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Confirmed with Link: Calum Ritchie signs ELC

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Leviathan899 said:
Not at all. I’ve watched Ritchie 10x more than any Avs fan combined. I get the argument for him getting 9 games due to the injury situation, but he isn’t ready. Nice goal tonight for sure but was quiet most of the game. You guys have 1 good prospect with NHL upside, and it’s him. You have to be very careful with his development, especially since he lost all off season last year. He’s a tall kid but he’s not built at all.
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he's pretty solid looking now.
 
Alienblood said:
he's pretty solid looking now.
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Depends on your definition of "solid looking" I guess:

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Leviathan899 said:
agree to disagree. Development in hockey is all about puck touches and playing in all situations, which he won’t get in the NHL this season. It’s just a bad look for the Avs, he’s clearly not ready to play at this level and his body is not developed for it yet. Prime years of Mackinnon and Rantanen and they’re pinning their hopes on a 19 year old.
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Well, if he starts out on the 2nd line, you can bet he'll get plenty of opportunities for those. He's also be a shoe-in for the half wall on the 2nd PP unit, for that matter. And he's not expected to be a PKer, so I wouldn't lament his lack of deployment there.
 
Richard Doll said:
I’m sure they are also pinning hopes on Mitts taking a jump this year now that he has experience in our system and had a full training camp with us.
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I mean a jump from where he was in the playoffs would be awesome, but I feel like that's a hefty expectation. He was unreal to end the season last year.
 
Balthazar said:
Depends on your definition of "solid looking" I guess:

HLosI2z.png
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Ritchie seems to be an jexample of an anti-eye-test. In his prospect thread several posters were unimpressed with his WJC-18 performance. Last season Sennecke seemed to get most of the positive attention. I didn't see the game last night, but Ritchie played the 2nd most minutes among forwards and was one of only three who wasn't negative +/-.

While "box-score" analysis doesn't have a ton of value, in Ritchie's case it makes a strong case that his line mates and team perform better when he is on the ice, even when Ritchie himself is not overly noticeable in a good way.
 
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RoyIsALegend said:
Maybe he means physically, responding to the guys last comment that he isn’t built well at all.

Remember, Ritchie put on 75 pounds of muscle in the offseason.
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Think your misquoting what Ritchie said, I believe it’s actually a full suite of cybernetic limbs.
 
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Ritchie was pretty bad last night... there shouldn't be much debate about that. Both of his games have been rather poor IMO.

On his staying up or going down, I think too much is made of it on either side. If he's rushed and he isn't ready (which to this point, I don't think he is)... the most important thing is that the Avs recognize it and send him down. You don't want him struggling up here to just keep him in the NHL. I'd probably say try to make that decision prior to 9 games. But at least by the end of November. If he's sent down, there is still a lot he can develop and learn in the OHL. He should dominate offensively because he's skilled and the league should be easy for him. He can still learn to attack the middle of the ice better, be more aggressive, play better defense... and overall learn to utilize his frame. There are things he can work on there, so not the worst thing to send him down.

In either manner, he'll end up roughly where he should be regardless of the decision. If he struggles in the NHL, it might just delay him a bit and hurt his interim value.
 
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henchman21 said:
Ritchie was pretty bad last night... there shouldn't be much debate about that. Both of his games have been rather poor IMO.

On his staying up or going down, I think too much is made of it on either side. If he's rushed and he isn't ready (which to this point, I don't think he is)... the most important thing is that the Avs recognize it and send him down. You don't want him struggling up here to just keep him in the NHL. I'd probably say try to make that decision prior to 9 games. But at least by the end of November. If he's sent down, there is still a lot he can develop and learn in the OHL. He should dominate offensively because he's skilled and the league should be easy for him. He can still learn to attack the middle of the ice better, be more aggressive, play better defense... and overall learn to utilize his frame. There are things he can work on there, so not the worst thing to send him down.

