Nick Ritchie discussion - clears waivers

[ACC1224]

he is simply not engaged, and that play illustrated that fact.

I believe he would have been waived anyway regardless of that play which he wasn't really at fault for.

 

[PromisedLand]

I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets claimed honestly. A lot of dinosaurs still in other front offices.

Wouldn't mind that. If we can get some cap space. Would wanna see if we can get Kessel at 50% for the playoff run.

Bunting-Matthews-Marner (20 mins)
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander (20 mins)
Mikheyev-Spezza-Kessel (10 mins)
Engvall-Kampf-Kase (10 mins)

PP1

Bunting
Nylander Tavares Matthews
Rielly

PP2
Kase/Mikheyev
Kessel Spezza Marner
Sandin


or an upgrade on defense

Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-XXX
Sandin-Lily/Dermott/Holl

in the last 2 playoffs/play-ins (CBJ/Habs) Muzzin has gotten injured something to keep in mind

 

[Leafsfan74]

I admit, I was someone who saw Ritchie as a potentially perfect fit for what this team needs. I say only half tongue in cheek that if I had known Cherry was so big on him I probably would NOT have believed he was a good fit.

Boston fans warned Leaf fans that they also felt the same early on, but then he just fell off the ice and was not physical at all. For those on here blaming Dubas for picking him up, hindsight is 20/20, like Foligno, he is supposed to bring what the Leafs need more of. I still have no problem with this signing for such short term (Cap issues aside).

Here is my issue, my fear that this Leafs team is still too light to take on teams such as Carolina or Florida in the post-season. Thus, there is still a part of me that wonders how this will pan out for the team. I am not a dinosaur, but you can feel free to call me that when I suggest I'd like to see Clifford on this playoff roster playing with Spezza and Simmonds.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

It's not hindsight at all. I really disliked the Ritchie signing at the time, quite clearly stated it would not work out, and it hasn't. He's a perimeter shooter who relies on favourable shooting %s to produce anything of value to a team. As you said, when that doesn't work out, he doesn't bring anything else to help an NHL club. And that's what's happening. And I've said all this at the time of the signing.

An NHL club, particularly a cap-strapped one, needs to be pretty careful about who to invest their cap dollars in. Investing $2.5 x 2 in a guy who had a pretty decent chance of contributing nothing to the club was a mistake, period.

Uh, what? The is literally the exact opposite of what Ritchie is. He pretty much lives and dies in front of the net, with more than half of his opportunities coming there. In fact, outside of Simmonds, I don't think there is anyone on our team who has a higher proportion of their chances coming from the inside than Ritchie right now... Bunting, Tavares, and Nylander included (and they are far from perimeter players themselves).

All you have done is made a lucky guess and think it is more than that. NHL teams, or at least the good ones like the Leafs, don't guess. They take calculated risks, and Ritchie was actually a good one.

It is not probably even the end for Ritchie with the Leafs, unless he is claimed or Dubas gets a worthwhile offer for him. With the problems he is having right now, a couple of good weeks with the Marlies where he can get his scoring touch back could be all he needs to get back on track. It worked wonders for Barabanov and Galchenyuk, and both looked far more disastrous at the NHL level before going to the Marlies than Ritchie has at any point this year.

 

[zeke]

Is this the same Ritchie that Don Cherry said was greater than William Nylander. Who is Don Cherry????

Willy: 41gl/90pt pace
Nick: waived

 

[Leafsfan74]

Wouldn't mind that. If we can get some cap space. Would wanna see if we can get Kessel at 50% for the playoff run.

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Spezza-Kessel
Engvall-Kampf-Kase

or an upgrade on defense

Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-XXX
Sandin-Lily/Dermott/Holl

in the last 2 playoffs/play-ins (CBJ/Habs) Muzzin has gotten injured something to keep in mind

If there is ever a move made, in my opinion, it's an easy call to try and pick up a no-doubt, top 4 D Man. Leafs have an abundance of options up front on the team and in the minors. This teams identity needs to be tough-er in the backend.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I admit, I was someone who saw Ritchie as a potentially perfect fit for what this team needs. I say only half tongue in cheek that if I had known Cherry was so big on him I probably would NOT have believed he was a good fit.

Boston fans warned Leaf fans that they also felt the same early on, but then he just fell off the ice and was not physical at all. For those on here blaming Dubas for picking him up, hindsight is 20/20, like Foligno, he is supposed to bring what the Leafs need more of. I still have no problem with this signing for such short term (Cap issues aside).

Here is my issue, my fear that this Leafs team is still too light to take on teams such as Carolina or Florida in the post-season. Thus, there is still a part of me that wonders how this will pan out for the team. I am not a dinosaur, but you can feel free to call me that when I suggest I'd like to see Clifford on this playoff roster playing with Spezza and Simmonds.

I don't think we have iced a worse player in our lineup this year than Clifford. We'd be better off just putting Ritchie back in our lineup if we wanted that physical element.

 

[zeke]

I don't think we have iced a worse player in our lineup this year than Clifford. We'd be better off just putting Ritchie back in our lineup if we wanted that physical element.

I wish I could say nicky had been better than cliffy but i can't.

 

[LeafGrief]

Hope he gets claimed, doubt he will though. He's awful and paid too much.

Total blunder from Dubas here. Happy with how they're handling the next steps though. They gave Ritchie a real chance to succeed, but it's not happening so now they're swallowing pride and at least salvaging the cap space. There's no way he gets claimed, so it's only a 1.5m anchor, which isn't the end of the world. The idea of Nick Ritchie is attractive, but the actual player is useless. And it's not like he was any better in Boston, he came exactly as advertised.

