Confirmed with Link: Calum Ritchie signs ELC

[expatriatedtexan]

Serious question. Are your going to use this as the 1 millionth example of why you ranting and raving about how the sky is falling for every little thing isn't worth it? You made multiple posts about how it's such a big deal that he isn't signed, how it's such a bad look for the organization. And look. He signed. It's over. No big deal. You flipped out for nothing. Aaaaaaagain.

The sky isn't always falling, Chet. Use all these examples of you being proven wrong the next time you want to flip out. If the Zamboni breaks and they have to use a crappy old one for a bit, it's not proof that MacKinnon is going to ask for a trade. If the hotdog cart outside the training facility runs out of buns, it doesn't mean that Makar is going to sign with Calgary.

Yeah, if anything this means he's signing in Montreal. They have the best freaking dogs in the NHL.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Oh don't you worry about that. We have people here that will think of something.

Probably the last draft.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Looks like about 250k too much

 

[jfc64]

The Kid might be prominent in the 2025 WJC!

Was great at the U18 WJC in 2022-23. Canada U18 2022-2023 - Roster, Stats & more

 

[LTCPain75]

Avalanche's Calum Ritchie Could Power His Way Onto Opening Day Lineup - The Hockey Writers Colorado Avalanche Latest News, Analysis & More

Recently signing his entry-level contract, could Calum Ritchie start the 2024-25 NHL season with the Avalanche or return to the Generals?

thehockeywriters.com

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Interesting tidbit in Evan's latest article on Ritchie. Apparently the Avs kept Ritchie in Denver for an extra week after Dev camp. That seems to be a good indication that they want to give him the best opportunity to make the team or at the very least get him a few NHL games to start the season to see where he is at.

What I would like to see is him at 3C and move Colton to W. I know some people here keep saying that he is not a Bednar-type player to play on the 3rd line but I disagree. I think it can work if he has the right players around him on that line. He could also start at 2RW but I think that would be even worst for him due to the increase in pressure on him to produce right from the get go.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Interesting tidbit in Evan's latest article on Ritchie. Apparently the Avs kept Ritchie in Denver for an extra week after Dev camp. That seems to be a good indication that they want to give him the best opportunity to make the team or at the very least get him a few NHL games to start the season to see where he is at.

What I would like to see is him at 3C and move Colton to W. I know some people here keep saying that he is not a Bednar-type player to play on the 3rd line but I disagree. I think it can work if he has the right players around him on that line. He could also start at 2RW but I think that would be even worst for him due to the increase in pressure on him to produce right from the get go.

A couple of thoughts this triggered for me... Keeping Ritchie around in Denver also shows they are taking extra care with his development. I don't recall them doing this with other prospects (Jost, Newhook, even Rants) I just can't remember hearing of them keeping one of their recent draftees around this long after development camp, so this is really interesting and will be worth remembering when TC gets underway.

As for Ritchie being 3C or 2RW, I'm not sure. Like you said everyone says he's not Bednar's type of 3C. I also think that at some point good coaches should be able to adapt their strategies to incorporate the players they actually have rather than the ones they wished they had. This is Bednar issue primarily as far as I'm concerned. However, I think you're right on him being over-stressed to produce on the second line. It's got Mitts (a playmaker primarily) and Lehkonen who is a defensive stud but not necessarily a huge offensive force (outside of his absolutely clutch scoring knack). If we're going to use Ritchie as a winger, I'd actually much prefer him on the top line with MacKinnon and Drouin who we all know will be putting up points regardless of whether it be Mikko or Cal as their third wheel. Especially with Cale and Devon still driving the unit from the back end. Moving Mikko to the second line also gives Mitts more of a finisher to take benefit from his playmaking.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Interesting tidbit in Evan's latest article on Ritchie. Apparently the Avs kept Ritchie in Denver for an extra week after Dev camp. That seems to be a good indication that they want to give him the best opportunity to make the team or at the very least get him a few NHL games to start the season to see where he is at.

What I would like to see is him at 3C and move Colton to W. I know some people here keep saying that he is not a Bednar-type player to play on the 3rd line but I disagree. I think it can work if he has the right players around him on that line. He could also start at 2RW but I think that would be even worst for him due to the increase in pressure on him to produce right from the get go.

I’d much rather him at 2W than 3C. His skill set is far better suited to it for his sake and better than the other options there currently assuming no Landy or Lehky. Plus it’s an easier position to bring him in to where Mitts can do a lot of the dirty work/heavy lifting for him.

