Player Discussion Brett Ritchie

[Estlin]

. Neither Ritchie or Backes belong on the Krejci or Coyle lines like you said. They don't really belong on any line the way this coaches uses his 4 groups.

As it should be.

 

[Estlin]

Yep but it is what it is till Bruins find that top 6 wing

He’s currently in Providence.

 

[member 96824]

They should probably give Anders Bjork or Zach Senyshyn a fair shake in Ritchie's place. Might just find themselves a serviceable top-six winger that way.

Senyshyn wasn’t even a final cut. That kid needs to prove he’s an AHL top 6 before we rely on him to play meaningful minutes for a cup contender.

 

[DKH]

Breaking News!!!

I don’t get the infatuation with Brett Ritchie

not seeing what you fine folks see

 

[LouJersey]

I am getting older I know but I do remember the 2019 Stanley Cup final.

How did the Blues do when they inserted Zach Sanford? How about when they put him on the second line?

The Blues scratched the smaller speed guys in Thomas and Fabbri and when they were able to dress their three big rugged guys Sanford, Barbashev and Sundqvist all together they were 3-0. Bruins won 2 out of the three gameswhere one of the hitters was suspended.

Not saying Ritchie is the answer but I would like some size in the lineup

 

[member 96824]

Breaking News!!!

I don’t get the infatuation with Brett Ritchie

not seeing what you fine folks see

After all these years, I’m learning it’s not about the motion of the ocean, it’s about the girth of the earth

 

[Alan Ryan]

Quoting JCRO Post:

In the third, Cassidy swapped him and Kuhlman and he got a few shifts with DeBrusk and Krejci before Cassidy shortened his bench (I believe I even saw Kuhlman go out in place of Richie late in the third on that second line). Kuhlman looked waaaay more comfortable in that third line role. Richie got a few shot chances in his few shifts on the second line. But he's not the solution there either.

When Nordstrom returns things are going to get interesting.

Will be even more interesting when Bjork is called up to Boston.

 

[LouJersey]

Quoting JCRO Post:

In the third, Cassidy swapped him and Kuhlman and he got a few shifts with DeBrusk and Krejci before Cassidy shortened his bench (I believe I even saw Kuhlman go out in place of Richie late in the third on that second line). Kuhlman looked waaaay more comfortable in that third line role. Richie got a few shot chances in his few shifts on the second line. But he's not the solution there either.

When Nordstrom returns things are going to get interesting.

Will be even more interesting when Bjork is called up to Boston.

I would imagine Backes and Ritchie are the two that would be out for them.

63-37-88
74-46-10
43-13-83
20-52-14

skill is there, but where's the beef?

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

I would imagine Backes and Ritchie are the two that would be out for them.

63-37-88
74-46-10
43-13-83
20-52-14

skill is there, but where's the beef?

If the beef can't keep up, who cares? At the end of the day, the "beef" in this lineup are not worth it in any spots besides the 4th line. MAYBE some games they work on the 3rd but it's not consistent enough to even be a viable option all the time.

 

[LouJersey]

If the beef can't keep up, who cares? At the end of the day, the "beef" in this lineup are not worth it in any spots besides the 4th line. MAYBE some games they work on the 3rd but it's not consistent enough to even be a viable option all the time.

I tend to agree with you and think the lineup listed is outback best but what about the playoffs when you don’t get as much space and things get heavy?

 

[KrejciMVP]

I would imagine Backes and Ritchie are the two that would be out for them.

63-37-88
74-46-10
43-13-83
20-52-14

skill is there, but where's the beef?

I think you'll continue to see some beef in the lineup. I think the skill players like having someone who can throw some hits and fight if they have to. Some fans may not like it but they arent on the ones taking big hits. Backes is a worn out physical player so they'll probably stick with Ritchie

 

[CDJ]

I am in love with Nordstrom after the playoff run he had

I’d take Backes out before Ritchie personally. Maybe rotate those two. Keeps Backes fresh, maybe optimize his play that way.

Injuries will happen so it’s not like we won’t be needing them eventually

 

[PlayMakers]

Not saying Ritchie is the answer but I would like some size in the lineup

I would too, but Sweeney just can’t seem to hit on the big, physical wingers... Ritchie, Backes, Beleskey, Hayes, Rinaldo...

