Nick Ritchie in Toronto

[Guy Boucher]

The sad thing is that if Ritchie lost 15-20 pounds, he would be a really good player. He has good puck skill, underrated passing, good shot, hands around the net.

He just can't utilize any of his skills because he can't get there in time.

 

[hotpaws]

I think it's just not the right fit. The Leafs play more of a North-South style game that focuses on skating and that's definitely not his strong suit. Although, I thought the same with Simmonds and I think he's been very effective in the 4th line role this year.

I think he would be more suited for an East-West game, that builds up the ice slower and focuses on the cycle below the red-line, whereas the Leafs like constantly moving rotations of forwards and defensemen throughout the zone.

They were probably hoping that he could have fit in the top 6, but it hasn't worked to this point.

i doubt it has anything to do with not being a fit since he should have fit in perfectly with the Bruins and they didn't qualify him

sometime is just comes down to a player not being good enough , Ritchie is slow but he also doesn't read the play well enough to compensate for his lack of speed which leaves him unable to stay in the flow of the game

maybe he'll get a lucky stretch where he happens to be in the right spot and pop the odd one in but other than that i wouldn't expect much from him

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

The sad thing is that if Ritchie lost 15-20 pounds, he would be a really good player. He has good puck skill, underrated passing, good shot, hands around the net.

He just can't utilize any of his skills because he can't get there in time.

I've been thinking the same thing. Even 10 pounds would make a huge difference, and he would still be big and mean enough to play his style of game.

 

[DraftSchmaft]

maybe part of the problem of his not lines getting chances falls on him ?

Depends on what type we're talking about. Ritchie did nothing to sustain a cycle yes or run some nice tic tac toes. For the chances that maximize Ritchies skill set though, yes I'm confident saying his line mates screwed him there. Gaining zone and creating chances in front is nothing Marner Matthews or Tavares has ever had an issue doing. They don't need Ritchie to have a good game to do this.

If they did this and Ritchie played soft in front that's a different story and would fall on Ritchie. We've never actually seen Ritchie get chances like the top 6 got last night though so the jury is still out.

 

[Stephen]

Did anyone even watch the game. The guy did nothing wrong as a 11 minute 4th liner and went straight to the net when Spezza had the puck. Had a nice scoring chance he would have buried if the puck settled. Collected 2 blocks as well.

Bunting had about 4-5 cracks in front of the net. This isn't a knock on Bunting he had an A+ game, but Ritchie does have better hands and a bigger frame you have to imagine if it was Ritchie on the door step, Nylander and Matthews might have an extra assist or two. These are the chances I was talking about that never came for Ritchie. His line didn't produce anything, it was aimless hockey. These chances are what he should have seen from day 1 but we had a disaster of a start. Even in the Rangers game with our elite advanced stats, these chances didn't exist.

I don’t think it’s so much that Ritchie doesn’t contribute anything per shift cause he and Simmonds were pretty good and physical on the forecheck.

I think the bigger picture is his career trajectory. He’s a mid 20s former top 10 pick who didn’t pan out as an impact player in Anaheim and wasn’t a big part of the Bruins thought process even though he had ok numbers. In Toronto, he had a chance to ride shotgun on the top six and just settled lower in the lineup. He failed to pad the stats and get things going for himself, the team struggled early on. Then the team digs out and he’s not really playing any part of that. For him personally, the direction things are going are not that positive.

 

[hotpaws]

Depends on what type we're talking about. Ritchie did nothing to sustain a cycle yes or run some nice tic tac toes. For the chances that maximize Ritchies skill set though, yes I'm confident saying his line mates screwed him there. Gaining zone and creating chances in front is nothing Marner Matthews or Tavares has ever had an issue doing. They don't need Ritchie to have a good game to do this.

If they did this and Ritchie played soft in front that's a different story and would fall on Ritchie. We've never actually seen Ritchie get chances like the top 6 got last night though so the jury is still out.

there's 200 fee of ice , even being the 3rd wheel you still have to contribute something other than too just stand in front of the oppositions net and bang in garbage

Buntings no screaming hell but he does do more than just plant himself in the crease .

