Seattle Kraken should take a chance on Nick Ritchie
Thursday, Nick Ritchie was placed on waivers by Toronto. The Seattle Kraken should take a chance on the struggling forward.
The Seattle Kraken needs a power forward, and one just came available. According to Elliotte Friedman, the Toronto Maple Leafs have placed power-forward Nick Ritchie on waivers. Starting the season on a line with Auston Matthews, the winger struggled with the responsibility head coach Sheldon Keefe placed on him. Over the course of the season, he found himself demoted and now seems to be the odd man out.
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Given his production, the season prior, Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas took a chance on the 26-year-old forward. Unfortunately, it hasn’t paid dividends. Despite his inability to produce for the Maple Leafs, Nick Ritchie doesn’t belong in the AHL or on a taxi squad. The Seattle Kraken has both the cap space, roster space, and construction that could allow him to find his footing once more.
Failing Expectations
The Anaheim Ducks’ former 10th overall draft pick (2014) has struggled to find a home for himself in the NHL. Despite being a former first-round pick, the power-forward never seemed to live up to his full potential. He had great chemistry with line-mates Adam Henrique and Ondrej Kase, but it was hard for fans to look past the former top-10 pick playing in a middle-six role. His knack for taking bad penalties drew the ire of more than one Ducks’ head coach.