Player Discussion Brett Ritchie

[Alan Ryan]

GM Sweeney spoke about new winger Brett Ritchie. It will be interesting to see what role he carves out in the line-up. Will he play RW with Krejci or Coyle? Or will he drop to the 4th line?



The Bruins signed Brett Ritchie on July 1st and hope that change of scenery will do him good.

“Ritchie’s a kid we felt kind of plateaued a little bit, needed maybe a change a scenery and a new environment, maybe a different opportunity will hopefully get him back to the level …,” Sweeney said. “He’s a bigger body (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) that can get into the interior ice, but it will be incumbent upon him to take advantage of the situations put him in.”

Quick Hits: Boston Bruins, and Some Remaining Free Agents - MyNHLTradeRumors.com agents/2019/08/05/

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[Mantis]

Confirmed with Link: - Brett Ritchie a Bruin

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I hope he isn't garbage.

 

[UConn126]

He'll be on the 4th line. Acciari's replacement.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

4th line only. If he's in the top 6, for example, something bad happened.

 

[UncleRico]

I think he will be the 13th forward unless he outplays Nordstrom defensively.

 

[Ratty]

Richie is on a one year, 1 mil show me contract. If he produces, fine; he’ll get rewarded by someone with a better deal. If he doesn’t show, there’s little lost.

 

[JOKER 192]

There are only two spots open . Will be interesting to see who stays and where.

Richie
Studnicka
Kuhlman
Lindholm
Seny
Bjork
Gaunce
Blidh
Fredric
Cehlarik

That's a lot of dudes vying for two spots. I gotta think Richie is going to be given every opportunity to stick with the big boys. Probably 3RW is his ceiling and more likely 4RW. IDK but something tells me out of all these guys we'll still be looking for a 2RW at TDL. Hope someone surprises.

 

[Salem13]

There are only two spots open . Will be interesting to see who stays and where.

Richie
Studnicka
Kuhlman
Lindholm
Seny
Bjork
Gaunce
Blidh
Fredric
Cehlarik

That's a lot of dudes vying for two spots. I gotta think Richie is going to be given every opportunity to stick with the big boys. Probably 3RW is his ceiling and more likely 4RW. IDK but something tells me out of all these guys we'll still be looking for a 2RW at TDL. Hope someone surprises.

For some reason I felt like chopping this group up and putting them in some particular order.

Been with the big club:
Italics = off wing

Cehlarik
Kuhlman

In order of our prospect pool voting:
* = incomplete, injured

Studnicka
Beecher
Lauko
Steen
Fredric
Senyshyn
Blidh
*Bjork

Hired Guns:

Lindholm
Richie
Gaunce

Don't come to this camp out of shape but I agree, there's not a lot that screams top six.

 

[BMC]

IMO the Bruins need to find a right winger for David Krejci not named Charlie Coyle. I don't really see one in this group yet. Hopefully someone will step up during training camp, I'd hate to see Coyle on Krejci's wing he's such a great 3rd line center and fixing the RW hole with him would re-open the 3rd line center hole. Robbing Peter to pay Paul once again.

 

[neelynugs]

IMO the Bruins need to find a right winger for David Krejci not named Charlie Coyle. I don't really see one in this group yet. Hopefully someone will step up during training camp, I'd hate to see Coyle on Krejci's wing he's such a great 3rd line center and fixing the RW hole with him would re-open the 3rd line center hole. Robbing Peter to pay Paul once again.

agree. i see anders bjork as a top 9 guy, just don't know when that will happen. unless he has a monster camp, figure he starts
in the AHL. too much time missed. kuhlman seems likely, but senyshyn is a sleeper for that spot.

 

[LouJersey]

What level would Sweeney like to see him get back to? He's been a terrible pro

 

[ODAAT]

What level would Sweeney like to see him get back to? He's been a terrible pro

total assumption here but would he be talking about Ritchie`s 15-16 goal season? Either way, for this fan, IF he comes in, plays with some energy and physicality and contributes offensively from time to time, for a million bucks, I`m good, if not, he`s not clogging up the cap space and should be relatively easily to replace internally

 

[bearcountry17]

What level would Sweeney like to see him get back to? He's been a terrible pro

He was on a much higher level earlier in his career than a guy like Wagner ever was before last year. He’s going to have to put in the work but he could work out.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Ritchie will throw a hit and fight here and there but he's not going to be this brutal power forward. He's going to really disappoint some people if that's what they think we're getting with this player.

I think we'll be lucky to see double digits goals from him.

 

[Fenian24]

What level would Sweeney like to see him get back to? He's been a terrible pro

Probably the 16 goals he scored a couple years ago, which is good production for a third line wing.

 

[Jim]

but senyshyn is a sleeper for that spot.

