Player Discussion Brett Ritchie - WAIVED!!!!!!!!!

[BruinsFanSince94]

one guy can’t do it all, expecting one to do it isn’t going to work

One guy is better than no guys. It doesn't stop with Frederic though. More needs to be addressed.

 

[The don godfather]

Bye bye brett.

 

[GloveSave1]

I hope I can read into this that Cassidy never told Ritchie to hold back from dropping them. Was never really 100% sure about that.

Well, it would be pretty bad to waive him for not doing what he was told not to do. Heh

...still not totally sure. Amazingly.

We know Cassidy put the clamps on guys in the last game vs Washington.

Anyway, if Frederick is the replacement...I hope they at least make his roll clear...and that is most definitely to respond. And to aim for an actual message. Not just staged fights between heavies that leave no lasting impression.

It’s time for drastic measures in a few areas.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

I remember liking this kid and his brother when they were still just being drafted... they are my 'type' of players. I like size with a scoring touch.

hell... over the years I liked kids like kyle wanvig, landon Wilson, lee goren, sandy moger, brett Connolly, jimmy hayes...

if you give me a guy with size and hands... I will usually hope for the best.

when we finally got ritchie this year... i was pretty optimistic. I did forsee he would be getting time with krejci... at least a chance to show himself as a player. and being optimistic, I was imagining a 20 goal type season if he grabbed this opportunity and ran with it.

but... whatever...

today hes on waivers... and honestly he deserves it based on what he did for us

personally I am thinking... it means kuhlman will be called up and thats ok with me. kuhlman has a motor... he has heart. I like heart even more than I like size.

I dont regret giving Ritchie a chance. I wish it had worked since I overpaid to trade for him on my sim team. it can be interesting I guess to see if hes the next accari or Connolly and goes off to light it up on his next stop

 

[TCB]

I remember liking this kid and his brother when they were still just being drafted... they are my 'type' of players. I like size with a scoring touch.

hell... over the years I liked kids like kyle wanvig, landon Wilson, lee goren, sandy moger, brett Connolly, jimmy hayes...

if you give me a guy with size and hands... I will usually hope for the best.

when we finally got ritchie this year... i was pretty optimistic. I did forsee he would be getting time with krejci... at least a chance to show himself as a player. and being optimistic, I was imagining a 20 goal type season if he grabbed this opportunity and ran with it.

but... whatever...

today hes on waivers... and honestly he deserves it based on what he did for us

personally I am thinking... it means kuhlman will be called up and thats ok with me. kuhlman has a motor... he has heart. I like heart even more than I like size.

I dont regret giving Ritchie a chance. I wish it had worked since I overpaid to trade for him on my sim team. it can be interesting I guess to see if hes the next accari or Connolly and goes off to light it up on his next stop

I like his brother,Brett not so much

 

[TP]

Bad signing, sionara buddy.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

Bad signing, sionara buddy.

how was it a bad signing? maybe its a failed gamble... but a waiver wire and a demotion to the minors fixes this problem quite quickly

if he gets claimed... then its not bad at all. a second team will have validated it. we shall see. my gut says he will get claimed. we happen to be a hell of a deep team with kids like kuraly and senyshyn ready to get some nhl action. a lot of other teams arent in that same boat

I am glad we gave him a try... just disappointed he didnt grab this opportunity to put out more of an effort to succeed

 

[neelynugs]

he was a step slow with everything he did. had maybe 3-4 good games.

 

[Deuce17]

So because he fought someone before and held his own, that makes him a fighter or enforcer? I couldn’t disagree with your logic or that of others who have this train of though, to be honest. Ritchie wasn’t brought in to be an enforcer or fighter here and never really has been. If his last resort is trying to literally fight and stay in the lineup, it’s just a waste. You can fault Ritchie for a lot, but blaming him for being something he never has been just doesn’t make sense to me.

I usually agree with you but how do you know for a fact what he was brought into the lineup to do?? These are pretty reasonable assumptions people are making and there comes a time where one disagrees just to be a contrarian and try to show ho smart they are

 

[Gee Wally]

From the Globe:

The Brett Ritchie experiment is over.


The Bruins waived the right wing Wednesday, a day after his 27th game filling a uniform. He did that capably, at 6 foot 4 inches and 220 pounds, but the puck skill and hockey sense were lacking, particularly noticeable on a roster of intelligent forwards.

The Bruins took a one-year, $1 million flyer on the ex-Dallas Star, hoping he would find some traction at age 26. They got two goals, four assists, and 89 hits.

If Ritchie got there, he was willing, but when the Bruins needed someone to deliver a message, his presence was . . . again, lacking. Case in point: After Bemstrom flattened Rask, Brandon Carlo, Torey Krug, and Joakim Nordstrom eventually challenged Bemstrom to answer for his hit. Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork took their shots at him. Ritchie didn’t get involved. What else was he supposed to bring?

Clearly, the Bruins had seen enough. Their next move will be interesting.

 

[Hali33]

If you’re not gonna contribute to the score then you better find somewhere else to make an impact. Opportunities were there to make himself valuable. He didn’t.

See ya.

 

[AM Bruin]

The one thing that I will say about Backes is that he does and will hold teammates and other players accountable.
In a fourth line role, every third or fourth game no more than that.