 

[Kalus]

Quoting JCRO Post:

In the third, Cassidy swapped him and Kuhlman and he got a few shifts with DeBrusk and Krejci before Cassidy shortened his bench (I believe I even saw Kuhlman go out in place of Richie late in the third on that second line). Kuhlman looked waaaay more comfortable in that third line role. Richie got a few shot chances in his few shifts on the second line. But he's not the solution there either.

When Nordstrom returns things are going to get interesting.

Will be even more interesting when Bjork is called up to Boston.

Yes, if playoff Nordstrom shows up. Regular season Nordstrom might not crack this lineup.

 

[PlayMakers]

The one gripe I have with Cassidy's style is that he tries these different combos and if there isn't some sort of instant spark, he abandons them. I wish for once he would put a new line combo together (because he's clearly seen something that could work) and let it marinate for a half dozen games or more and see what might come of it. It doesn't seem to me (being the non-professional hockey guy that I am ) that you can learn all that much about how players work together after a few shifts.

Yeah, I hear you. I mean, sometimes there is instant chemistry when you put guys together, and that's great, but it's not always instant. It's not always constant either. Bergeron has had linemates that looked great with him one year and awful the next.

I do think Cassidy and his staff focus on different things than many of us. For example, I see Krejci as a possession guy. A player who loves to control the flow of the game, that makes lots of little give and go's and cycles, lots of working off and working with his linemates in the offensive zone. Some of the best shifts I saw out of DK46 were with Johansson last year. So much hockey sense and creative passing plays, so much zone time... but they didn't actually take a lot of shots. When that line did finally shoot, it was a tic tac toe scoring chance, that required a great save or a misfire not to go in, but they would pass up a lot of decent looks to keep working the puck around.

That's Krejci at his best. Playmakers and creative passing plays have always been one of my favorite parts of the game, but I don't think Cassidy puts much stock in it. I think Cassidy and co spend a lot of time looking at the shots generated. Maybe there's an analytics guy in their ear with a focus on Corsi? I do know that when Mojo was on that line their Corsi was much lower than say Kuhlman. Yet the eyeball test was saying Mojo's addition made them dominate.

I also think that's why they keep DeBrusk stapled to Krejci's hip. He's a shooter. When I looked back at all of DeBrusk's goals from last year, almost half of them came off plays where Krejci passed him the puck from the defensive side of the red line and DeBrusk took off. There's not a ton of the give/go/cycle game. I think Jake only had 12 assists all season. Don't get me wrong, there are some good plays in there, enough that I keep hoping DeBrusk will do it more, but not enough that I don't spend every season wishing they'd give someone like Heinen a real chance on Krejci's left. But like you said, Cassidy seems really committed to 63-37-88 and 74-46 and for all his line changes seems very inflexible about those 5 players.

 

[bruins repeat time]

I am fine with Ritchie sitting tonight . I personally would like to see a bit of a rotation of about four or five guys . Cassidy and Claude for the most part seem to roll with a guy and one guy ends up sitting twenty games .

To start this yr he seems to switching it up a bit but I would like to see everyone play some . I dont want to see lindholm sitting for a month or Clifton once Miller returns . There is no reason miller , gryz , moore and Clifton cant all get some action.

Sure play miller and gryz 3 of 4 and moore clifton one each until someone gets hurt than it is easier . Up front Backes lindholm Nordstrom Ritchie possibly even wagner can do some type of rotation.

 

[maxl7]

Yeah, I hear you. I mean, sometimes there is instant chemistry when you put guys together, and that's great, but it's not always instant. It's not always constant either. Bergeron has had linemates that looked great with him one year and awful the next.

I do think Cassidy and his staff focus on different things than many of us. For example, I see Krejci as a possession guy. A player who loves to control the flow of the game, that makes lots of little give and go's and cycles, lots of working off and working with his linemates in the offensive zone. Some of the best shifts I saw out of DK46 were with Johansson last year. So much hockey sense and creative passing plays, so much zone time... but they didn't actually take a lot of shots. When that line did finally shoot, it was a tic tac toe scoring chance, that required a great save or a misfire not to go in, but they would pass up a lot of decent looks to keep working the puck around.

