Confirmed with Link: Brett Ritchie a Bruin

[Fenian24]

If he can catch them. Dude is slow and dumb as a sack of rocks. He also is not as tough as some people seem to think he is. I watch a lot of Stars games and Ritchie most nights is one notch above pure trash. I don't think he will be in the lineup come playoff time unless there are a lot of injuries. Maybe DS sees something in the guy that nobody else is seeing, but I don't see how this guy will be on par with some of Sweeney's better bottom 6 signings.

He's not getting hate here because he hits and fights. That's so disingenuous and you know it

It isn't and I was not saying everybody but there are always a few who want 12 small, skilled forwards over forwards with some size and toughness.

 

[neelynugs]

I’d love to know why his development stalled. Can’t say I watch a lot of Stars hockey but hoping this guy can prove he has more on the bone.

hockey sense

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

It isn't and I was not saying everybody but there are always a few who want 12 small, skilled forwards over forwards with some size and toughness.

Who are the few? I've literally never seen this mentioned on here by anyone besides you.

 

[UncleRico]

It isn't and I was not saying everybody but there are always a few who want 12 small, skilled forwards over forwards with some size and toughness.

I have yet to see anyone say this. People want production and production from skilled and tough guys are hard to come by in the league right now. If we could find another Charlie coyle type who can put up 40-50 points to play on krejcis RW, I imagine everyone would love that.

However there aren’t many players around the league right now who are available. Those who are available can’t be fit into our cap situation unless backes is moved.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

It isn't and I was not saying everybody but there are always a few who want 12 small, skilled forwards over forwards with some size and toughness.

Back to strawman arguments I see.

Who has stated this in here?

 

[compan]

Still don't understand this signing.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Still don't understand this signing.

Eh. I understand it as a depth move but I don't see him as an option for anything higher than line 4.

 

[ODAAT]

Eh. I understand it as a depth move but I don't see him as an option for anything higher than line 4.

this fan is AOK if he winds up being a solid addition to the 4th line, bangs some bodies, creates some havoc for opponents alongside his linemates.

Now, would it be nice if we saw a return of the guy who popped 16 a few years ago? Umm, yeah but I`m not holding my breath for that to happen but as I said, if he comes to camp, wins a 4th line spot and provides this team with some of what they will have lost with Acciari I`ll be perfectly fine with it, if not, short money and term, hardly a massive issue

 

[YouTakeTheVan]

Still don't understand this signing.

Last year 5 players each had 3 fights: Chara (not going to be the enforcer), Acciari (gone), Backes (???), Wagner, Miller (injured?).

Marchand and Kuraly each had 2, as did Ritchie for the Stars.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Still don't understand this signing.

If its part of larger moves its fine or to help Providence win.

But this is clearly a guy who if he gives you 20 good games and a few goals is gonna go missing for the next 20 games. We've done OK with these big guy reclamation projects in the past.

 

[LouJersey]

Dallas willingly gave him up for nothing, he’s just not a good hockey player at all. 13thf, I guess if you have no intention of going outside for a 2 or 3 w other guys bump up and makes the team

 

[LouJersey]

Dallas willingly gave him up for nothing, he’s just not a good hockey player at all. 13thf, I guess if you have no intention of going outside for a 2 or 3 w other guys bump up and makes the team

All this being said the pro scouting department has been on a roll so maybe they’ve seen something

 

[Dr Hook]

All this being said the pro scouting department has been on a roll so maybe they’ve seen something

He will never be Cam Neely, but he could be a useful 3/4th line contributor. Stick him on a 4th line with Nordstrom/Lindholm and Kuraly, or a third line with Coyle and whoever. I always thought watching him with the Stars that there was something that just didn't quite come together but was there. The right line, the right coaching, he should be better than Noel Acciari.

 

[LouJersey]

He will never be Cam Neely, but he could be a useful 3/4th line contributor. Stick him on a 4th line with Nordstrom/Lindholm and Kuraly, or a third line with Coyle and whoever. I always thought watching him with the Stars that there was something that just didn't quite come together but was there. The right line, the right coaching, he should be better than Noel Acciari.