 

[BruinsNetwork]

I usually agree with you but how do you know for a fact what he was brought into the lineup to do?? These are pretty reasonable assumptions people are making and there comes a time where one disagrees just to be a contrarian and try to show ho smart they are

I can barely read or speak, let alone classify myself as smart. I’m not disagreeing to be a contrarian, I’m disagreeing because I truly find the take to be lazy and emotionally-driven because someone got hurt last night.

 

[sarge88]

I mean, then why don’t they waive the other players aside from Carlo and Nordstrom who did nothing about it? Blaming and faulting Ritchie for lack of fighting or response last night is just lazy and unfair, IMO. He’s never been a fighter and he’s never really even been that physical of a player. The Bruins didn’t sign him to be that guy and they never said it either.

I really don’t see why Ritchie is getting the blame for this. Seems like it’s a fan-driven topic that Ritchie was supposed to be some enforcer or bruiser just because he’s 6’4” and over 200lbs. Shame on the writers like Joe Haggerty, because of course he tweeted something idiotic, that had a take today citing Ritchie is dumped because of a “lack of response” last night. Just my opinion, but this is a long time coming and even on Ritchie’s best nights, like the last three games, he still just isn’t good enough to contribute.

Here’s my take...everything you posted is valid.

However, in sports there is always going to be an expectation that players do things for the betterment of the team.

Guys play different positions or different roles than they probably want all the time.

On this team, Ritchie is one of very few who are equipped to take on that role because he’s big and strong.

I don’t think anyone is asking him to fight Reaves....but last night he could have certainly done something in response to a cheap hit on Rask.

 

[PB37]

So do we know if anyone has been called up? Or do you guys think they'll roll with Backes?

 

[Kegs]

So do we know if anyone has been called up? Or do you guys think they'll roll with Backes?

pretty sure they have to call up Bligh

 

[BadBruins]

Brett Ritchie has never been that guy. I don't think he's aggressive in nature. He doesn't engage. Avoids confrontation. That's been his MO. He had his opportunity on a silver platter. Either he didn't want to be that guy or was too dumb to understand what he was signed to provide. Took long enough to make this call.

 

[elMatador]

Ok, so what's the hold up on Lindholm and Backes to join him?
Did not anybody think about Ritchie being left down in the Providence lonely?

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Brett Ritchie has never been that guy. I don't think he's aggressive in nature. He doesn't engage. Avoids confrontation. That's been his MO. He had his opportunity on a silver platter. Either he didn't want to be that guy or was too dumb to understand what he was signed to provide. Took long enough to make this call.

He could have been a fan favorite even if he Greg Campbell'd his fights.

I imagine he told the Bruins he would be that player if they gave him this chance. Otherwise there was not much of a reason to sign him.

 

[PlayMakers]

Long overdue.

I was willing to give him a chance. He was a no risk signing so why not hope for it to work out... but it was clear early on he didn't get it. He needed to play every shift like Trent Frederic's first game against Toronto earlier this year; hit everything and play with the desperation that this could be your last chance. He was invisible against the Blues. He was invisible against the Caps.

The good news is this opens the door for some young players to come in and play with fire. Maybe Kuhlman, Frederic, Blidh... all high effort players.

 

[Bodit9]

Always felt like a buy low guy they were hoping at best could get some chemistry with Krejci, regain a little scoring touch, & become a 15 goal guy & at worst be a 4th line physical presence who might drop the gloves occasionally. Turns out he was worse than that.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

I'd put Backes on the fourth line at least every other game. He can't be traded with that contract and he obviously is not going to retire until he decides he's going to retire. Better to make some use of him- nothing wrong with his toughness, hockey IQ or hands- than to have him in the press box. I'd waive Lindholm- he's a good PKer but that's about it.

Glad they finally got rid of Ritchie, now more dead wood needs to go.

I do not see Backes playing physical this year and I think its better for him and the team. Last year he tried to be the fighter and that was not ideal. Amazing he accepted that role and good for him but with his now 10 concussions, do not fight again. This year I notice he stays away from contact, probably to avoid injury and has been a lot more effective.

That being said he is not better or versatile enough to play a lot or take a way a spot from anyone on that 4th line, maybe Kuraly to light a fire under his butt. At best maybe every 4th game. Backes will be good insurance if anyone goes down on that line. If they get rid of Lindholm or send him down to the AHL, Kulhman would be better.

 

[BadBruins]

He could have been a fan favorite even if he Greg Campbell'd his fights.

I imagine he told the Bruins he would be that player if they gave him this chance. Otherwise there was not much of a reason to sign him.

Or maybe they just didn't do their homework and assumed he would be something he's never been.... based on a few moments of his career? Or maybe they thought a fresh start and getting non tendered by the Stars would light a fire under him to realize his potential. Who knows. I just got the feeling there was a disconnect. Almost as if he was truly oblivious to the fact that this team was desperate for a toughness factor and the only reason he drew into the lineup most nights was because they thought he could provide that....

Say what you want about Backes, but him trying to take on the "enforcer" role towards the end of last year is an example of a player who gets it.

 

[Lady Rhian]

Depressing reading this thread, haha. I guess I am the only one that like Ritchie?

Best of luck to him.

 

[wintersej]

So happy.