Speculation: What is the deal with Ritchie and Anaheim?

[WesMcCauley]

Should be a pretty straight forward bridgedeal around 2-2,2 million no? Pretty similar production as a guy like Vesey but Vesey scored a good amount more goals and got 2,275.

Click to read more...

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Ducks probably aren’t offering that if I had to guess. I could see them squeezing since they use to have an internal salary cap.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

$2-2.2M feels like a pretty generous bridge to me. I'd be tempted to peg him at $1.5M. Feels like he has had some issues and more than his fair share of opportunity.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

The Ducks are pretty frugal when it comes to their RFA's, especially with those coming off their ELC deals who have yet to be established as consistent key contributors. I doubt they're offering much more than 1-1.5M on a short term deal, and Ritchie doesn't have the offensive numbers to command more - though apparently his camp feels otherwise.

 

[Pia8988]

Look at what Rakell and Lindholm got. He is probably getting 1.5 max offered.

 

[SI90]

There is no deal. That’s why he’s sitting out.

 

[PuckProspects]

Ritchie has no leverage. He takes stupid penalties and doesn't produce enough. Ducks don't need him 1.5 is generous

 

[me2]

Ritchie has no leverage. He takes stupid penalties and doesn't produce enough. Ducks don't need him 1.5 is generous

Can't argue about the leverage thing. Sitting out when your team isn't going to miss you really does very little to force their hand.

 

[MMC]

Hope he's next.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Ritchie doesn't even deserve league minimum the way he's played.

 

[MMC]

Ritchie doesn't even deserve league minimum the way he's played.

Uh, no.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Uh, no.

Well from what I've seen him scoring 20+ points the last two seasons was generous and a lot of Ducks fans have criticized his IQ and effort.

 

[HanSolo]

Well from what I've seen him scoring 20+ points the last two seasons was generous and a lot of Ducks fans have criticized his IQ and effort.

Still. Not worth the league minimum is a bit much.

If I'm the Ducks I really wouldn't sweat Ritchie playing hardball. They're not hurting without him.

 

[JuniorNelson]

If he's off the team they should trade him. Or, waive him? I guess it will be a better market in a few weeks?

 

[Paul4587]

Well from what I've seen him scoring 20+ points the last two seasons was generous and a lot of Ducks fans have criticized his IQ and effort.

The past two years he's been a decent bottom 6 forward. Probably a low end third liner so he does have plenty of value, just no leverage to get paid much more than $1.0-1.5M. His effort is inconsistent, he is capable of playing a hard nosed game with a bit of offensive upside but he doesn't bring it often enough. And his IQ is what it is, he will never be known to slow the game down and make ridiculous plays.

He has a decent amount of untapped offensive potential - he has a great shot, good hands and is capable of crashing the net and getting rebounds. Conditioning has been an issue in the past but apparently he's been working hard all offseason with Gary Roberts which should hopefully help him take a step forward this season.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Well from what I've seen him scoring 20+ points the last two seasons was generous and a lot of Ducks fans have criticized his IQ and effort.

Expectations are higher on him, still brings things to the table outside of scoring

 

[Nurmagomedov]

Bob Murray, for all his faults, knows exactly how leverage works in these situations. He was comfortable to let Bobby Ryan, Rakell and Lindholm sit out, into the regular season with Rakell and Lindholm, to get a deal he thought was fair. It's quite stunning for Ritchie and his agent to think they'll get their way this time when he's nowhere near as important to the team as the other examples.

I'm sure whatever the Ducks are offering is quite reasonable, they've never stiffed a player just because they could. Take the bridge and prove it.

 

[Spazkat]

Bob Murray, for all his faults, knows exactly how leverage works in these situations. He was comfortable to let Bobby Ryan, Rakell and Lindholm sit out, into the regular season with Rakell and Lindholm, to get a deal he thought was fair. It's quite stunning for Ritchie and his agent to think they'll get their way this time when he's nowhere near as important to the team as the other examples.

I'm sure whatever the Ducks are offering is quite reasonable, they've never stiffed a player just because they could. Take the bridge and prove it.

Unlikely this is true. Bob is pretty much famous for lowballing the shit out of the RFA's. Rakell called him cheap during their negotiations. For that matter look how low it is now... and that's the compromise version that he signed.

It would not surprise me a bit to discover that they are trying to push a multi-year sub 1M deal or something similar for Ritchie

 

[tony d]

Interesting to watch for sure. I believe it's just him and Nylander left as RFA's now. I think the Ducks will sign Ritchie before the season starts.

 

[MMC]

If he's off the team they should trade him. Or, waive him? I guess it will be a better market in a few weeks?

Ritchie is not getting waived, come on now.

 

[StreetHawk]

Should be a pretty straight forward bridgedeal around 2-2,2 million no? Pretty similar production as a guy like Vesey but Vesey scored a good amount more goals and got 2,275.

Vesey had arbitration rights because of his age. Jake virtanen got $1.25 mill per on a 2 year deal. Given their respective production I expect something around that number.

 

[GhostOfWildWing]

Ritchie should take whatever is being offered if it's a 1-2 year deal; if working with Roberts helped, he should have a better season riding with Henrique-Kase and then set him self up for his next contract to be solid.

If Ducks are trying to low-ball him to 3-5 years, then I would not take that if Ritchie believes in himself.

 

[Nurmagomedov]

Unlikely this is true. Bob is pretty much famous for lowballing the **** out of the RFA's. Rakell called him cheap during their negotiations. For that matter look how low it is now... and that's the compromise version that he signed.

It would not surprise me a bit to discover that they are trying to push a multi-year sub 1M deal or something similar for Ritchie

Rakell calling him cheap during Rakell's contract negotiations is not what i would call compelling evidence. He wanted a long term deal coming off just a lone 20-goal 40-point season with a lackluster playoff performance. 6 years @ 3.8 was perfectly reasonable. It has turned into a steal for the Ducks but he's the one who wanted a long term deal.

For example, this from OCR during the standoff.

Ottawa left wing Mike Hoffman signed a four-year extension averaging almost $5.2 million. Philadelphia and center Brayden Schenn re-upped for four years at nearly the same amount. Washington and forward Marcus Johansson avoided arbitration with a three-year deal at an average annual value $4.6 million.
Rakell would figure to come in under that, given he’s had just two full NHL seasons and his personal-best 43 points not approaching that of Hoffman or Schenn in 2015-16. But he’s younger – he turned 23 in May – and just tapping into his potential.
If the club bets on that, a multiyear deal around the $4 million annual range isn’t out of the question. Ducks general manager Bob Murray voiced his concern over long-term contracts earlier this summer but there would be one benefit toward going that route.
Betting that Rakell becomes a consistent 40-point or more scorer and locking him up for five years, for example, would buy up his arbitration-eligible years along with one of potential unrestricted free agency.

 

[Romkey]

He's really just not a smart player. Kind of guy you wouldn't mind having on your team, but not someone you want to use a 10th overall pick on.

I could see him taking 1.5-1.75M x 1-2 yrs on a prove it deal.

 

[MMC]

He's really just not a smart player. Kind of guy you wouldn't mind having on your team, but not someone you want to use a 10th overall pick on.

I could see him taking 1.5-1.75M x 1-2 yrs on a prove it deal.

If he was willing to take that he would e been signed awhile ago