To the disappointment of many Anaheim Ducks fans, general manager Bob Murray decided to keep a number of his top prospects in the AHL this season.
Sitting atop the tough decisions list was 2014 first round pick Nick Ritchie.
Ritchie was given an extended look throughout the preseason and was one of the final players to be assigned to AHL San Diego. He played well when in the lineup and was given deserved recognition by Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau, but the decision was eventually made to utilize the 19 year old’s first year of AHL eligibility.
Ritchie has started the AHL season appearing as a man playing amongst boys.
In the Gulls season opener, Ritchie tallied three shots scoring goals on two of them, one of which goals proved to be the game winner. He was named the first star of the game.
In the Gulls second game Friday night, Ritchie finished with a +2 rating while tallying six shots. He scored the opening goal of the game and later added an assist.
Three goals, one assist and a +3 rating through two games, not a bad way to start your rookie AHL season.
A few in attendance at Friday night’s Gulls game praised Ritchie’s play and one described him as “the absolute best player on the ice tonight”.
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While at this point it appears unlikely that Ritchie spends a significant portion of time in Anaheim this season, his hot start to the AHL season is a promising sign of what’s to come.
At just 19 years of age, letting Ritchie figure out the professional game was a smart choice made by Murray and it already seems to be paying off. The benefits of letting the young prospect grow for a year outweigh the possible downfalls of limited minutes with the Ducks.
It’s a move that could greatly benefit his confidence later on down the road.
At this rate, Nick Ritchie will be a name you continually see near the top of the AHL’s leading scorer’s list.
Next: Anaheim Ducks Week 2 Monday Mornin' On The Pond
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