Confirmed with Link: Calum Ritchie signs ELC

[expatriatedtexan]

With how rapidly our window is closing, I feel like Ritchie should be playing for the Avs in the playoffs and if he isn't, whoever we traded him for should be. I wouldn't have said this 2 years ago or even thought of it much before then.

Depending on how he is performing and the rest of the team is shaking out, I'd definitely give him some NHL games to start the season and see what he does with it. But I'd be moving him to wing, yesterday. It's his best chance to early success and quite frankly where we need offensive skill the most at the moment. Pin his ass to Mitts wing and give them Lehky when he's good to go but it'll probably be some combination of LOC/Wood until then.

 

[henchman21]

With how rapidly our window is closing, I feel like Ritchie should be playing for the Avs in the playoffs and if he isn't, whoever we traded him for should be. I wouldn't have said this 2 years ago or even thought of it much before then.

Depending on how he is performing and the rest of the team is shaking out, I'd definitely give him some NHL games to start the season and see what he does with it. But I'd be moving him to wing, yesterday. It's his best chance to early success and quite frankly where we need offensive skill the most at the moment. Pin his ass to Mitts wing and give them Lehky when he's good to go but it'll probably be some combination of LOC/Wood until then.

I'd say there is a good chance that if Ritchie is sent down, that he's not available til June. Oshawa should be one of the favorites in the East and probably facing London for the title.

 

[AvsCOL]

Yeah it doesn’t sound like Bednar is in favour of him being in the lineup currently. Said he has a lot of work to do on the defensive side of things, and I agree. Great when he has the puck, but he’s invisible when he doesn’t have it. No doubt he can get there, just a matter of when.

 

[Leviathan899]

Yeah it doesn’t sound like Bednar is in favour of him being in the lineup currently. Said he has a lot of work to do on the defensive side of things, and I agree. Great when he has the puck, but he’s invisible when he doesn’t have it. No doubt he can get there, just a matter of when.

Plus once the games matter, the likelihood he receives much PP time is slim, where he’s most likely to succeed. Be interesting to see how he handles the wing the next game here.

 

[MacKaRant]

Plus once the games matter, the likelihood he receives much PP time is slim, where he’s most likely to succeed. Be interesting to see how he handles the wing the next game here.

Also, he used up his best shootout move in a meaningless preseason game

 

[AvsCOL]

Also, he used up his best shootout move in a meaningless preseason game

It was sick though

 

[willy702]

He's probably not really ready and I don't see a path for them to keep him past 9 games. However, maybe just being around the team and playing some NHL games will give him a taste of what awaits him and what areas he needs to be focused on so he can come back for good next year.

 

[HUSH10]

I wish this kid all the success in the world but as an Oshawa STH, please send him back after 9 games

 

[AvsCOL]

Ideally he returns after the 9 games, and Oshawa is projected to be on of the top teams in the CHL. He would be pretty much guaranteed to make the WJC team, and play some big minutes there too. If he works on his defensive game and has the chance to hone his skills, he should be ready to take the 3C spot next year and they can trade Colton to make room for Drouin.

Drouin - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Landeskog - Mittelstadt - Nichushkin
Lehkonen - Ritchie - Kovalenko
Wood - ? - LOC

 

[Richard Doll]

Ideally he returns after the 9 games, and Oshawa is projected to be on of the top teams in the CHL. He would be pretty much guaranteed to make the WJC team, and play some big minutes there too. If he works on his defensive game and has the chance to hone his skills, he should be ready to take the 3C spot next year and they can trade Colton to make room for Drouin.

Drouin - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Landeskog - Mittelstadt - Nichushkin
Lehkonen - Ritchie - Kovalenko
Wood - ? - LOC

If everything works out this year that we get both Landy and Nuke back, next offseason we manage to hold on to Drouin, then I don’t see us paying a large, long contract to 2 4th liners. They will deal Wood, someone will deal for him for their third line.

4th line will be Ivan, Loc, someone, maybe Steinburg takes the next step.