To me, that's pure nirvana. That's Krejci at his best. Playmakers and creative passing plays have always been one of my favorite parts of the game, but I don't think Cassidy puts much stock in it. I think Cassidy and co spend a lot of time looking at the shots generated. Maybe there's an analytics guy in their ear with a focus on Corsi? I do know that when Mojo was on that line their Corsi was much lower than say Kuhlman. Yet the eyeball test was saying Mojo's addition made them dominate.

I also think that's why they keep DeBrusk stapled to Krejci's hip. He's a shooter. When I looked back at all of DeBrusk's goals from last year, almost half of them came off plays where Krejci passed him the puck from the defensive side of the red line and DeBrusk took off. There's not a ton of the give/go/cycle game. I think Jake only had 12 assists all season. Don't get me wrong, there are some good plays in there, enough that I keep hoping DeBrusk will do it more, but not enough that I don't spend every season wishing they'd give someone like Heinen a real chance on Krejci's left. But like you said, Cassidy seems really committed to 63-37-88 and 74-46 and for all his line changes seems very inflexible about those 5 players.

If Butch put that much stock in to shots and shot attempts, Cehlarik would be in the NHL, on the Krejci line all last season and right now. Cehlarik saw one of the biggest bumps in expected goal % when factoring in manually tracked passing data last year.



Side note, Brett Ritchie is scratched tonight.

 

[Dr Hook]

Side note, Brett Ritchie is scratched tonight.

Welp, that didn't take long.

 

[Tbrady12]

I am fine with Ritchie sitting tonight . I personally would like to see a bit of a rotation of about four or five guys . Cassidy and Claude for the most part seem to roll with a guy and one guy ends up sitting twenty games .

To start this yr he seems to switching it up a bit but I would like to see everyone play some . I dont want to see lindholm sitting for a month or Clifton once Miller returns . There is no reason miller , gryz , moore and Clifton cant all get some action.

Sure play miller and gryz 3 of 4 and moore clifton one each until someone gets hurt than it is easier . Up front Backes lindholm Nordstrom Ritchie possibly even wagner can do some type of rotation.

It's not that simple with a 5 guy rotation. Lindholm is a center and PKs. Ritchie and Backes do not PK, and both are RW's only. Nordy can play either wing but is best on left, Wagner also can play both, but is best on right. Both are important to the PK.

If you sit two of Backes, Ritchie and or Wagner, you lose a very big piece of the teams physicality that Nordy and Lindholm don't bring.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Welp, that didn't take long.

He'll be back.

 

[Alan Ryan]

I would too, but Sweeney just can’t seem to hit on the big, physical wingers... Ritchie, Backes, Beleskey, Hayes, Rinaldo...

He's better at center than RW but Coyle is a big player who is already a terrific acquisition.

Rick Nash was promising before he was lost to injury.

 

[bruins repeat time]

It's not that simple with a 5 guy rotation. Lindholm is a center and PKs. Ritchie and Backes do not PK, and both are RW's only. Nordy can play either wing but is best on left, Wagner also can play both, but is best on right. Both are important to the PK.

If you sit two of Backes, Ritchie and or Wagner, you lose a very big piece of the teams physicality that Nordy and Lindholm don't bring.

Very good points

 

[PlayMakers]

He's better at center than RW but Coyle is a big player who is already a terrific acquisition.

Rick Nash was promising before he was lost to injury.

Coyle was a great pickup, but until he plays more than 1% of his time at wing I don't think they should be credited with 'finding a big, physical winger' for that one.

I put Nash into the failed category. Before the trade, he was injured all the time and in the middle of his third consecutive 30 point season... After the trade, he got injured and scored 11 points in 23 games (39pt pace). I know the eyeball test was encouraging but he was a risky pickup and ultimately his short time here mirrored his many years in NY.

Sweeney deserves lots of credit and has had many successes but finding a big, physical winger seems to be on his to-do list every year and never seems to get checked off.

 

[Absurdity]

Posted in the Backes thread, but I think it is relevant here as well:

 

[HustleB]

Posted in the Backes thread, but I think it is relevant here as well:

Wow!