Former Bruins Nick Ritchie III

[Blowfish]

I don’t want him back but he was a hell of a lot better than Foligno as a net front guy on the PP

Was he? Foligno is chasing pucks down and keeping the play alive. Richie was good at standing and tap ins.

 

[Fenian24]

I was the biggest Kase fan here, I wanted him to retire rather than risk another concussion, but I'm happy he's doing well. Just wish it weren't for Toronto. f***ing Sweeney didn't even tender him a qualifying offer and we have a dearth of right wings this year, another brilliant decision from the Sweenius.

As for Ritchie, speaking of criticizing Sweeney, are we starting to come around on how idiotic a trade Heinen for Ritchie was now that Danton's awoken and found his form again in Pittsburgh. And we still don't have any NHL quality right wingers behind Pasta and Smith.

No. It was still addition by subtraction getting rid of Mr. Intensity. They already are soft at forward who would you have Heinen replace? Foligno? Frederic? Making soft even softer?

Good riddance to Heinen

 

[McGarnagle]

If Nick Ritchie ends up on our powerplay in 2022:

https://media3.giphy.com/media/wIxG3IrKaue8E/giphy.gif

lmao

I'm in no rush to bring him back. You could do worse, but nah. Really most of his points were set up by Krejci and he's gone too. A few more injuries and I'd consider it, but might as well stick with the kids.

Thicc Nick is the kind of guy who could probably go to Switzerland and dominate the league, but he just doesn't have what it takes to stick at the NHL level. Too good for the AHL, doesn't fit in the NHL. Primarily it's his skating and hockey IQ that are lagging. Size and strength are there, he's not a bad shot either. Can find the net and had something going in front on the PP before Hall came and displaced him from PP1, but he's a defensive liability due to his skating and he took more unnecessary penalties than any Bruin I can remember in the last 20 years.

I just continue to be disappointed with Sweeney over the Heinen/Ritchie trade. I know a lot of people didn't care for Heinen (and he did have a poor 2019-2020 season prior to the deal), but he's a high IQ player who made the lines he was on better, as opposed to Ritchie who has the opposite effect despite having the qualities that excite the traditional scout (size, meanness, hands, etc.).

 

[ylekot]

Was he? Foligno is chasing pucks down and keeping the play alive. Richie was good at standing and tap ins.

I thought he excelled most at finding open spaces behind the action and plays.. deftly turning his lack of speed and acceleration into a possible weapon....I liken it to the Wonder twin power superhero that turned himself into a glass of water or an ice cube..understated but effective I guess

 

[McGarnagle]

No. It was still addition by subtraction getting rid of Mr. Intensity. They already are soft at forward who would you have Heinen replace? Foligno? Frederic? Making soft even softer?

Good riddance to Heinen

Heinen is a high-IQ, defensively responsible forward who makes every line he's on better. In 2019 when Pasta missed part of the year after getting drunk and breaking his thumb falling out of a taxi, all the metrics actually showed that Bergeron and Marchand's line actually performed more efficiently with Heinen on it than Pasta. He's not a player who pops out with great skills and won't make scouts' eyes sparkle with his tools, but he is a solid professional hockey player who can fit almost anywhere in a lineup.

This obsession with chasing size and toughness is what Sweeney fell into when he made that trade. Overreacting to the Blues loss and the perception that they bullied us because we lost a 7 game series with a couple tough losses that could've gone either way with a little luck, so he trades a guy who looks soft but whose underlying stats show he's a very efficient hockey player for a guy who was drafted in the first round and hits and fights and has a cannon but all underlying stats show he underperforms at the NHL level and is a defensive liability.

We can agree to disagree, but I'm not budging on my belief that that was one of Sweeney's biggest blunders. Of course he'd dislodge Frederic or Blidh from the 2021-22 lineup.

 

[Fenian24]

Heinen is a high-IQ, defensively responsible forward who makes every line he's on better. In 2019 when Pasta missed part of the year after getting drunk and breaking his thumb falling out of a taxi, all the metrics actually showed that Bergeron and Marchand's line actually performed more efficiently with Heinen on it than Pasta. He's not a player who pops out with great skills and won't make scouts' eyes sparkle with his tools, but he is a solid professional hockey player who can fit almost anywhere in a lineup.

