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

[Balthazar]

if they seriously plan to send him home from camp with no contract and no NHL trial it’s a real bad look.

I can't argue with that...unless they sat with him and explained in details what was the plan and why they can't sign him now.

 

[chet1926]

I can't argue with that...unless they sat with him and explained in details what was the plan and why they can't sign him now.

They literally have one forward prospect worth a shit and they are dicking him around and not giving him the ELC he deserves and earned. Shitty look.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Here we go again with the over-the-top reaction. Relax guys. He will get signed. He might already be signed and yet to be announced. My point is we have absolutely no idea about what is going on.

Why does this board have to go from 0 to 100 all the time.

 

[BobRossColton]

Why wait to announce if he's signed, what does it do?

 

[willy702]

Why does this board have to go from 0 to 100 all the time.

My guess is a lack of or overuse of medication...

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Can he re enter the draft next season if he's still unsigned? Maybe get picked in the first round again and a chance to make a team out of training camp.

 

[AvsCOL]

I think it speaks volumes that Bednar went out of his way to pull him aside after practice. It’s very clear to me that the Avs see this guy as a future top-6 option, which is more than they’ve said about anyone else recently. CMac even said Ritchie exceeded expectations last year.

Craig button also called him the best player in the OHL this past season.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

He's obviously not signed yet because we're trading him for Askarov

 

[AvsMakar08]

He's obviously not signed yet because we're trading him for Askarov

We already have our Askarov playing in KHL.

 

[lionsDen]

I hate to do the chicken little thing, when you fiddle with peoples money, you’re gonna make future contract negotiations tough. Why do they make things hard on themselves

 

[henchman21]

Im not sure if this is accurate list anymore but there shouldn’t be many bonuses that Ritchie could achieve.

Entry Level Performance Bonuses | Puckpedia

Entry Level Contracts are eligible for Performance Bonuses. There are two categories of Performance Bonuses: "A" Level Bonuses "A" Bonuses are worth $212,500 each, to a maximum of $850,000 (maximum 4 achieved). For players signed starting in 2022, "A" bonuses are worth $250,000 each, to a...

puckpedia.com

A number can be… we’ve seen this recently.

But wouldn’t the bonuses affect next year only?

Can, yeah (can also take the bonus hit is you have cap room). Next years cap will be even tighter, so it needs to be paid attention to.

And it’s pretty clear Ritchie hasn’t been offered anything.



“For the summer, I want to get a lot stronger and improve all aspects of my game really,” Ritchie said. “And improve my shot, conditioning, skating, all that stuff. And then coming into camp, my goal is to get some preseason games and work as hard as I can and have them make a decision to give me a contract.”

Love the attitude but the decision should have been made long ago.

Sure they’ll sign him, probably in March when his contract won’t need to slide. But if they seriously plan to send him home from camp with no contract and no NHL trial it’s a real bad look. Commitment to a player starts long before they enter playing in the system and it’s not an attitude I’d count on bearing any fruit.

Technically to keep his rights for a second year, he had to be given an offer.

Not necessarily a worry, more of a "hey Avs org, stop being f***ing cheapskates and sign the kid already."

The Avs could decide with 100% certainty he is going back to Oshawa today and still could sign him. Just get it done already.

Don’t disagree. Just saying it isn’t a clear cut thing. There are things to think about and negotiate on.

 

[Perratrooper]

I’m gonna assume he’ll have a contract by the end of training camp. If I’m Avs management I’m getting him into as many pre-season games as possible and giving him linemates like Rantanen, O’Connor, Mittelstadt and if playing Lehkonen. I’m then hitting him with the following game schedule
- VGK, sit
- CBJ, sit
- NYI, play (1)
- BOS, sit
- ANA, play (2)
- SJS, play (3)
- SEA, sit
- Utah, play (4)
- Ott, sit
- CHI, play (5)
- TB, play (6)
- NSH, sit
- SEA, play (7)
- WPG, sit
- CAR, sit
- NSH, play (8)
- LAK, sit
- WSH, play (9)
Total games 18

The last game takes us to November 15th. From there they can either send him back to junior and likely the WJC, let him take the next 5 games off and send him on a conditioning stint to the A and then WJC to Jr. or back to the big team after WJC.

This blends a good amount of professional games in to determine if he should stick with the big club.

 

[ABasin]

I’m gonna assume he’ll have a contract by the end of training camp. If I’m Avs management I’m getting him into as many pre-season games as possible and giving him linemates like Rantanen, O’Connor, Mittelstadt and if playing Lehkonen. I’m then hitting him with the following game schedule
- VGK, sit
- CBJ, sit
- NYI, play (1)
- BOS, sit
- ANA, play (2)
- SJS, play (3)
- SEA, sit
- Utah, play (4)
- Ott, sit
- CHI, play (5)
- TB, play (6)
- NSH, sit
- SEA, play (7)
- WPG, sit
- CAR, sit
- NSH, play (8)
- LAK, sit
- WSH, play (9)
Total games 18

The last game takes us to November 15th. From there they can either send him back to junior and likely the WJC, let him take the next 5 games off and send him on a conditioning stint to the A and then WJC to Jr. or back to the big team after WJC.