Ritchie has been given ample opportunities in his career and has been kicked to the curb by multiple teams so lets not pretend it's his line mates letting him down , his size and being picked high in the first rd are the only reason he's still in the league but if he continues to fail here i doubt a 4th team offers him anything more than a pto when his current contract is up .

 

[JT AM da real deal]

You guys can all crap all over Ritchie when he is down and not scoring but there have been ZERO attempts this season on Matty .. I mean hurt him bad .. and there won't be with Ritchie on our roster .. you will also praise him when he scores 7 goals in 4 games too .. to me da policeman value is worth every red cent

 

[Cams]

I thought he had a much better game last night. Being on the 4th line is going to really lower his production offensively, but there was a couple shifts where him and Simmonds where both banging guys in the corners or behind the icing line, and really hounding the puck. Hope he can keep that up.

Going to be decisions to make when Mikheyev is ready to return.

 

[forecheck]

You guys can all crap all over Ritchie when he is down and not scoring but there have been ZERO attempts this season on Matty .. I mean hurt him bad .. and there won't be with Ritchie on our roster .. you will also praise him when he scores 7 goals in 4 games too .. to me da policeman value is worth every red cent

Kurtis Gabriel can fill that roll for 750 vs Ritchie's 2.5

 

[showtime8]

i doubt it has anything to do with not being a fit since he should have fit in perfectly with the Bruins and they didn't qualify him

sometime is just comes down to a player not being good enough , Ritchie is slow but he also doesn't read the play well enough to compensate for his lack of speed which leaves him unable to stay in the flow of the game

maybe he'll get a lucky stretch where he happens to be in the right spot and pop the odd one in but other than that i wouldn't expect much from him

The Bruins didn't want to qualify him at the $2mill. Yeah, that's not a lot, but maybe it wasn't a part of their cap structure. It's also not a great sign if he's not getting qualified at that.

And for the Leafs sake, I don't mind that he's playing on the 4th line right now because they're getting so much value out of having Bunting on the 1st line at under a mill. The problem becomes when Mikheyev returns and probably secures a spot on the 3rd line, Engvall has played enough to stay in the line-up.... and Ritchie hasn't. That's when you have the tougher conversation and likely hear more criticism.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Kurtis Gabriel can fill that roll for 750 vs Ritchie's 2.5

Ah with all due respect, Gabriel is not even close to an NHL player. He has stone hands, and can't skate.

Nick may be underproducing based on his AAV and what we expected of him pre-season. But the truth is that 4th line is playing great. Nick is the most underperforming aspect of that line for sure, but the recipe is working. So far at least.

No need to make a change yet. I still think Nick can contribute in this capacity. But I think it is clear that he is only fit for that line. Should that line begin to fail, Nick would be getting healthied for Seymonov IMO.

 

[hotpaws]

The Bruins didn't want to qualify him at the $2mill. Yeah, that's not a lot, but maybe it wasn't a part of their cap structure. It's also not a great sign if he's not getting qualified at that.

And for the Leafs sake, I don't mind that he's playing on the 4th line right now because they're getting so much value out of having Bunting on the 1st line at under a mill. The problem becomes when Mikheyev returns and probably secures a spot on the 3rd line, Engvall has played enough to stay in the line-up.... and Ritchie hasn't. That's when you have the tougher conversation and likely hear more criticism.

last year with us racking up points in a shit division it was easy to give Vessey extended looks up and down the lineup for some strange reason before we finally dumped him on waivers

this year the team doesn't have that luxury and why he was dumped on the 4th line fairly quickly and why i doubt it'll much of debate if he continues his poor play to get rid of him some way when Mik comes back if not before

 

[forecheck]

Ah with all due respect, Gabriel is not even close to an NHL player. He has stone hands, and can't skate.

