Nick Ritchie

Lucas Main

7 years ago

Nick Ritchie, LW
Shoots: L	Height: 6-2	Weight: 232
Born: 1995-12-05	Hometown: Orangeville, ON, CAN	Drafted: 2014 by Anaheim Ducks, 10^th overall

Observations:

September 2017 – Ritchie has put his stamp on the NHL. He finished 8^th in the league in hits with 247 in 77 games and finished with another 52 hits in 15 playoff games. He also added 14 goals and 28 points with 149 SOG while playing only 13 minutes a night. Ritchie is susceptible to the dumb penalty here and there, but he will grow out of it as he matures. He has one of the hardest shots on the team, clocking in at 98 MPH so once he gets more PP and 5-on-5 TOI, look for him to become a legitimate threat in fantasy leagues across the board. Lucas Main

June 2016 – Nick Ritchie's first season as a professional was eventful. His time in the AHL showed the promise and the upside Ritchie possesses as he matures in the professional ranks. Ritchie had 16 goals and 14 assists and was often the most prominent player on the ice for the San Diego Gulls while playing just over half of the regular season. Ritchie's north/south style and nose for the net opened up the rest of the ice for the Gulls, especially the active San Diego defense. In nine Calder Cup games, Ritchie added eight more points and positively impacted games with smart physical and positional play. Ritchie skated in 33 games for the Ducks, registering two goals and two assists while averaging fewer than 12 minutes in ice time per contest while not looking out of place in the big show. Ritchie's skating is above average for a power forward and displays a nice touch with the puck in addition to his shot. His size and strength are well suited for the rigors of the Pacific Division and will likely be a mainstay in Anaheim for the 2016-17 season. Zachary DeVine

March 2016 – The transition from the OHL to the professional ranks can be very difficult for a lot of young hockey players. Yet, Ritchie has fared well in his first season with the Anaheim Ducks and AHL affiliate San Diego Gulls. In the 33 games he has skated with the Gulls, he was able to produce 15 goals, and 13 assists (28 PTS), almost on par for a point-per-game. Although he has not been able to maintain those scoring totals with the Ducks, Ritchie has still been able to get a solid feel for the NHL game, skating in 22 contests for the Ducks, scoring just one point. He was able to find a role filling in for injured players and gained some valuable experience in the NHL. Bryan Puffer

February 2016 – The recent injury to Ducks forward Chris Stewart provides the opportunity for Ritchie to potentially get some time with Anaheim. Ritchie has 15 goals and 13 assists in the 33 games he has appeared in for the San Diego Gulls. His production in the AHL has remained consistent throughout the year, which is a good sign for the Ducks if they need anymore help at the winger position. Bryan Puffer

January 2016 – Ritchie has not missed a beat since rejoining the San Diego Gulls. In the 11 games since his reassignment, he has averaged a point per game with 11 points. This brings his current stat line in San Diego to 23 games played, 14 goals, 11 assists, for a point total of 23. The Ducks should be happy with the way the young forward bounced back after the demotion. If his numbers continue to improve, he should remain near the top of the list of potential callups. Bryan Puffer

December 2015 – Ritchie has been reassigned to San Diego after playing 11 games with the Anaheim Ducks. His point production was limited, posting just one assist and four penalty minutes. Ritchie won't only be going back to the pleasures of the San Diego beaches, but also a solid 9G-3A-12PT stat line, and a number three position in rookie scoring in the AHL.Bryan Puffer

November 2015 – Nick Ritchie made his NHL debut on November 16, 2015 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Since then, the 6'2 winger was held pointless in his first eight games until recording an assist in a 4-0 Ducks win on Nov. 30 – his first point in the National Hockey League. The highly touted 10^th overall pick has shown promise since joining the Ducks; his nose for the net is indicated by the 16 shots he took in the final six games of November. Ritchie is receiving second-line minutes and should see an increase in production on the score sheet as the season progresses and he adapts to the speed of an NHL game. Bryan Puffer

February 2015 – Nick Ritchie is currently riding a 10 game point streak, scoring four goals and nine assists on the streak. The Greyhounds are firing on all cylinders and Ritchie is a major catalyst to their success. Kevin Won

January 2015 – Nick Ritchie's first point contribution came three games into joining his new team and exploded with four goals against the Saginaw Spirit. Kevin Won

January 2015 – Nick Ritchie has been traded to the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds with Connor Boland for Kyle Jenkins and four draft picks (three second rounds, one third round). Ritchie immediately gets boosted value as he joins one of the top teams of the OHL and leaves one of the basement dwellers. Look for him to make immediate impact on the top line. Kevin Won

October 2014 – Peterborough’s nasty winger, Nick Ritchie, has been named to the OHL’s roster for the upcoming Subway® Super Series and will compete in both games on November 13^th and 17^th in Peterborough and Kingston, respectively. Off to a hot start with not much support, Nick Ritchie has been one of the lone bright spots with four goals and nine points (seven games) for the Petes. If Canada is looking to include a physical skilled winger on their National World Junior roster, Nick Ritchie could be a favourable target. Brendan Ross

September 2014 – Nick Ritchie has been sent back to Peterborough by the Anaheim Ducks. Expect him to be among the leader scorers in the OHL. Kevin Won

August 2014 – Nick Ritchie has signed a three-year entry-level contract deal with the Anaheim Ducks. Expect Ritchie to play for Peterborough next season in the OHL before making the jump to either the AHL or NHL in 2015-2016. Kevin Won

June 2014 – The Anaheim Ducks selected Nick Ritchie 10^th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Brendan Ross

February 2014 – Nick Ritchie was named the Ontario Hockey League's Player of the Week (ending February 9th) after the big power forward muscled his way to six goals and eight points in four games. Ritchie's highlight performance was when he racked up five goals and six points factoring in on every Peterborough Petes goal in a 7-6 shootout loss to the Kingston Frontenacs on Friday, February 7th. His outstanding individual performance set a new personal career high for points (6) and his five goals established a new franchise record for the Peterborough Petes, a milestone that lasted since 1983. Ironically, Nick Ritchie's five-goal game was the first by a player since his older brother (Brett) tallied five versus the Niagara IceDogs on November 4th, 2012. Brendan Ross

November 2013 – After returning from being sidelined for four games, Nick Ritchie fired off four goals and six points in a three-game span to return with a vengeance. The big winger has battled staying healthy early in his young career but few players are as dominating as Ritchie when he's playing a full health. Ritchie remains a potential top 10 prospect for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft and currently leads Peterborough in scoring with 18 points through 16 contests, including a team high 10 goals. Brendan Ross

August 2013 – Like his older brother Brett Ritchie (Dallas Stars), Nick is a big power forward who enters his draft year with good pedigree (drafted 2^nd overall by the Peterborough Petes in 2011). Ritchie is an intelligent two-way player who is an excellent skilled playmaker, using his hockey sense, vision and slick puck handling ability to execute top-end passes. His size and aggressiveness allows him to provide a physical presence and he has been known to drop his mitts to defend teammates. Ritchie is a 200-foot player who reads the play equally well in the defensive zone as he does on the attack. Heading into his third OHL season and first draft year, Ritchie has the opportunity to become a top five draft pick if he continues to play his two-way possession game and avoids injury, something he has had difficulty doing in the past. Brendan Ross

Fantasy Outlook: B+

Top-six two-way playmaking power forward. Potential multi-cat producer.

Footage:

Nick Ritchie highlights:

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