This blends a good amount of professional games in to determine if he should stick with the big club.

Isn’t the generally prevailing opinion that young player development is best served by playing as much (and as often) as possible?

And that sitting on one’s ass = bad?

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Isn’t the generally prevailing opinion that young player development is best served by playing as much (and as often) as possible?

And that sitting on one’s ass = bad?

Ah but you can't make mistakes if you don't play.

 

[Perratrooper]

Isn’t the generally prevailing opinion that young player development is best served by playing as much (and as often) as possible?

And that sitting on one’s ass = bad?

This isn’t sitting 20+ games in a row it’s sitting every other game effectively.

For reference, during the same stretch of the Oshawa Generals schedule (Oct 9 to Nov 15) the Generals play 9 games, so the exact same amount of games played that I suggested for Ritchie. The difference being he gets more recovery days, more time with professional athletes and ideally a more balanced training schedule.

 

[tigervixxxen]

NHL > WJC > OHL would be an ideal plan next year but it’s unlikely they’ve come to that conclusion.

 

[Perratrooper]

NHL > WJC > OHL would be an ideal plan next year but it’s unlikely they’ve come to that conclusion.

I think most fans would agree with the huge caveat that it depends on how he looks in pre-season.

Here’s hoping he forces their hand.

 

[Balthazar]

Oh well

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809606995445518828

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Oh well

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809606995445518828

Doesn't the contract slide? His physical readiness on July 7th, shouldn't matter. Even if he doesn't play a single game for the Avs this year, it wouldn't matter. The contract just slides.

I think it was TV that said this sort of stuff can make a difference in future negotiations. I believe it. I mean in interviews Cal has said he wanted to force the Avs to make a decision on him at camp. To me, that sounds like a kid who doesn't think it's guaranteed but believes he has as good a shot as some of the other players on making the team. If they don't give him the opportunity to show his stuff and compete for a job this fall, I can see it turning a player sour on an organization. Sure he'll say the right things and he'll go back and do the best he can in juniors. But I can't for a single minute believe that it won't be bugging and gnawing at him at some point in the season.

 

[hockeyfish]

Doesn't the contract slide? His physical readiness on July 7th, shouldn't matter. Even if he doesn't play a single game for the Avs this year, it wouldn't matter. The contract just slides.

I think it was TV that said this sort of stuff can make a difference in future negotiations. I believe it. I mean in interviews Cal has said he wanted to force the Avs to make a decision on him at camp. To me, that sounds like a kid who doesn't think it's guaranteed but believes he has as good a shot as some of the other players on making the team. If they don't give him the opportunity to show his stuff and compete for a job this fall, I can see it turning a player sour on an organization. Sure he'll say the right things and he'll go back and do the best he can in juniors. But I can't for a single minute believe that it won't be bugging and gnawing at him at some point in the season.

Yes, if signed this offseason and he doesn't play more than 9 games, his contract will slide. This is the las year that can happen. So, if the team doesn't think he can make the NHL, the length of the contract is irrelevent.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

NHL > WJC > OHL would be an ideal plan next year but it’s unlikely they’ve come to that conclusion.

Where would you rank the AHL in that equation?

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Where would you rank the AHL in that equation?

AHL is where he'll end up for 6 seasons before a career as a back country search and rescue officer in the Canadian rockies.

 

[niwotsblessing]

Where would you rank the AHL in that equation?

That is not a ranking of leagues, it is a projected pathway for Ritchie this coming season: games with the Avs, then off to the WJC, then back to Oshawa.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Doesn't the contract slide? His physical readiness on July 7th, shouldn't matter. Even if he doesn't play a single game for the Avs this year, it wouldn't matter. The contract just slides.

I think it was TV that said this sort of stuff can make a difference in future negotiations. I believe it. I mean in interviews Cal has said he wanted to force the Avs to make a decision on him at camp. To me, that sounds like a kid who doesn't think it's guaranteed but believes he has as good a shot as some of the other players on making the team. If they don't give him the opportunity to show his stuff and compete for a job this fall, I can see it turning a player sour on an organization. Sure he'll say the right things and he'll go back and do the best he can in juniors. But I can't for a single minute believe that it won't be bugging and gnawing at him at some point in the season.

I didn’t say that but yeah it’s kind of important to show commitment to a guy that’s not only your top prospect but top young asset especially since there will be no 2024 or 2025 first round pick to challenge that title.

He didn’t say make a decision on where he’d play at camp he’d said make a decision on the CONTRACT at camp.

 

[AvsMakar08]

Anyone seen Richie?