon had a great season in the OHL after his draft too, though.

Yes, but we know there are other factors for why he didn't pan out as hoped for.

Bit of a size difference too which plays a factor in the NHL. Hishon was (perhaps a generous) 5'10" while Ritchie is 6'2".

 

[The Kingslayer]

I dont know. I kinda wanna keep this one.