Player Discussion Nick Ritchie Appreciation Thread

[The Midnight Burrito]

NHL player safety is a joke. Ritchie got 2 games for the same type of suckerpunch as Haley did with Järnkrok and only got 1 game.

In their video explaining the thing, they describe Rozsival's crosscheck to Perry as "shoved to the ice" but immediately after the call the same thing "crosscheck" when Ritchie attacks Rozsival. It is funny that they have to sell their judgement by diminishing the offense that Rozsival did.

DOPS really is a joke. This hit (which I approved of, by the way) also got 2 games from them. It's a far worse play IMO.



edit: LOL, I just finally saw the Dotchin hit. What in hell was the difference? Gino's hit was arguably worse. Where's the outrage! Can't remember what move that's from.

 

[gratefulyours]

dops sucks, but it is not always their fault.

they can not give out long suspensions without leaving arbitration open so all offences have to get the same kind suspension length regardless of recklessness / dirty-ness.

choosing not to punish the same type of hits and infractions because of star power is all on them.

choosing different lengths of suspensions for similar infractions is also on them.

league needs to limit the dpos ability to manipulate time frames / allow their biases to dictate punishment, and allow for longer suspensions or nothing will change.

 

[kducks]

DOPS is rewarding rats. You don't have to answer for dirty hits. Just stand there with your gloves glued on when confronted. They are suspending the wrong players.

 

[Duck Off]

why in the actual **** did we not appeal this to try and get it reduced to 1 game?

 

[kducks]

why in the actual **** did we not appeal this to try and get it reduced to 1 game?

Ritchie appears to be The Hulk in disguise. This is why he got the extra game. Guy needs to quit hockey if one punch takes him out.

http://www.secondcityhockey.com/201...al-fracture-ducks-nick-ritchie-punch-nhl-2017

 

[AngelDuck]

Bad playoffs overall but great job rearranging Kassian's stupid face a little last night. I wish the refs weren't so soft and didn't try to break up the fight

 

[Dirk316]

Bad playoffs overall but great job rearranging Kassian's stupid face a little last night. I wish the refs weren't so soft and didn't try to break up the fight

i thought he had a good overall game despite the 2 penalties
His first penalty was a joke "goalie interference" basically crashing the net like he's supposed to looking for a rebound
The other is for a huge hit on one of Edmontons most important dman this sent a huge message to Oilers who have been running around all series.
They were good non lazy penalties

 

[PuqTalk]

Ritchie's forechecking was so abysmal last night I couldn't believe it. For one, he's too slow to be the first man in. He routinely shadows right next to the other forward or has no awareness of pressuring the passing options for the puck carrier. It's like he's literally such a dullard that Carlyle told him "forecheck and hit" and he just zones in on whoever has the puck and goes straight for them and finishes a check regardless of what develops around it, who they passed to, or what is going on behind him.

 

[Trojans86]

Imo he needs to lose a lot of weight and get a lot quicker out there. He isn't ready for the nhl if you ask me. I guess he is better than boll at least.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Imo he needs to lose a lot of weight and get a lot quicker out there. He isn't ready for the nhl if you ask me. I guess he is better than boll at least.

It doesn't necessarily mean he has a weight issue. He just simply needs to work on footwork and flexibility. Honestly I'm not seeing a massive issue there though, doesn't have to be a burner to play his game effectively.

 

[AngelDuck]

i thought he had a good overall game despite the 2 penalties
His first penalty was a joke "goalie interference" basically crashing the net like he's supposed to looking for a rebound
The other is for a huge hit on one of Edmontons most important dman this sent a huge message to Oilers who have been running around all series.
They were good non lazy penalties

I didn't have a problem with the hit. That's the way he needs to play and that was a pretty soft call for a playoff game

I have a problem with his inability to chip in offensively at all. Although some of that is Vermette's fault (who is absolutely a non-factor after winning the face-off)

I'd like to see Ritchie on thompson's line moving forward

At a certain point we're going to need some of these depth guys to start chipping in goals. Ritchie, Vermette, Cogliano, etc. Right now it's all Rakell, Getzlaf, Silfverberg

 

[Trojans86]

The difference with cogs and vermette is they have different roles where they can help the team without scoring. Cogs has his pk, defense, forecheck, vermette has his faceoffs and is playing responsible as a 2 way center but doesn't have much talent on his line to work with to create offensively. Ritchie doesn't create anything on offense, isn't good along the boards controlling the puck, isn't fast enough to effectively forech3ck or to be effective on the rush. The only way I see him as an effective top 9 forward is if he either gets a lot faster or gets a lot better on the boards and in front of the net to make him a better version of maroon.

 

[xxreact9]

The difference with cogs and vermette is they have different roles where they can help the team without scoring. Cogs has his pk, defense, forecheck, vermette has his faceoffs and is playing responsible as a 2 way center but doesn't have much talent on his line to work with to create offensively. Ritchie doesn't create anything on offense, isn't good along the boards controlling the puck, isn't fast enough to effectively forech3ck or to be effective on the rush. The only way I see him as an effective top 9 forward is if he either gets a lot faster or gets a lot better on the boards and in front of the net to make him a better version of maroon.