Yeah, as in been asleep for the last 2 years in Providence.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Ritchie will throw a hit and fight here and there but he's not going to be this brutal power forward. He's going to really disappoint some people if that's what they think we're getting with this player.

I think we'll be lucky to see double digits goals from him.

He's just an Acciari replacement. He could look great with Kuraly like a lot of people do and then some team will overpay him in FA.

 

[maxl7]

Breaking down the Ritchie signing

Shawn Ferris does great, detailed analysis. Should be getting paid for this stuff.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

im going to predict brett Ritchie is going to be looked at both for the krejci spot and the coyle spot... I suppose his 3 biggest competion will be Bjork playing off wing/kuhlman who should be in the mix somewhere/and senyshyn

the other spots up front are looking locked up to me... 5 of the top 6 forwards are very solid with bergereon/krejci/debrusk/pastrnak/marchand

and then 5 of the bottom 6 forwards should be coyle/Heinen/kuraly/wagner/Nordstrom

im thinking they will end up ltir backes… so im not really seeing him in the mix... and then lindolm feels like he will be the utility jackknife 13th forward

so... Ritchie... I think hes going to get a chance to deliver on his promise. this is a guy that dallas fans used to call an untouchable. he was a very highly reguarded prospect at one point. its true that for some reason his performance has never impressed much in nhl but sometimes big bodied wingers mature late in their career.

I see a strong potential for another benoit pouliot situation here... someone that will play well above expectations and show he was simply in a bad fit

I will say that Ritchie ends up playing a lot with krejci this year and krejci always does well with big body grinding wingers that can handle the puck

 

[LouJersey]

im going to predict brett Ritchie is going to be looked at both for the krejci spot and the coyle spot... I suppose his 3 biggest competion will be Bjork playing off wing/kuhlman who should be in the mix somewhere/and senyshyn

the other spots up front are looking locked up to me... 5 of the top 6 forwards are very solid with bergereon/krejci/debrusk/pastrnak/marchand

and then 5 of the bottom 6 forwards should be coyle/Heinen/kuraly/wagner/Nordstrom

im thinking they will end up ltir backes… so im not really seeing him in the mix... and then lindolm feels like he will be the utility jackknife 13th forward

so... Ritchie... I think hes going to get a chance to deliver on his promise. this is a guy that dallas fans used to call an untouchable. he was a very highly reguarded prospect at one point. its true that for some reason his performance has never impressed much in nhl but sometimes big bodied wingers mature late in their career.

I see a strong potential for another benoit pouliot situation here... someone that will play well above expectations and show he was simply in a bad fit

I will say that Ritchie ends up playing a lot with krejci this year and krejci always does well with big body grinding wingers that can handle the puck

Just shows how fan bases love their prospects too much I would guess.

If he plays top 9 RW then this team is screwed. Might as well trade now and not wait until the trade deadline.

 

[JOKER 192]

If he plays top 9 RW then this team is screwed.

I agree with AOF. I see him getting plenty of time at 3RW and 2RW. I think you should prepare to be disappointed.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

Traditional Fall Bruins Injuries will give Sweeney plenty of time to see fringe players perform. By Christmas we will know what we have, as usual.

Plenty of players to give a chance to, its like buying ten $1 lottery tickets instead of buying one $10 ticket. Low cost gambling that can be cleared out fast if it does not work. Better win %.

My only problem with Sweeney is the second line hole we've had for awaile now. It's like he has that reserved for one of the kids but either noone is stepping up or they are injured.
Just my 2 cents but we need a scoring vet that does not break the bank. Conisdering who Sweeney has been rumor to be in on(Stahl, Kreider, etc.) it seems he is trying but has a solid standard of what is too much in cost. Sounds like a good manager to me.

I like the Coyle acquisition and would like to see a scorer for the 2nd and 3rd line, then we could compete on paper with the best in the East.

Ritchie is a cheap 1 year 1mil gamble. Give the man a try to save his career right here, right now. If he swims we got a super low cost large winger that performs. If not we have little lost.

 

[LouJersey]

I agree with AOF. I see him getting plenty of time at 3RW and 2RW. I think you should prepare to be disappointed.

if Bjork and Senny or Kuhlman can't beat out Ritchie for those spots they need to be cut immediately.

 

[Fenian24]

if Bjork and Senny or Kuhlman can't beat out Ritchie for those spots they need to be cut immediately.

Gee remember when the St. Louis defense smashed the little Bruins forwards into dust in the finals? I do. A forward or two like Ritchie, or Maroon, or Frederic would have made some difference. Bjork, Senyshyn and Kuhlman are not physical or productive. I'll take the guy who a few season ago scored 16 goals over a guy like Senyshyn who hasn't even scored 16 in the minors, I don't think any of them have come to think of it. Kuhlman and Bjork are a couple years younger so they must be better prospects at 23 and 24 than a 26 year old who has already played 241 NHL games.