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Former Bruins Nick Ritchie III

Blowfish

Blowfish

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Jan 13, 2005
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KnightofBoston said:
I must admit that when the leafs grabbed Ritchie and Kase I hoped both would fail miserably there. For Kase I feel especially bad because the guy deserves a reset and a career, I just don’t want it to be in Toronto after his rotten luck with the bruins. So glad at least Ritchie is stinking it up
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Not surprised Ritchie is failing and not surprising Kase isn't however let me ask you this question. How would you feel going into the hard fought physical playoffs with a player that has had more than 4 very serious head concussions?

Bruins did take this risk and gave up a bunch of good stuff to get one Nash and that back fired big time.
 
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McGarnagle

McGarnagle

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Aug 5, 2017
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KnightofBoston said:
I must admit that when the leafs grabbed Ritchie and Kase I hoped both would fail miserably there. For Kase I feel especially bad because the guy deserves a reset and a career, I just don’t want it to be in Toronto after his rotten luck with the bruins. So glad at least Ritchie is stinking it up
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I was the biggest Kase fan here, I wanted him to retire rather than risk another concussion, but I'm happy he's doing well. Just wish it weren't for Toronto. f***ing Sweeney didn't even tender him a qualifying offer and we have a dearth of right wings this year, another brilliant decision from the Sweenius.

As for Ritchie, speaking of criticizing Sweeney, are we starting to come around on how idiotic a trade Heinen for Ritchie was now that Danton's awoken and found his form again in Pittsburgh. And we still don't have any NHL quality right wingers behind Pasta and Smith.
 
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Clode

Clode

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Aug 2, 2012
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McGarnagle said:
I was the biggest Kase fan here, I wanted him to retire rather than risk another concussion, but I'm happy he's doing well. Just wish it weren't for Toronto. f***ing Sweeney didn't even tender him a qualifying offer and we have a dearth of right wings this year, another brilliant decision from the Sweenius.

As for Ritchie, speaking of criticizing Sweeney, are we starting to come around on how idiotic a trade Heinen for Ritchie was now that Danton's awoken and found his form again in Pittsburgh. And we still don't have any NHL quality right wingers behind Pasta and Smith.
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Eh trading Heinen was still the right move at the time I think, he was struggling here and I don't think he would be that player the he has been with Pittsburgh. Fact is the Bruins suck at developing players, look at how many of our prospects have gone from struggling bust on the Bs to serviceable NHL player once they leave. Now that I think of it I can't think of the last homegrown player to come up from Providence and blow me away, Marchand maybe? A tale as old as time...
 
BruinDust

BruinDust

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Aug 2, 2005
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McGarnagle said:
I was the biggest Kase fan here, I wanted him to retire rather than risk another concussion, but I'm happy he's doing well. Just wish it weren't for Toronto. f***ing Sweeney didn't even tender him a qualifying offer and we have a dearth of right wings this year, another brilliant decision from the Sweenius.

As for Ritchie, speaking of criticizing Sweeney, are we starting to come around on how idiotic a trade Heinen for Ritchie was now that Danton's awoken and found his form again in Pittsburgh. And we still don't have any NHL quality right wingers behind Pasta and Smith.
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He traded a player who at the time of the deal was at times a healthy scratch/13 F. He couldn't find a fit with this coaching staff for whatever reason.

Heinen recently went through a 10 games stretch in Pittsburgh where he got 4th line minutes (low 8, high 12).

Two teams (Anaheim and Boston) swapped struggling age-comparable players and both cut ties a year later.
 
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McGarnagle

McGarnagle

Yes.
Aug 5, 2017
29,164
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Clode said:
Eh trading Heinen was still the right move at the time I think, he was struggling here and I don't think he would be that player the he has been with Pittsburgh. Fact is the Bruins suck at developing players, look at how many of our prospects have gone from struggling bust on the Bs to serviceable NHL player once they leave. Now that I think of it I can't think of the last homegrown player to come up from Providence and blow me away, Marchand maybe? A tale as old as time...
Click to expand...

I guess I'd consider the Heinen trade Sweeney's attempt at a Wheeler for Peverly deal because the 2019-20 team was cruising to a President's Trophy before the pandemic ruined everything, so by the time of the weird ass bubble tournament n August/September all momentum was gone followed by Rask leaving and losing a sham series to Tampa on their way to a sham cup.

Providence has brought us some really good defensemen (Chucky, Gryz, Carlo), but they cannot develop a forward to save their lives. Debrusk did give us some good years, and maybe he'll be a player when he gets to a new system and a change of scenery. I think you're right in that Marchand is the last impact player who came up through development seasons with the P-Bruins, and that was 2009-10. Even Pasta barely even played in Providence, he came out of the draft NHL-ready and started the season with a month in the AHL, came up to the NHL in November, went to the World Juniors in December, and wound up back full-time in the NHL by like January of that rookie year.
 
BruinDust

BruinDust

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
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McGarnagle said:
I guess I'd consider the Heinen trade Sweeney's attempt at a Wheeler for Peverly deal because the 2019-20 team was cruising to a President's Trophy before the pandemic ruined everything, so by the time of the weird ass bubble tournament n August/September all momentum was gone followed by Rask leaving and losing a sham series to Tampa on their way to a sham cup.