Way too harsh

 

[AngelDuck]

The difference with cogs and vermette is they have different roles where they can help the team without scoring. Cogs has his pk, defense, forecheck, vermette has his faceoffs and is playing responsible as a 2 way center but doesn't have much talent on his line to work with to create offensively. Ritchie doesn't create anything on offense, isn't good along the boards controlling the puck, isn't fast enough to effectively forech3ck or to be effective on the rush. The only way I see him as an effective top 9 forward is if he either gets a lot faster or gets a lot better on the boards and in front of the net to make him a better version of maroon.

It depends if you're talking about these playoffs or the rest of his career. I still see his offense coming at some point in his career. He's too big and strong and shoots the puck too hard to not score 20 goals multiple years IMO.

These playoffs he's obviously not going to get there. But, he still has to be more effective in the offensive zone, I agree

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Way too harsh

Definitely. Kid is already a solid top 9 player, to suggest he's that far removed from being "effective" is just plain silly.

 

[Ducks DVM]

He's not the kind of player to carry a line at this point in his career, and he's playing with two offensive black holes in Vermette and Shaw. He was a couple inches away from having his second goal of the playoffs as a rookie. Which would put him in 3rd for playoff goals for the team.

He's a power forward. He's nowhere close to his prime.

 

[Dirk316]

I didn't have a problem with the hit. That's the way he needs to play and that was a pretty soft call for a playoff game

I have a problem with his inability to chip in offensively at all. Although some of that is Vermette's fault (who is absolutely a non-factor after winning the face-off)

I'd like to see Ritchie on thompson's line moving forward

At a certain point we're going to need some of these depth guys to start chipping in goals. Ritchie, Vermette, Cogliano, etc. Right now it's all Rakell, Getzlaf, Silfverberg

Eaves going down ruined things. Once he's back should help the 3rd line greatly

Eaves Vermette or Thompson Ritchie is a great playoff 3rd line with potential to score and crash the net

 

[KaseMeOutside]

I actually think he can get alot stronger still. He loses alot of puck battles which signals to me he hasn't actually grown into his body yet despite being big.

He also has to get another step faster

 

[Reveille1984]

He'll be fine, whether "fine" means a 30-40 point guy or a 50-60 point guy is yet to be determined. We all knew Ritchie was going to be a project when he was drafted as a pudgy 18 year old with offensive potential and a mean streak. Power forwards historically take longer to develop, he's playing with inept offensive linemates and he's barely 21 years old. He's not exactly in a position to succeed offensively.

 

[Paul4587]

As others have said playing with Vermette who is only good for winning faceoffs and nothing else is not helping. I don't think he's been good but he's certainly not the biggest problem in the bottom 6.

That said I do have an issue with some of the penalties he takes. Especially given we're not winning the special teams battles.

 

[Reveille1984]

As others have said playing with Vermette who is only good for winning faceoffs and nothing else is not helping. I don't think he's been good but he's certainly not the biggest problem in the bottom 6.

That said I do have an issue with some of the penalties he takes. Especially given we're not winning the special teams battles.

Those are the types of players we tend to draft (physical/good on the boards/get into the dirty areas/agitators), so we're always going to be a highly penalized team. Max Jones is going to have the same issues once he gets to the NHL. We've been able to mask that deficiency with good PK units the last few years, which is why guys like Cogs are so important to our team in that they can clean up the messes that our idiots create.

 

[Trojans86]

In my opinion he didnt look great when he played with getz in the regular season. Ive just been disappointed with him along the boards and in front of the net which id expect to be his strength with his size. In my opinion maroon was better in those areas. Ritchie does have a 1000x better shot than maroon.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Definitely. Kid is already a solid top 9 player, to suggest he's that far removed from being "effective" is just plain silly.

Not far removed, depending on what he has to do to move that last distance. He's a dumb dumb. I worry he's more of a Kassian than a consistent 20-goal guy. We'll see.

People dogging on Vermette, who's the only guy on his line actually getting chances consistently.

 

[Reveille1984]

Not far removed, depending on what he has to do to move that last distance. He's a dumb dumb. I worry he's more of a Kassian than a consistent 20-goal guy. We'll see.

People dogging on Vermette, who's the only guy on his line actually getting chances consistently.

Kassian is on another level of dumb, to be honest. Guy's pretty much a lock for 100+ PIM every year.

 

[Bender66]

He's not the kind of player to carry a line at this point in his career, and he's playing with two offensive black holes in Vermette and Shaw. He was a couple inches away from having his second goal of the playoffs as a rookie. Which would put him in 3rd for playoff goals for the team.

He's a power forward. He's nowhere close to his prime.

There have been lots of big strong powerful guys, who dominated at lower ranks purely based on their physical dominance, but then amount to nothing more than 4th line scrubs because there is nothing between the ears. Being an effective NHL power forward requires more than just being big and strong. He's got a decent shot, I'll give him that, but what good is it if he's never in position to use it?

Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but nothing so far suggests he has any hockey sense or ability to read the play. He's a blunt instrument. You point him at an opponent and let him loose and maybe he injures someone. At this point, scrubs like Wagner and Shaw have better offensive instincts than Ritchie.