Former Bruins Nick Ritchie III

[CDJ]

He will fight?
Half crazy?
No fear?

I will take it all day long...

Besides now that the Rags traded for a real heavyweight enforcer in Ryan Reeves the Bruins are gonna need a couple guys to answer the bell after he goes after their aging skill players and he will.

Reeves isn’t going to be on the ice with the aging skill guys and if he is I welcome it

he’s also not really that kind of guy

 

[Baddkarma]

Reeves isn’t going to be on the ice with the aging skill guys and if he is I welcome it

he’s also not really that kind of guy

We shall see. Marchand brings out the best in people...

 

[CDJ]

We shall see. Marchand brings out the best in people...

lol fair point

 

[FabulousLysell]

Toronto found their missing piece if the puzzle

No they didn't. Good regular season team, bad playoff team. Ritchie isn't the answer. Getting rid of one of those abysmal contracts and using that money for good depth is. Also they need an actual goaltender that's capable of going through 4 rounds of hockey.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I was talking about last year and responding to a series of posts saying that the bruins haven’t been in many fights and lacked toughness/hitting and was pointing out they were 9th in fights and 12th in hits.

It had nothing to do with this upcoming season.

Everyone wants to point out how this team needs more fighting and toughness. Yet there’s plenty of guys who do that like reaves who end up sitting in the press box in the playoffs while their team is losing an elimination game on their home ice. Ya it’s nice to have in the regular season, but those guys rarely end up fighting in the post season and usually end up in the press box instead when the games actually matter. Unless you have a lucic, wilson or someone like that type. Which nearly everyone in the league is looking for because there’s a dozen or so of those guys at very best in the league at one time

I would like to think the postseason revealed that they did indeed lack toughness and hitting regardless of those regular season fights and hits totals.

With so many variables involved those stats may not tell the story. Perhaps the Bruins should have been standing up for themselves even more. They were nearly always the nail, not the hammer. I don't think those posters were asking for a line of old fashioned enforcers. Reaves is one of a kind at this point. It is a mentality and that is what the Bruins largely lacked.

I was disappointed in their effort and lack of emotion last season (Tinordi and Miller aside) and this season is preparing for an even worse effort.

Bruins were 12th in home hits and 4th in road hits. Perhaps this influenced my view where the Bruins were more easily bullied at home, I am not certain. Regardless, last season was a swing and a miss again in team toughness although adding Tinordi helped.

 

[KrejciMVP]

No they didn't. Good regular season team, bad playoff team. Ritchie isn't the answer. Getting rid of one of those abysmal contracts and using that money for good depth is. Also they need an actual goaltender that's capable of going through 4 rounds of hockey.

what do you mean? Ritchie will elevate Toronto Mark Reechi style. A cup is coming to Toronto

 

[Troublesome 85]

Leafs fans think cuz hes home he wont be fat, lazy and slow anymore.

 

[FabulousLysell]

what do you mean? Ritchie will elevate Toronto Mark Reechi style. A cup is coming to Toronto

You're right, I was thinking of the wrong Ritchie.

 

[FabulousLysell]

Leafs fans think cuz hes home he wont be fat, lazy and slow anymore.

Any photos of him in Leaf pyjamas?

 

[Sheppy]

A non physical Nick Ritchie is still more physical than 95% of the Bruins

 

[Dr Hook]

A non physical Nick Ritchie is still more physical than 95% of the Bruins

Perhaps, but physiciality is useless on it's own merits. Nick was a good player starting off last season and degenerated in time to not doing much of anything positive for the team. We could have really used an engaged, physical Nick Ritchie in the playoffs and we didn't get it. I get wanting that element on the team, but the player providing it has to be worth putting out there shift to shift and by the end Nick was not up to the job. I can understand the Bruins not bringing him back.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Kind of amazed this thread continues on now that he is gone.

Still basking in the glow of his departure

 

[UncleRico]

I would like to think the postseason revealed that they did indeed lack toughness and hitting regardless of those regular season fights and hits totals.

With so many variables involved those stats may not tell the story. Perhaps the Bruins should have been standing up for themselves even more. They were nearly always the nail, not the hammer. I don't think those posters were asking for a line of old fashioned enforcers. Reaves is one of a kind at this point. It is a mentality and that is what the Bruins largely lacked.

I was disappointed in their effort and lack of emotion last season (Tinordi and Miller aside) and this season is preparing for an even worse effort.

Bruins were 12th in home hits and 4th in road hits. Perhaps this influenced my view where the Bruins were more easily bullied at home, I am not certain. Regardless, last season was a swing and a miss again in team toughness although adding Tinordi helped.

