Friday Thots: Ritchie Had to Go

The kid worked hard, but just was not NHL ready.

Well, all good things come to an end, and that includes Calum Ritchie’s first taste of NHL action. But was it actually a good thing?

The 19-year-old kid had a shot at making the team because the Colorado Avalanche were riddled with injuries at forward (bad thing!). In the preseason and training camp, he proved that he could play with NHL-caliber players (a good thing!) and had a little flair unseen amongst the Avs’ typical stable of late first-rounders with upside and defensive forwards.

But when the season got going, he looked lost pretty often (bad thing!), posted the worst possession metrics on the team (bad thing!), and while he did score his first NHL goal (good thing!) he didn’t help create any others (bad thing!) and was on the ice for six goals against (bad thing!). All that happened in limited, sheltered minutes and a little powerplay time.

Was it fair to expect Cal to break out as a star in the NHL before he even turned 20? Of course not – but this team needed some skill in the forward corps, and Ritchie could not deliver it. Even as injuries mounted on the wings (Rest in Pasta Ross Colton), it became clear that #71 wouldn’t seize the opportunity.

So, was it actually a good thing even though it didn’t work out? Unequivocally, yes – Ritchie wasn’t ready, but he showed the talent that made him a high-end prospect and the great head on his shoulders that absolutely endeared him to his coaches and teammates. He has the hockey sense and skill to make a difference in all three zones and he just needs to build up his confidence and processing speed to be ready for his next shot at the roster.

Next season, the kid could really pop – but let’s not forget to be patient.

THOTTIES AND NAUGHTIES

Last season, I did Friday grades for all the players. That meant I used a lot of words to tell you in a lot of different ways that Nathan MacKinnon was really good and Jack Johnson was really slow.

This season, I’m still going to judge the players – my job as a journalist is to be judgemental – but I’m going to call them Thotties and Naughties and let you decide about the folks who don’t make the list. I know I shouldn’t trust you to form your own opinions – but that’s a risk I’m willing to take to make this column shorter and better. Let’s get into it.

THOTTIE: Justus Annunen – Wow, what a difference a week makes! After starting the season with two poor showings in relief of Alexandar Georgiev, Annunen took his first start and turned it into three straight wins, giving up just 4 four goals on 79 shots and looking poised and professional while doing it. Love to see it.

NAUGHTIE: Alexandar Georgiev – What a difference a week makes, going from the starter who Coach Jared Bednar was willing to ride til he got a win to a backup role where he has to keep an eye on his back in case Kaapo Kahkonen rises from his AHL conditioning stint to stab it and take his job. I don’t think that happens, but Georgiev has to be worried right now.

THOTTIE: Ross Colton – seven goals to lead the team, four on the powerplay!? Colton took the opportunity to play top line and PP minutes and ran with it, making a serious case to stay on both units even if/when the Avs get other healthy forwards back.

NAUGHTIE: Ross Colton’s Hand – Like clockwork, the injury bug bit the guy, carving out a role for himself opposite Mikko Rantanen on Nathan MacKinnon’s wing. Colton took the follow-through of a shot to his hand and didn’t play until another minute afterward. Hopefully, it’s just a short-term thing, not a break that will keep him out of the lineup.

THOTTIE: Ivan Ivan – The kid scored his first NHL goal, jumping into Colton’s spot on the powerplay! He also got Colton’s spot on the top line at even strength and looked like he could hang there. There seems to be no end to the heights his hockey IQ and hustle can take him, though an extended look against top competition would be a huge test.

NAUGHTIE: Oliver Kylington – He stayed home from the road trip due to illness, but I think that might just be because his play in the two games he subbed in for Devon Toews made everyone sick.

THOTTIE: Sam Malinski and Calvin De Haan – who would have guessed that through 8 games the Avs best pair by all underlying metrics would be Calvin and Mobbes? If you say it’s you, you’re better at lying than I am at jamming Calvin and Hobbes references into hockey writing for no reason. I had faith that Malinski was going to break out this season, but De Haan being as good as he’s been and the duo clicking so well have been very pleasant surprises.

THOTTIE: The Big Three – They’re incredible. Cale Makar leads the league in scoring, and Nate and Mikko are right behind him in the top ten. The powerplay is clicking because of their brilliance and the subtle skill of Casey Mittelstadt, and overall, the top of the Avs lineup is absolutely delivering. I suspect I’ll be saying something like this every Friday.

Next week, the Avs have a homestand against Ottawa, Chicago, and Tampa. I predict Annunen starts two of them and wins both, but they lose the other 4-3. I didn’t start these predictions until now, so let’s just say my record so far is 4-4 and track them for real going forward.