Ritchie is a lazy, lazy player. Very frustrating, he's got the tools to at least be a useful sandpaper guy, but he just has zero heart. He reminds me of JVR, but with none of the talent. Put Connor Brown's engine in him and he'd be an All-Star.

 

[ACC1224]

Is this the same Ritchie that Don Cherry said was greater than William Nylander. Who is Don Cherry????

That was in their draft years not this season. You realize he went 10th overall? Lots of people liked him then.

 

[Racer88]

You believe he was waived because he was on the ice for a goal against?

He was waived for many reasons, mainly poor performance and last night must have been the straw that broke the camels back or I suppose it could be just a big coincidence

 

[zeke]

That was in their draft years not this season. You realize he went 10th overall? Lots of people liked him then.

And lots of people did not.

 

[ULF_55]

I don't think we have iced a worse player in our lineup this year than Clifford. We'd be better off just putting Ritchie back in our lineup if we wanted that physical element.

I think Ritchie's skating did no favors.
He just couldn't get anywhere fast enough.
Clifford is better because he can skate well enough to be a depth player.

Perhaps he'd be better on a more physical, methodical, less skilled team?

 

[TheShape]

Given every opportunity to succeed and did nothing with his chances. Useless player. Funny seeing some here saying we need to keep Ritchie cause you know he might punch someone come playoff time.

I didn't like this signing from the get-go. Swing and a miss from Dubas but I applaud him for putting ego to the side and admitting a mistake here. Off like a bandaid, hopefully he gets claimed and we're relieved of full cap hit.

 

[kevsh]

That was in their draft years not this season. You realize he went 10th overall? Lots of people liked him then.

Just to add to this, I don't recall the old windbag claiming Ritchie was going to be better than Willie, he was angry that instead of drafting a big North American player the Leafs took a skilled (reading between the lines: & soft) European.

 

[ACC1224]

He was waived for many reasons, mainly poor performance and last night must have been the straw that broke the camels back or I suppose it could be just a big coincidence

They needed the cap space to bring Lillijgren back from COVID.

 

[ACC1224]

Just to add to this, I don't recall the old windbag claiming Ritchie was going to be better than Willie, he was angry that instead of drafting a big North American player the Leafs took a skilled (reading between the lines: & soft) European.

It's hilarious how people twist and turn everything here. Reality is stranger to many.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I wish I could say nicky had been better than cliffy but i can't.

Ritchie has been significantly better than Clifford.

Clifford has like a 40% xGF% this year despite having the softest usage on the team by far. How he has even earned 8 games with us is beyond me at this point... Especially with how well Joey Anderson has played with the Marlies and in his two games with the Leafs this year.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I think Ritchie's skating did no favors.
He just couldn't get anywhere fast enough.
Clifford is better because he can skate well enough to be a depth player.

Perhaps he'd be better on a more physical, methodical, less skilled team?

He'd probably be a PPG player in Florida

They seem to excel at making those guys look like superstars.

 

[Anthrax442]

 

[Wendelstache]

Hard to believe this guy has a career in the NHL with David Clarkson like skating.

 

[Leafsfan74]

He'd probably be a PPG player in Florida

They seem to excel at making those guys look like superstars.

Florida and Carolina would be bad matchup once again for these Leafs in a playoff series. With the way they play their fans are also loud and engaged.

Dubas has built better depth than I thought possible, but, this team still creates major doubts for me until they prove otherwise.

We all hoped Ritchie could provide some of what they lacked. He just didn't seem engaged far too often.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

I admit, I was someone who saw Ritchie as a potentially perfect fit for what this team needs. I say only half tongue in cheek that if I had known Cherry was so big on him I probably would NOT have believed he was a good fit.

Boston fans warned Leaf fans that they also felt the same early on, but then he just fell off the ice and was not physical at all. For those on here blaming Dubas for picking him up, hindsight is 20/20, like Foligno, he is supposed to bring what the Leafs need more of. I still have no problem with this signing for such short term (Cap issues aside).

Here is my issue, my fear that this Leafs team is still too light to take on teams such as Carolina or Florida in the post-season. Thus, there is still a part of me that wonders how this will pan out for the team. I am not a dinosaur, but you can feel free to call me that when I suggest I'd like to see Clifford on this playoff roster playing with Spezza and Simmonds.

nhl hockey will change in 2 months time .. leafs passing possession game will start to fail with teams playing a heavier game at faster pace with less time and space with puck .. when this different nhl game starts to occur ie playoff hockey then benefits of Ritchie will magnify .. right now he is lost in woods in a pure skilled passing possession game .. but when a dump in is your only option and boardmen reign supreme then we will need more boardmen .. this has occurred with every Leaf team with this core group and it will occur again

 

[egd27]

Nick Ritchie seems to be sleepwalking through his NHL career. Could have just given us the preseason version of himself and he’d have a role on this team.

But hasn't that been the knock on him all along? Decent enough player but lacks the drive to be consistently effective.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I don't see why Ritchie is the one getting all of the criticism for that goal?

Sandin made a terrible pinch on what should have been Ritchie's guy, and that is where Ritchie was. Perlini was Spezza's guy and Spezza was coasting all the way up the ice (and was in a terrible position in the offensive end to begin with), until the end when he realized that he probably should be covering his man on what should not have even been a 2-on-1. Ritchie was actually trying to adjust and cover Spezza's guy after Sandin took his guy, and actually almost did it, but couldn't get there in time.

If anything, that goal is on Sandin and Spezza long before it is on Ritchie.