Nick Ritchie, Boston Bruins.
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.
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.
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.
His lack of discipline seemed to be his undoing in Anaheim, despite having the best season of his career in 2018-19 and continuing that success into the following season. However, his talent seemed to better suit the Boston Bruins than it did with the Anaheim ducks.
In his first full season with the Bruins (2020-21), he put up 26 points in 56 games, including a new career-high with 15 goals. The fast-paced, hard-hitting, gritty game played by the Bruins was a great fit and offered him a new start.
Ritchie cleaned up his game a bit, as well. Instead of being a hindrance to his team by sitting in the penalty box after taking a dumb penalty, he utilized his skills on the ice in a more productive way. It seemed like he was starting to scratch the surface of the talent that made him a top ten pick.
Ritchie and the Boston Bruins decided to part ways at the end of his contract, allowing him to test the waters in free agency. He signed a two-year deal with Toronto at an AAV of $2.5M. His tenure north of the border started out promising, playing alongside teammate and NHL superstar Auston Matthews. However, his lack of production, common mistakes, and lackluster energy on the ice soon found him on the fourth line. That’s a bad combination in any city, but it’s unforgivable in the hockey fishbowl of Toronto.
Something has gone awry for Nick Ritchie between this season and last. Whatever it may be, it is possible that Toronto just isn’t the place for him. The Seattle Kraken, however, could be a great fit for the Orangeville, Ontario native. With Brandon Tanev out for the remainder of the season, this could be a great chance for the Kraken to find a player who could fill his shoes and give Ritchie a fresh start with more opportunities.
Ron Francis built a roster that could play an aggressive game of hockey. He drafted hard-hitting guys who could hold their own on the ice and brought physicality to the table. While Nick Ritchie may not have the same energy as Tanev, the seven-year NHL veteran is a very rough and tumble kind of player. He isn’t afraid to utilize his body and be a pest to the opposing team.
When put in the right situations, Ritchie has proven that he can be a productive player. That is something the Seattle Kraken doesn’t have in spades right now. Adding Ritchie to the fold gives head coach Dave Hakstol the opportunity to mix things up. It also gives him another resource to utilize in an attempt to increase Seattle’s production.
Ritchie has also proven in the past that he is an incredible play driver. Despite the step back this year, he has shown greater maturity over the last few seasons. He leads his team with his physicality and big body and can produce offensively. If he remains disciplined, Ritchie has the potential to be a crucial part of any line-up.
Nick Ritchie has proven in the past that he does well with adapting to change. It seems that both he and Seattle are in the market for a little bit of change. As the Seattle Kraken prepares to take the ice after a brief hiatus, claiming the power-forward off of waivers could be a big difference-maker for their roster.
Do you think the Seattle Kraken should take a chance on Nick Ritchie? Let us know in the comments below!