I think Noel is a lot better than Ritchie. Hoping the pro scouts hit again

 

[Dr Hook]

I think Noel is a lot better than Ritchie. Hoping the pro scouts hit again

Interesting take. I would not have said that in a million years I don't think Ritchie is twice the player of Noel, but he has more tools for sure. Noel has a great motor (not speed, just always moving LOL) and work ethic on the ice so he probably beats Ritchie in those areas for sure. Ritchie has better hands, is a better skater, so we'll see. I hope he is better than Noel, if not, that sucks.

 

[compan]

I hope he is better than Acciari For most of last season, Acciari was as useless as you could get as a depth player. Thankfully he found his form later in the season and in the playoffs, but man was it rough for a long stretch.

 

[Therick67]

With the cap being such a problem, why waste a million on this guy when you have guys within would could handle 4th line duties?

 

[compan]

With the cap being such a problem, why waste a million on this guy when you have guys within would could handle 4th line duties?

My thoughts as well when the signing happened.

 

[MetM]

Eh. I understand it as a depth move but I don't see him as an option for anything higher than line 4.

Yeah, but we have a couple of line 4 so..

 

[Dr Hook]

My thoughts as well when the signing happened.

I guess with that you have your bottom 6 RW sorted out with two guys that have shown they can play in the league on a nightly basis: Wagner and Ritchie. If Ritchie bombs, you can send him to Prov (or he gets taken on waivers) and bury the contract. Then you call up a guy like Blidh.

 

[missingchicklet]

Acciari is the better player. Both players can hit. Neither player is a speed burner. Fighting is a non-issue. Go back and look at who Ritchie has fought and how he did in those fights, not to mention he really hasn't fought all that much in the big scheme of things. Where Acciari beats the living snot out of Ritchie is in defense and IQ. Ritchie is quite simply a low-IQ hockey player who takes some of the dumbest penalties known to humankind. Saying that Ritchie is better offensively than Acciari is really saying more about Acciari's lack of offensive skills than anything about Ritchie. This take is coming from someone who didn't think Acciari was all that great of a player and said that this team will not win a Cup when it is so desperate that it needs Acciari in the starting lineup, so I am far from an Acciari fanboy.

I hope people who have not seen Ritchie play much don't get their hopes up that this guy is going to be much more than a plug at the NHL level. Someone within the organization obviously must see something in this guy or else they wouldn't have spent the money on him, so hopefully he turns out to be a lot better than what he showed as a Star. I won't be holding my breath.

 

[Dr Hook]

Acciari is the better player.

At the very least, he got paid like the better player, didn't he?

I can see you are not a fan of Ritchie. I don't see him as more than 4th liner/3rd liner possibly, but we'll see how it plays out. You are right about the dumb penalties, but I feel like there is something more there, but then I am just an amateur fan so what do I know As I said above, it is a low-risk signing that can be remedied very easy with a waiver and and AHL assignment.

 

[Therick67]

I guess with that you have your bottom 6 RW sorted out with two guys that have shown they can play in the league on a nightly basis: Wagner and Ritchie. If Ritchie bombs, you can send him to Prov (or he gets taken on waivers) and bury the contract. Then you call up a guy like Blidh.

Just doesn't make sense to me with the cap situation a mess right now. We've been hearing about these prospects for a while now, let them battle for the spot.

 

[Dr Hook]

Just doesn't make sense to me with the cap situation a mess right now. We've been hearing about these prospects for a while now, let them battle for the spot.

The Par Lindholm signing didn't make sense to me either. I guess Ritchie is a right shot wing which is something the team is short on. Senyshyn could be the guy out of camp but I wonder if the Bruins want him playing 4th line minutes? Blidh is a right shot but IIRC he plays on his off-wing. If someone steals the job in camp, then Ritchie gets waived before the season and the cap hit is gone. It's a million. Anyone on an ELC or two -way that makes the team in camp is going to cost pretty close to that anyway.

 

[Therick67]

The Par Lindholm signing didn't make sense to me either. I guess Ritchie is a right shot wing which is something the team is short on. Senyshyn could be the guy out of camp but I wonder if the Bruins want him playing 4th line minutes? Blidh is a right shot but IIRC he plays on his off-wing. If someone steals the job in camp, then Ritchie gets waived before the season and the cap hit is gone. It's a million. Anyone on an ELC or tw oway that makes the team in camp is going to cost pretty close to that anyway.

Sure, just seems like they could have found a way to keep Mojo for a good contract over dumpster diving for fringe guys.