This obsession with chasing size and toughness is what Sweeney fell into when he made that trade. Overreacting to the Blues loss and the perception that they bullied us because we lost a 7 game series with a couple tough losses that could've gone either way with a little luck, so he trades a guy who looks soft but whose underlying stats show he's a very efficient hockey player for a guy who was drafted in the first round and hits and fights and has a cannon but all underlying stats show he underperforms at the NHL level and is a defensive liability.

We can agree to disagree, but I'm not budging on my belief that that was one of Sweeney's biggest blunders. Of course he'd dislodge Frederic or Blidh from the 2021-22 lineup.

Not being a wise ass but agreeing to disagree is the best option. Heinen is why I have little respect for analytics and there are about 550 players I would want before him.

We can definitely agree to disagree on why they lost to the Blues.

 

[EverettMike]

Did Ritchie get two years from Toronto?

 

[TCB]

Did Ritchie get two years from Toronto?

He did 2.5 per.

Making room for Hertle

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

It still blows my mind that anyone thinks Ritchie doesn’t suck.

He’s not a guy you’re ever going to be able to count on in any situation. Sure, he will bang a loose puck home every now and then…but I see no reason to bring him back. He adds nothing. As underwhelming as Foligno has been (let’s be honest, that was pretty predictable), he’s apparently a good leader behind the scenes. That alone makes me okay with having him in there over Ritchie.

 

[EverettMike]

He did 2.5 per.

Making room for Hertle

I would like to reiterate my "LOL" from the off-season.

 

[PlayMakers]

I would like to reiterate my "LOL" from the off-season.

We can’t laugh too hard, considering the deal Foligno got.

I like the player but $4m was $2m too much.

 

[EverettMike]

We can’t laugh too hard, considering the deal Foligno got.

I like the player but $4m was $2m too much.

I hated that deal too, but yes, I'm certainly not laughing about it. C'mon Bill! GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES OF SCHADENFREUDE!

 

[TCB]

I would like to reiterate my "LOL" from the off-season.

Outside of Toronto, You weren't alone

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

The Maple Leafs placed Ritchie on waivers today.

Leafs realized quicker than Bruins that having a dog in the lineup is detrimental to the team.

 

[ON3M4N]

We can’t laugh too hard, considering the deal Foligno got.

I like the player but $4m was $2m too much.

Foligno has at least looked better over the last handful of games. He also can keep up with the play and gives you everything he has each shift while not looking lost in the defensive zone.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Jesus. Somebody hit the net.

 

[UncleRico]

It still blows my mind that anyone thinks Ritchie doesn’t suck.

He’s not a guy you’re ever going to be able to count on in any situation. Sure, he will bang a loose puck home every now and then…but I see no reason to bring him back. He adds nothing. As underwhelming as Foligno has been (let’s be honest, that was pretty predictable), he’s apparently a good leader behind the scenes. That alone makes me okay with having him in there over Ritchie.

Id rather have the cap space than either of those guys on the roster. This is basically whose shit stinks more. Do you want the stinker cheaper shit or the slightly less stinky but more expensive shit.

 

[UncleRico]

Foligno has at least looked better over the last handful of games. He also can keep up with the play and gives you everything he has each shift while not looking lost in the defensive zone.

the whole bottom 6 looked much better, but they also went up against three garbage teams in Buffalo, New Jersey and Detroit.

This has been what the team is the whole year. Feast on the trash and then no show against teams with better records.

 

[DKH]

We can’t laugh too hard, considering the deal Foligno got.

I like the player but $4m was $2m too much.

He didn’t get 4 M

 

[The National]

He didn’t get 4 M

Not too far off.

About a Porsche or two less.

 

[DKH]

Not too far off.

About a Porsche or two away.

He makes 3,6 but I always keep reading 4 m

 

[The National]

He makes 3,6 but I always keep reading 4 m

3.8m

 

[DKH]

3.8m

Nope 3.6

 

[The National]

Nope 3.6

CapFriendly must be wrong.

 

[PB37]

What could have been if the Ritchie bros were good at hockey.