The Boston Bruins are going to try their luck with a different Ritchie brother. The Bruins have acquired Nick Ritchie from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Danton Heinen. Brett Ritchie meanwhile is currently playing for the Providence Bruins.
The new Bruins’ winger will fit right into the culture that Boston has built as a physical, grinding team, but it’s hard to know exactly where his ceiling is at this point. The 24-year old Ritchie was a 10th-overall pick in 2014 but has a career-high of 14 goals to this point. In fact, his eight goals and 19 points this year would look even worse if this trade had happened just a day ago—Ritchie had a career-high four-point game for Anaheim yesterday, scoring twice.
That physical presence may fit better in Buffalo than Heinen, but the Ducks will hope they can get the best out of their talented new forward. The 24-year old Heinen has been a frustratingly-underwhelming presence in the Boston lineup this season, but has a history of success. In 2017-18 as a rookie he scored 16 goals and 47 points, but has gone steadily downhill ever since.
Both players are signed through 2020-21, but Heinen’s $2.8MM cap hit is almost twice the size of Ritchie’s $1.498MM salary. That opens up a bit more room for the Bruins, who also cleared space in the recent Ondrej Kase–David Backes deal with the same team.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet broke the trade on Twitter.
Bruins cornering the market on Ritchie’s.
Neither of these moves are a “let’s go get the cup” move. What a disappointment. Kase is hurt more than he isn’t, and even dumping Backes only saves $1.9 million cap space next year on that trade. $1.3 cap space saved on this one, for a guy who is a 3rd liner at best.
Agree, it seems like Sweeney is more concerned with saving cap space for next year to make some moves and sign Krug yet the old core of Bergy, Rask, Krejic, and Chara may not have another cup run in them next year.
I have to agree. I don’t see how the Bruins are better after adding these two players who have not reached their potential. Very underwhelming job by Sweeney so far.
Both of those players may very well have already reached their potential. That makes it even worse. Ritchie has never scored 30 POINTS in a season. Only reason he won’t be a 4th liner in Boston is because the 4th line is already solid with good chemistry.
This is a head scratcher for both teams. I don’t see a clear benefit to either team.
Heinen & Ritchie are similar players, but Ritchie is half the cap hit. That gives the Bruins flexibility moving forward. Kase has the skill set to be a top 6 forward, if he can stay healthy. I know that’s a big if, but he could flourish with his countryman Krejci. The cost for impact players were too high. The Bruins weren’t trading Studnicka or Vaakanainen in a deal for a top 6 forward. Look at some of the costs. Tampa traded a #1 for a 3rd line player in Goodrow. The Hurricanes traded 4 players for Trochek. Acquiring a high end player doesn’t guarantee playoff success. The Blues didn’t make a deadline deal last season & won the Cup. The Capitals only added Kempney in an under the radar move in 2018 & he helped them win the Cup. Sometimes it is the smaller moves that make the difference.