Confirmed with Link: Nick Ritchie to Toronto (2x2.5M AAV)

[Fonzieleaf]

I remember Don Cherry ripping the leafs for drafting Nylander over Ritchie. You got your wish now Don he’s a leaf! Lol

 

[Anthrax442]

Lol somewhere Grapes is rolling in his bed

 

[Cor]

Good Value

 

[Craig Button]

Don be like

 

[TimeZone]

It seems were out to sign every bottom six forward in the league at this point.

Would have been quite content with two of Ritchie, Kase, Bunting, Kamp and a legitimate top six forward.

I'm not out to rain on everyone's parade, if you're happy that's good for you, I'm just not a fan of Dubas seemingly signing seemingly trying to sign every 3rd, 4th liner(or worse) available while not getting a legitimate top six talent to replace Hymans offensive production.

I do like Ritchie though, he is lazy at times and takes too many penalties, but when he wants to play he's definitely solid. Team still needs a legitimate top six guy though and that can only come via trade now.

 

[CupcakeSprinkles]

The gambling component aside which I am not a fan of. Of course it's the horses fault, if they were favoured to win.

The Leafs were at one point Cup Faves in Vegas a few years ago (probably knowing there was easy money with the excitable Leaf fans). This past year in particular, even I thought this Leaf team had the horses to make the Finals.

Dubas error was the Cap management of the RFA deals. They all played hardball, probably due to Tavares contract and the sweetener they needed to deal with Babcock. I don't know.

Ultimately though, he's putting in full effort. If he doesn't succeed in Toronto, he will find another job at the NHL level. Owners will see that his ability to work along the edges when needed. These players don't need to sign here, he's getting them.

The same people blaming cap management "overpay" forget that prior to COVID the NHL was printing money and it was anticipated that 100M cap was approaching. Dubas signed contracts in anticipation of inflation.. COVID happen and now we're in a flat cap world. It's hard to project for any unforseen instances and I don't blame him for the logic.

It's impressive the depth we are finding in free agency and I feel we have improved our depth drastically.

 

[AcerComputer]

This tells me Morgan Rielly or Alex Kerfoot are being traded. Cap doesn’t work otherwise

It's called waivers. All those min league contracts won't all be on the team.

 

[PromisedLand]

I hope that they don't let Rielly to just walk for nothing.

Always feel that Leafs overpaid a player to come here. $2.5m looks a pretty steep for a player who scored 15 goals one time.

Ritchie's cap hit last season was 1.5 AAV

his QO would have been about 1.6 to 1.7 AAV

that's a solid million extra he is earning; since he is walking right to UFA. I guess we could have negotiated it at 1.75 to 2 AAV

oh well....

 

[fahad203]

The are reasons many of us don't blame Dubas for the recent failures of the Leafs:

First, I think he's become a better GM as each year has passed.

Second, he's honest and direct with fans, not ducking talking to the media most of the time or passing blame (even when some can fairly be shared).

Third, he's not arrogant or stagnant in his position.

He will ultimately pay the price if the Leafs fail. It they fail, it will be because the best players didn't get it done in the big games, not because Dubas didn't find the right players, even as I have some philosophical differences with his approach (I'm more of a big splash guy to find assured studs, Dubas is more loyal).

Bottom line, the players have to get it done because Dubas is constantly working the phones to set them up for success.

This is not the Macdonalds. You don't get your first management job then practice on it

I dont Ritchie as a player. He's just lazy and very moody.

But I guess this is good as its going to get considering the options out there

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm not a big fan of Ritchie. I'm not sure 2.5M is that great of value but it's pretty fair at the very least. He'll give us 15 goals and plenty of PIMs.

I hope I am proven wrong though and we're definitely better and heavier with him than not.

 

[LeafSteel]

WE GOT WHAT WE WANTED! We now wanted too sire! See how great we our now and CHEAP SIRE! We did it! Thank you to the whole organization. We set, for life! Got our heavy weight! Who tight! That even rhymes

Shall we commence holding on to our butts, or not yet????

 

[Mess]

This tells me Morgan Rielly or Alex Kerfoot are being traded. Cap doesn’t work otherwise

Works IF

Nick Ritchie IN @ $2.5 mil & Ondrej Kase @ $1.25 mil (LTIR) = Ritchie at $1.25 mil cap essentially.