Nick may be underproducing based on his AAV and what we expected of him pre-season. But the truth is that 4th line is playing great. Nick is the most underperforming aspect of that line for sure, but the recipe is working. So far at least.

No need to make a change yet. I still think Nick can contribute in this capacity. But I think it is clear that he is only fit for that line. Should that line begin to fail, Nick would be getting healthied for Seymonov IMO.

The role of fighter is what I was sugggesting... Ritchie needs to pick it up and show something more than being a 4th line player to justify his salary ... Maybe he will wake up ? We will see.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Kurtis Gabriel can fill that roll for 750 vs Ritchie's 2.5

With respect, Gabriel won't pump in 15 goals for us this season .. I have seen Ritchie play since he was 12 .. he has always been a kid who scores in bunches .. he will also win us 5 games with his offense .. he will lose us a couple with a bad board too .. just nature of beast

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Hasn't been nearly good enough he NEEDS to bang in a couples goals, I'm not asking for 25 goals this year but 1 assist in 10 games isn't nearly enough

 

[DarkKnight]

Ritchie is where lines go to die, everywhere he moves, so does effectiveness.

 

[showtime8]

Hasn't been nearly good enough he NEEDS to bang in a couples goals, I'm not asking for 25 goals this year but 1 assist in 10 games isn't nearly enough

Not going to get many chances playing 4th line and 2nd pp.

That goal total will be closer to 8-10 for this year if things stay the way they are.

 

[TMLAM34]

The thing with Ritchie, he’s not even playing a smart physical game. Simmonds is more noticeable out there and making less half of what Ritchie is making…

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

With respect, Gabriel won't pump in 15 goals for us this season .. I have seen Ritchie play since he was 12 .. he has always been a kid who scores in bunches .. he will also win us 5 games with his offense .. he will lose us a couple with a bad board too .. just nature of beast

Neither will Ritchie if he doesn't get his shit together

 

[TMLAM34]

Not sure why people love Gabriel… Guy is not an NHLer. Yes he plays physical which is nice but provides literally nothing else.

 

[hotpaws]

Not sure why people love Gabriel… Guy is not an NHLer. Yes he plays physical which is nice but provides literally nothing else.

he's not really even an AHLer but he does have a very attractive significant other

 

[Zonk]

The Bruins didn't want to qualify him at the $2mill. Yeah, that's not a lot, but maybe it wasn't a part of their cap structure. It's also not a great sign if he's not getting qualified at that.

My understanding, (and I could be wrong), is that the Bruins were worried that if they qualified Ritchie at $2 million he could ask for arbitration and potentially get awarded considerably more. I believe that the Bruins would not be able to walk away if the award was less than $4,538,958.

 

[kb]

You guys can all crap all over Ritchie when he is down and not scoring but there have been ZERO attempts this season on Matty .. I mean hurt him bad .. and there won't be with Ritchie on our roster .. you will also praise him when he scores 7 goals in 4 games too .. to me da policeman value is worth every red cent

This is the unseen value or Ritchie. Outside of Reaves, he may (arguably) be the toughest guy in the league. Basically no one has bothered anyone of our boys with Simmonds and Ritchie around. That creates value too.....the players feel more safe with Simmonds and Ritchie on the ice or on the bench.

 

[Menzinger]

I thought he had a much better game last night. Being on the 4th line is going to really lower his production offensively, but there was a couple shifts where him and Simmonds where both banging guys in the corners or behind the icing line, and really hounding the puck. Hope he can keep that up.

Going to be decisions to make when Mikheyev is ready to return.

He's got decent chemistry with the guys in the 4th and eyetest wise was making some decent hits while also driving to the net looking for those garbage rebounds. Just a matter of time before he starts picking up the odd goal if he keeps that up

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Worst case he can be our (better and younger) Martin or Clifford. The 4th line makes less than $4 million and has been great.

Best case he gets his shit together and puts up 15 goals in the top 9