In either manner, he'll end up roughly where he should be regardless of the decision. If he struggles in the NHL, it might just delay him a bit and hurt his interim value.
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Fair enough and good post. I just like the kid a lot and want to see him have a long and successful career, and have seen too many young players rushed and ultimately never reach their potential. I get the injury situation creates another dynamic this year. I haven’t seen too much talk from Bednar or McFarland on him outside of quick sound bites. Do you get the impression they agree with what you’re saying? They’re obviously not stupid guys and know what they’re doing, but I do wonder if Bednar is too easily wowed by the high light reels and the media constantly pumping Ritchie’s tires.
 
Leviathan899 said:
Fair enough and good post. I just like the kid a lot and want to see him have a long and successful career, and have seen too many young players rushed and ultimately never reach their potential. I get the injury situation creates another dynamic this year. I haven’t seen too much talk from Bednar or McFarland on him outside of quick sound bites. Do you get the impression they agree with what you’re saying? They’re obviously not stupid guys and know what they’re doing, but I do wonder if Bednar is too easily wowed by the high light reels and the media constantly pumping Ritchie’s tires.
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The Avs are not going to be swayed by media hype or highlight reels. They're going to make a decision they feel is best. Sometimes contracts play into it. Where they know they have to give a guy a run or they won't be able to keep him (or even sign). That won't be the case here, but we see that with Russians and college players.

I do think the Avs' natural tendency is to get prospects into the org as quickly as they can, and from there they sink or swim. They don't have a whole lot of patience for players who can't cut it, but they also don't like their prospects not impacting the NHL club. We've seen it with Byram, Newhook, Jost, Makar, Rantanen, Kaut, Ranta, Landy, Bigras, etc. They get them within the org rather quickly and expect them to make an impact rather quickly. If they don't the Avs tend to sour. They basically give players 2-3 seasons (at most) within the org to make an impact before they are looking elsewhere. Delaying that a year starts the clock later, but also tends to shorten the amount of time they'll give as a buffer.

Sink or swim is really the key... and IMO, that is what matters with Ritchie. If he is showing signs of sinking, the Avs need to send him down ASAP. If he swims, the Avs will keep him up... even if it is a doggie paddle.
 
NorthernAvsFan said:
Also… Ritchie will get his 9 games. Avs are injury riddled to start the year.
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I don't think this should play into it. In his two preseason games, he's looked pretty bad. That should have to turn around even with the injury situation. Struggling is still struggling. Running LOC on the wing on the 2nd line is a better option than having Ritchie struggle in the NHL. Now if he plays well, there is an opportunity... but it shouldn't be given just because the Avs are thin to start.
 
henchman21 said:
I don't think this should play into it. In his two preseason games, he's looked pretty bad. That should have to turn around even with the injury situation. Struggling is still struggling. Running LOC on the wing on the 2nd line is a better option than having Ritchie struggle in the NHL. Now if he plays well, there is an opportunity... but it shouldn't be given just because the Avs are thin to start.
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LOC is better than him right now for sure. I’m not sure Bednar wants to break up the 3rd line and 1st line though.

I’m guessing it’s going to be a mix/mash 2nd and 4th line with the other two lines staying intact.

I don’t see the harm in giving Ritchie some NHL minutes to start the year, while the Avs get bodies back. I don’t watch preseason, so I have no idea how he’s played. I also don’t really care how players look in preseason. It’s like practice. Give him some reps when live bullets fly and send him down if he shows nothing.
 
NorthernAvsFan said:
LOC is better than him right now for sure. I’m not sure Bednar wants to break up the 3rd line and 1st line though.

I’m guessing it’s going to be a mix/mash 2nd and 4th line with the other two lines staying intact.

I don’t see the harm in giving Ritchie some NHL minutes to start the year, while the Avs get bodies back. I don’t watch preseason, so I have no idea how he’s played. I also don’t really care how players look in preseason. It’s like practice. Give him some reps when live bullets fly and send him down if he shows nothing.
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IMO more harm than good is done when players struggle. I'm definitely in the camp that players, if they are good enough, figure it out eventually. But I think you can shellshock prospects and stunt them. Playing how he has thus far puts that shellshock risk quite high. I'd much rather the Avs protect him from that and the early evaluation of his game at this level.

dahrougem2 said:
Watch the Avs 2nd line be Kiviranta - Mittelstadt - Kovalenko to start
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I could easily see it. Mitts' ability to work with plugs probably helps that case.
 
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