 

[CobraAcesS]

A couple of thoughts this triggered for me... Keeping Ritchie around in Denver also shows they are taking extra care with his development. I don't recall them doing this with other prospects (Jost, Newhook, even Rants) I just can't remember hearing of them keeping one of their recent draftees around this long after development camp, so this is really interesting and will be worth remembering when TC gets underway.

As for Ritchie being 3C or 2RW, I'm not sure. Like you said everyone says he's not Bednar's type of 3C. I also think that at some point good coaches should be able to adapt their strategies to incorporate the players they actually have rather than the ones they wished they had. This is Bednar issue primarily as far as I'm concerned. However, I think you're right on him being over-stressed to produce on the second line. It's got Mitts (a playmaker primarily) and Lehkonen who is a defensive stud but not necessarily a huge offensive force (outside of his absolutely clutch scoring knack). If we're going to use Ritchie as a winger, I'd actually much prefer him on the top line with MacKinnon and Drouin who we all know will be putting up points regardless of whether it be Mikko or Cal as their third wheel. Especially with Cale and Devon still driving the unit from the back end. Moving Mikko to the second line also gives Mitts more of a finisher to take benefit from his playmaking.

If there is any logic to keeping Mikko he absolutely needs to run his own line. It's stupidity to the 9th degree if they give him 12M and then keep him and Mack together.

 

[AvsMakar08]

If there is any logic to keeping Mikko he absolutely needs to run his own line. It's stupidity to the 9th degree if they give him 12M and then keep him and Mack together.

But who are we going to replace Mikko with?

 

[BobRossColton]

But who are we going to replace Mikko with?

OO

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Opening night will be

Drouin-MacK-Rants
Colton-Mitts-LOC
Wood-Ritchie-Kiviranta
Kelly-Wagner-Kovalenko

And we're all gonna hate it

 

[AvsMakar08]

Opening night will be

Drouin-MacK-Rants
Colton-Mitts-LOC
Wood-Ritchie-Kiviranta
Kelly-Wagner-Kovalenko

And we're all gonna hate it

Avs might be going for Yaroslav Askarov. Preds would probably want Ritchie.

 

[CobraAcesS]

OO

That will have to be done by committee.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

That will have to be done by committee.

The committee should also be helped in this endeavor by whatever player we are getting back in the Mikko trade.

 

[CobraAcesS]

The committee should also be helped in this endeavor by whatever player we are getting back in the Mikko trade.

That's assuming they don't walk him to free agency.

They needed to start seriously exploring that trade before UFA ate up teams money.

 

[BobRossColton]

Avs might be going for Yaroslav Askarov. Preds would probably want Ritchie.

Source or your hope?

 

[expatriatedtexan]

That's assuming they don't walk him to free agency.

They needed to start seriously exploring that trade before UFA ate up teams money.

Yeah, I don't see them trading him at the deadline, but there might be a small window of opportunity to get something for a sign and trade before July 1, however that maybe pretty unlikely wishing on my part.

 

[AvsMakar08]

Source or your hope?

Just google it. A bunch of stories that Avs might be in for Askarov. It kind of makes sense if we can get an upgrade on Georgiev and for many years to come.

 

[Balthazar]

Just google it. A bunch of stories that Avs might be in for Askarov. It kind of makes sense if we can get an upgrade on Georgiev and for many years to come.

It makes a lot less sense when you realize that they just spent 3 drafts picks on goalies 2 weeks ago, including their top pick.

 

[PAZ]

It makes a lot less sense when you realize that they just spent 3 drafts picks on goalies 2 weeks ago, including their top pick.

So they spent nothing, since the Avs drafted them after the top 10

 

[Balthazar]

So they spent nothing, since the Avs drafted them after the top 10

They had value though. I know you're joking but they could have added those picks to a package for Askarov.

 

[BobRossColton]

It makes a lot less sense when you realize that they just spent 3 drafts picks on goalies 2 weeks ago, including their top pick.

Ha, just send them Nabokov. He'll just come over halfway through saros' contract..

 

[tigervixxxen]

They didn’t hinge an entire draft on Nabokov for that not to be the plan. Askarov also needs more than 3 career NHL starts to be sold as any NHL team’s solution.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Just google it. A bunch of stories that Avs might be in for Askarov. It kind of makes sense if we can get an upgrade on Georgiev and for many years to come.

And where are these stories coming from exactly? Anyone can look at the Avs bush league level goaltending and draw conclusions.