Leafs get Ritchie at 1/2 price if they use Kase LTIR reimbursement money to pay the other 1/2.

Current Cap. July 31st, 2021

PROJECTED CAP HIT

: $82,894,783
PROJECTED LTIR USED

: $1,394,783 (Leafs don't currently have any LTIR contracts in the off season)
PROJECTED CAP SPACE

: $0 ($0)

Toronto Maple Leafs Salary Cap, Draft Picks, and Player Contracts - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

 

[Pi]

Yesssss. I wanted this guy bad.

I think he can do like 75% or Hyman’s job at a fraction of the cost.

We got Kase and Ritchie for less than Foligno.

 

[Leafsfan74]

I remember Don Cherry ripping the leafs for drafting Nylander over Ritchie. You got your wish now Don he’s a leaf! Lol

The Don Cherry mystique is vastly overstated. The guy threw more darts at the board than anyone in history, then when a couple hit the bullseye he tells the world how smart he is. Much smarter than any of us.

I grew up on his hockey preaching, he's not a dummy. He's certainly not the messiah either.

Not to take anything away from Ritchie as I like the way he plays, it would seem to me that the Leafs drafted wisely and I'm not Nylanders biggest fan (though he is growing on me).

 

[Dekes For Days]

Nick Ritchie IN @ $2.5 mil & Ondrej Kase @ 1.25 mil (LTIR) = Ritchie at $1.25 mil cap essentially

That's not how that works at all, and they both fit under the cap anyway.

 

[Cor]

It's called waivers. All those min league contracts won't all be on the team.

The only way it works is if Engvall is off the roster and we run 21 man roster. (so either no spare D, or no spare F).

The 21 man roster isn't ideal. There's no taxi squad this year.

 

[TMLAM34]

Love this signing. Was hoping Dubas would sign Ritchie.

 

[Gary Nylund]

The same people blaming cap management "overpay" forget that prior to COVID the NHL was printing money and it was anticipated that 100M cap was approaching. Dubas signed contracts in anticipation of inflation.. COVID happen and now we're in a flat cap world. It's hard to project for any unforseen instances and I don't blame him for the logic.

It's impressive the depth we are finding in free agency and I feel we have improved our depth drastically.

That's fair. Thing is though, there is a new flat cap reality and IMO that means that adjustments need to be made. Too much cap is tied up in 3 forwards and one of them needs to go so that we can ice a more balanced roster. Dubas seems to be in love with these guys and is stubbornly staying the course so I can blame Dubas for not adjusting. I can, and I will!

 

[Riellyfan04]

Ritchie much better option than Foligno anyways. This is a good signing.

 

[PromisedLand]

Yesssss. I wanted this guy bad.

I think he can do like 75% or Hyman’s job at a fraction of the cost.

We got Kase and Ritchie for less than Foligno.

LOL no he can't even do 50% of Hyman's job.

 

[TheScandal89]

I wanted to get him, I was hoping for less but ohwell. Hopefully he can stay in shape and provide us some net presence and toughness.

I think we will trade a Engvall or Mikheyev, or both and sign Tatar for low and that will be all

 

[TimeZone]

Yesssss. I wanted this guy bad.

I think he can do like 75% or Hyman’s job at a fraction of the cost.

We got Kase and Ritchie for less than Foligno.

Kase is a slight breeze away from becoming a vegetable at the age of 25. Don't count on him, he's an extreme longshot to even play half the season.

 

[Dekes For Days]

The only way it works is if Engvall is off the roster and we run 21 man roster. (so either no spare D, or no spare F).

It works with Engvall, and we were never going to be doing a 22-23 man roster.

 

[Gallagbi]

It may be dramatic, but I feel like this signing will either thrive or fail in the first Boston game when he inevitably fights Foligno

 

[Walshy7]

The Don Cherry mystique is vastly overstated. The guy threw more darts at the board than anyone in history, then when a couple hit the bullseye he tells the world how smart he is. Much smarter than any of us.

I grew up on his hockey preaching, he's not a dummy. He's certainly not the messiah either.

Not to take anything away from Ritchie as I like the way he plays, it would seem to me that the Leafs drafted wisely and I'm not Nylanders biggest fan (though he is growing on me).

so you are saying willy is growing on you?

well I can’t say I’m that excited for Ritchie but I think he’s be a nice addition