Confirmed with Link: Ducks sign Nick Ritchie (3 years, $1.533M AAV)

91Fedorov

John (Gibson) 3:16
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Ok, now I don't want to sound like a homer here. But looking at that video of him, he clearly looks like he is in fact in the best shape of his career. I'm starting to get excited.

Since he seems to be training with the team, what are the odds he plays in our next game? Any thoughts, bets, over/unders?
 
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cheesymc

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Finally, I've been searching for updates...wanted to see the difference... boy, he definitely looks like he lost a lot of baby fat. I'll be excited to see if he can learn to keep his legs moving (learn from Kase)... if so, combined with his shot, he could be a beast of us like Franzen was for the Wings.
 
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bsu

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No more fat boy jokes.... Damn it.
 
Aug 11, 2011
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Am Yisrael Chai
Ok, now I don't want to sound like a homer here. But looking at that video of him, he clearly looks like he is in fact in the best shape of his career. I'm starting to get excited.

Since he seems to be training with the team, what are the odds he plays in our next game? Any thoughts, bets, over/unders?
He needs a visa. He couldn't apply for one until he had a contract. I'd be surprised if it gets approved by Friday but maybe they know a guy.
 
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bumperkisser

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Mar 31, 2009
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Ok, now I don't want to sound like a homer here. But looking at that video of him, he clearly looks like he is in fact in the best shape of his career. I'm starting to get excited.

Since he seems to be training with the team, what are the odds he plays in our next game? Any thoughts, bets, over/unders?

He looks real good. I'm excited to see him out on the ice.

As for playing the next game, he's game ready for sure probably but he needs the visa in order to play. That usually takes about a week I think?
 
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Static

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He needs a visa. He couldn't apply for one until he had a contract. I'd be surprised if it gets approved by Friday but maybe they know a guy.
Is it just a paper transaction or do they do background even on these athletes?
 

duckpuck

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Ok, now I don't want to sound like a homer here. But looking at that video of him, he clearly looks like he is in fact in the best shape of his career. I'm starting to get excited.

Since he seems to be training with the team, what are the odds he plays in our next game? Any thoughts, bets, over/unders?

Too bad he didn't get in shape last year - probably cost himself a lot of money. That being said, I too am excited to see how he performs. If he finally reaches his potential, it will be a huge add to the ducks and he will get paid well on his next contract.
 
Aug 11, 2011
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Is it just a paper transaction or do they do background even on these athletes?
The essential requirement for a P-1 visa is that you're an athlete with extraordinary ability, which you prove through expert affidavit and proof of some sort of honor in the sport, or proof that the organization that signed you has achieved some kind of honor. And you need a contract. All aliens are under the burden of proving they are not inadmissible when they seek admission. I don't know how hard a CIS service center goes after these things, but in Ritchie's case, I don't imagine they'll do more than a background search through a criminal database for his time in the US. Being inadmissible also means not having been convicted of crimes in foreign countries that we would kick people out for had they been committed here, but Canada has a robust criminal tracking system so again, I would guess that's just a matter of entering his ID and searching, or making a phone call and asking someone to do that search. I have a hard time believing they'd send an HSI special agent to Moose Lips or wherever the hell he's from to ask his neighbors about his moral character.
 

Makorov

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May 22, 2014
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So out of curiosity, (I'm a Wild fan so I don't watch much of many Ducks games) where will he be put line wise? Powerplay as well?
 

WhatTheDuck

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So out of curiosity, (I'm a Wild fan so I don't watch much of many Ducks games) where will he be put line wise? Powerplay as well?

It's very difficult to say right now. We've had so many forwards out at various times that the lines have been all over the place, and it's still not set in stone who will be sent down as we get Ritchie and other bodies back. Plus we have several guys who can and have played multiple positions, which obviously makes things tougher to pin down.

At full health this is definitely a four line hockey team, and Ritchie really could find himself anywhere up and down those lines.

I feel safe in saying he almost surely won't be on the first PP unit. Maybe would get some second unit PP time.
 
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Getzmonster

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Jul 24, 2014
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So out of curiosity, (I'm a Wild fan so I don't watch much of many Ducks games) where will he be put line wise? Powerplay as well?
FWIW, he spent most of last season on Henrique's line (with Kase), but as heusy said, this season is a different kind of animal with all the injuries and kids peppered through the lineup. Not sure about PP time, he might get some time on the second unit.
 
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alcolol

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Aug 12, 2014
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Personally, I'd like to see Ritchie play RW. A considerable amount of his offense, arguably the majority while in the OHL, came on the right side of the ice.
 

pbgoalie

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Aug 8, 2010
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The essential requirement for a P-1 visa is that you're an athlete with extraordinary ability, which you prove through expert affidavit and proof of some sort of honor in the sport, or proof that the organization that signed you has achieved some kind of honor. And you need a contract. All aliens are under the burden of proving they are not inadmissible when they seek admission. I don't know how hard a CIS service center goes after these things, but in Ritchie's case, I don't imagine they'll do more than a background search through a criminal database for his time in the US. Being inadmissible also means not having been convicted of crimes in foreign countries that we would kick people out for had they been committed here, but Canada has a robust criminal tracking system so again, I would guess that's just a matter of entering his ID and searching, or making a phone call and asking someone to do that search. I have a hard time believing they'd send an HSI special agent to Moose Lips or wherever the hell he's from to ask his neighbors about his moral character.

Couldn’t he just drive up from Tijuana?
 

lwvs84

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Jan 25, 2003
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Can Ritchie practice with the team without a visa? I would have thought that counts as "working" too (or is it not because they only get paid for each game they play?).
 

Static

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The essential requirement for a P-1 visa is that you're an athlete with extraordinary ability, which you prove through expert affidavit and proof of some sort of honor in the sport, or proof that the organization that signed you has achieved some kind of honor. And you need a contract. All aliens are under the burden of proving they are not inadmissible when they seek admission. I don't know how hard a CIS service center goes after these things, but in Ritchie's case, I don't imagine they'll do more than a background search through a criminal database for his time in the US. Being inadmissible also means not having been convicted of crimes in foreign countries that we would kick people out for had they been committed here, but Canada has a robust criminal tracking system so again, I would guess that's just a matter of entering his ID and searching, or making a phone call and asking someone to do that search. I have a hard time believing they'd send an HSI special agent to Moose Lips or wherever the hell he's from to ask his neighbors about his moral character.
That's really interesting. The visa lasts for the duration if his contract then?
 

QuackinQuaker

Registered User
Jul 16, 2018
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He looks quicker and stronger out there. I'm liking his jump so far.

Turned on the game right at face-off without knowing Ritchie was in. I couldn't figure out it was him until I saw the number. Huge step in the right direction for him and he deserves props for how hard he must have trained to get into this shape.
 

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