They went up against the toughest team in the league in Washington and won. It wasn’t until injuries when they were up 2-1 on the islanders that things went downhill. I don’t think it was toughness that held the bruins back unless toughness includes playing through concussions.

 

[Secord]

Reeves isn’t going to be on the ice with the aging skill guys and if he is I welcome it

he’s also not really that kind of guy

Yes, we've gone from the Big Bad Bruins to Fingers Crossed!

 

[shelbysdad]

This thread is kinda like stalking your ex on facebook, even though you really didn't like her that much and you knew there was no future, but you didn't want her to be with anyone else either because there was one thing you really liked but found the rest annoying

 

[CDJ]

Yes, we've gone from the Big Bad Bruins to Fingers Crossed!

Eh, unless Marchand is low bridging somebody he’ll be quiet. He doesn’t really run around these days and tbh he never really ran around like Wilson or a Rinaldo etc

I’m not all that concerned about the toughness of the team, I just need them to get better on the
back end.

the Big Bad Bruins era is over and it’s not because Boston chose to go that way, it’s over because the game decided to go that way

 

[BruinsBtn]

Leaf fans are hoping they're getting a prime Lucic. They're not even getting current Lucic with Ritchie.

 

[rocketdan9]

Leafs fans think cuz hes home he wont be fat, lazy and slow anymore.

I thought he looked very skinny last season. Post game pressers.... his upper body looked bones....made his big head, look even bigger

I think he is trying. Getting help from skating coach etc.

Its just...

 

[JEM28]

I thought he looked very skinny last season. Post game pressers.... his upper body looked bones....made his big head, look even bigger

I think he is trying. Getting help from skating coach etc.

Its just...

Even if his physicality didn’t meet expectations at least he departs with us knowing he punched Hathaway and Lemieux in the face this season.

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

It's not a stretch for Ritchie and Kase to do well on the Leafs or for the Leafs to do better than the Bruins.

Probably going to lose Debrusk next season for nothing because out side of a 25+ goal season he won't be worth his qo. And even then a lot of dough to spend on him.

 

[UncleRico]

There are better optioins out there, in house or out, than Ritche. I am so, so glad they got rid of him.

The Bruins need much more physicality and intimidation up and down the roster. That should not be news to anyone who watches the games.

But they weren't really going to get that, ever, from Nick Ritchie. That's not who he is.

Unfortunately, the Bruins will not be signing a Ryan Reeves. They still don't understand, though it has been demonstrably the case, that physicality is a crucial ingredient to success.

This past draft, the Bruins FINALLY started drafting size. Which is very encouraging.

Unfortunately, I still don't think Sweeney or Neely understand they need what Milt Schmidt used to call "That nasty."

They need it. Now and forever. Whether they are a championship club or not. It's Bruins DNA.

Coasting through their historic 2019 President's Trophy, TB received a rude awakening from a heavy, punishing Columbus club in the first round, swept and bereft.

They got smart. They brought in Goodrow, etc. They won two consecutive Cups. (And yes, all you's, I realize the Bruins defeated CBJ to advance to the finals that year. Don't mess with my narrative.)

Why, oh why, doesn't Sweeney understand that skill, speed *and* physicality win? It's absolutely depressing and baffling.

Unfortunately the bruins won’t be signing Ryan Reaves? The same Ryan Reaves that was so garbage that he has watched multiple elimination playoff games from the press box?

If his physicality is so conducive to winning, how do his teams keep going down in series and end up being forced to sit him in elimination games during the playoffs? Surely they would want him on the ice when the games mean the most if physicality is so important to winning, right?

 

[Bearcrap]

Leaf fans are hoping they're getting a prime Lucic. They're not even getting current Lucic with Ritchie.

Current Lucic? Not even close to retired Lucic. Current Lucic is still willing to thow'em on a regular basis.

 

[Blowfish]

I'm just so happy to not watch him play over other deserving players....Most frustrating player to watch since Backes.

 

[ODAAT]

I'm just so happy to not watch him play over other deserving players....Most frustrating player to watch since Backes.

really? More so than Debrusk? I think we got the exact player the Ducks were willing to part with, a big guy with no speed who leaves most feeling ripped off as he seems totally disinterested more than he does interested

 

[Blowfish]

really? More so than Debrusk? I think we got the exact player the Ducks were willing to part with, a big guy with no speed who leaves most feeling ripped off as he seems totally disinterested more than he does interested

My gut tells me Debrusk was dealing with some off ice stuff. He wasn't focussed. I see him rebounding.