Providence has brought us some really good defensemen (Chucky, Gryz, Carlo), but they cannot develop a forward to save their lives. Debrusk did give us some good years, and maybe he'll be a player when he gets to a new system and a change of scenery. I think you're right in that Marchand is the last impact player who came up through development seasons with the P-Bruins, and that was 2009-10. Even Pasta barely even played in Providence, he came out of the draft NHL-ready and started the season with a month in the AHL, came up to the NHL in November, went to the World Juniors in December, and wound up back full-time in the NHL by like January of that rookie year.
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True but I'd argue Marchand is the exception when it comes to elite-level players like he became. Most elite-level guys barely spent any time down in the AHL, if at all. I'd say in particular for wingers because their growing pains aren't as impactful away from the puck unlike a Center or D-man. D-men sometimes need a year of AHL seasoning. But once again a lot of the elite-level D-men never ride the bus in the "A".

To me, guys who spend 2-3-4 years in the AHL to over-marinate as they say, are typically and should be used to fill up the bottom half of the roster with the hopes that maybe one or two break through and join the upper-half of the line-up.
 
BruinsBtn

BruinsBtn

Registered User
Dec 24, 2006
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McGarnagle said:
I was the biggest Kase fan here, I wanted him to retire rather than risk another concussion, but I'm happy he's doing well. Just wish it weren't for Toronto. f***ing Sweeney didn't even tender him a qualifying offer and we have a dearth of right wings this year, another brilliant decision from the Sweenius.

As for Ritchie, speaking of criticizing Sweeney, are we starting to come around on how idiotic a trade Heinen for Ritchie was now that Danton's awoken and found his form again in Pittsburgh. And we still don't have any NHL quality right wingers behind Pasta and Smith.
Click to expand...

Danton Heinen isn't a right winger.
 
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RussellmaniaKW

RussellmaniaKW

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Sep 15, 2004
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McGarnagle said:
I guess I'd consider the Heinen trade Sweeney's attempt at a Wheeler for Peverly deal because the 2019-20 team was cruising to a President's Trophy before the pandemic ruined everything, so by the time of the weird ass bubble tournament n August/September all momentum was gone followed by Rask leaving and losing a sham series to Tampa on their way to a sham cup.

Providence has brought us some really good defensemen (Chucky, Gryz, Carlo), but they cannot develop a forward to save their lives. Debrusk did give us some good years, and maybe he'll be a player when he gets to a new system and a change of scenery. I think you're right in that Marchand is the last impact player who came up through development seasons with the P-Bruins, and that was 2009-10. Even Pasta barely even played in Providence, he came out of the draft NHL-ready and started the season with a month in the AHL, came up to the NHL in November, went to the World Juniors in December, and wound up back full-time in the NHL by like January of that rookie year.
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Heinen/Ritchie was nothing like a Wheeler/Peverley deal.

Wheeler for Peverley was a classic case of trading a young guy on the bubble for a veteran guy who had shown he could produce. It was all about making a move that could help the team now knowing that the guy they were giving up might be the better player later.

Heinen for Ritchie was a pure hockey deal, 2 guys 5 months apart in age, both RFAs, with relatively similar career production to date. Neither guy in the deal on paper was more likely to be better in the future than the other. It was more of style-change trade than anything. They favored Ritchie's size & net front presence over Heinen's 2-way prowess (which they had an overabundance of).
 
WhalerTurnedBruin55

WhalerTurnedBruin55

Fading out, thanks for the times.
Oct 31, 2008
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RussellmaniaKW said:
I wanted to keep Ritchie and was adamant that they shouldn't sign Kase.

And hockey is my first sport, oof.
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I think the Bruins board (no offense, I am definitely part of this too) definitely considers size and potential over skill far too many times.

We are all just armchair GM's when it comes down to it.
 
RussellmaniaKW

RussellmaniaKW

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Sep 15, 2004
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WhalerTurnedBruin55 said:
I think the Bruins board (no offense, I am definitely part of this too) definitely considers size and potential over skill far too many times.

We are all just armchair GM's when it comes down to it.
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The Bruins biggest offensive weakness over the last several years has been an inability to generate high danger shots and Ritchie was one of the few guys who went to the paint & had shown some decent finish in that area so it felt wise to me at the time to keep him around and just surround him with good players. Granted this was my opinion before they signed Foligno who basically addresses that need with probably a higher offensive ceiling and lots of intangibles.
 

KillerMillerTime

Registered User
Jun 30, 2019
6,929
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McGarnagle said:
I guess I'd consider the Heinen trade Sweeney's attempt at a Wheeler for Peverly deal because the 2019-20 team was cruising to a President's Trophy before the pandemic ruined everything, so by the time of the weird ass bubble tournament n August/September all momentum was gone followed by Rask leaving and losing a sham series to Tampa on their way to a sham cup.

Providence has brought us some really good defensemen (Chucky, Gryz, Carlo), but they cannot develop a forward to save their lives. Debrusk did give us some good years, and maybe he'll be a player when he gets to a new system and a change of scenery. I think you're right in that Marchand is the last impact player who came up through development seasons with the P-Bruins, and that was 2009-10. Even Pasta barely even played in Providence, he came out of the draft NHL-ready and started the season with a month in the AHL, came up to the NHL in November, went to the World Juniors in December, and wound up back full-time in the NHL by like January of that rookie year.
Click to expand...

McAvoy barely played in Providence (4 Games). BU did far more development than them. In fact the USA Jr Team did more than Providence.
 
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