Nick Ritchie Signs With Anaheim Ducks

The wait is over for one restricted free agent, as Nick Ritchie has signed a three-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. Ritchie missed the first few games of the season in his negotiation, but will now be allowed to rejoin the team and suit up as soon as possible. The contract carries an average annual value of $1.533MM, substantially lower than the Josh Anderson contract that was reported as a comparable. This deal leaves just William Nylander unsigned among this year’s crop of RFAs. The full breakdown is as follows, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic:

• 2018-19: $1.2MM (prorated)
• 2019-20: $1.4MM
• 2020-21: $2.0MM

Because the deal was signed during the season, the cap hit will not be the same from year to year. Though the deal carries a $1.533MM AAV, Ritchie will cause a $1.63MM cap hit this season, and $1.50MM cap hit in year’s 2019-20 and 2020-21. CapFriendly has the exact breakdown on how the money will be divided, given the 171 days remaining in the season.

Ritchie, 22, still has big shoes to fill as the 10th overall pick from the 2014 draft. Other players selected around him including Nylander, Nikolaj Ehlers and Dylan Larkin have already established themselves as star players in the league, while Ritchie still hasn’t quite become the top power forward many believed he could be. Scoring just 55 points combined across the last two seasons, Ritchie does flash that potential still at times but doesn’t bring a consistent amount of offensive skill. In Anaheim there is more than enough opportunity for him to take over as one of their lead options on the wing, but he’ll have to take another step forward this season in order to seize that chance.

A three-year deal will give Ritchie some security, but it also provides the Ducks with a chance at some inexpensive production. Since they’re not buying out any unrestricted free agent years the cap hit is extremely low, and should the young power forward turn into a perennial 20-goal player like many suspect they would have a bargain on their hands. Even if he only fills the bottom-six role that he’s held previously the contract is by no means expensive, and gives the Ducks a chance to retain a player like Jakob Silfverberg next summer.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said during the first intermission of the Boston-Calgary game that Ritchie’s camp would have liked something shorter than three years, but eventually felt he had little leverage over the team. A shorter deal would have given him a chance to earn a substantial raise with a breakout, but the Ducks needed some cost certainty if they were going to commit to Ritchie.

The young forward is already in Anaheim and will likely get inserted into the lineup before long, rejoining teammates during a season in which Anaheim has already suffered some tough injury luck. Hopefully Ritchie can start turning things around, and give the team the boost needed to fight their way into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.