Gosh I do not know why I am taking the time to do this..
Will be my last post for awhile, and last time I do this for Ritchie --> Kassian comaprison
Re-posting this, Ritchie has the potential to be the best PF of the modern era.
He surpasses Kassian by a large large margin.
Can't accept the Ehlers Kane comparison.
Kane had 50 more points in less games.
Ehlers will be eaten alive in the Pacific Division.
If we were picking 10th and Ritchie/Perlini were gone yea I would probably look at Nylander over Virtanen, but as it stands Ritchie is hands down the superior player
And is a one of a kind skill set with even better IQ than what you've praised Kassian for having.
Ritchie is superior than Kassian
That's an outright lie.
Sedins/Burrows/Kesler are all small while the California teams have complete size among their top 6 all above 200lbs.
This argument is humorous to me, EU people needs to go drink some Maple Syrup and get on the Ritchie wagon.
No I want to become a SJ / LA / BOS hybrid
You clearly havn't watched Ritchie, he has more potential than Kassian to become a Lucic, probably by a huge margin as well. a 20 goal scorer... yea ok
Go ahead convince yourself Nylander is the next Nyquist.
But Kassian has been our besstp layer looking closer and closer to a Bert Lucic. and Horvat and Gaunce havn't even played what if they''re both solid 60 point players.
I agree we should have given Sammuellson all the time he needed to recover. and instead of Sturm should have found an AHL stud.
But size is the key to success in the west and LA has proven that. Chicago may be the exception but Ehlers/Nylander/Kapanen do not even begin to resmble Kane or Hossa.
Ritchie is even better than Kassian with better hockey IQ already.
We need to build this team up from a 2 way shut down stand point.
Horvat and Gaunce were drafted with that in mind, and it's going to be the mindset of picking Ritchie going forward. Ehlers, Nylander, and Kapanen do not fit into what we're doing at all.
Jordan Schroeder was immediately benched because he was so easily pushed off the puck in the west. Ehlers, and Nylander do not fit into the western conference on an already small team with the Sedins and Burrows.
Ritchie.
Booth Kesler Kassian
Sedin Sedin Jensen
Ritchie Horvat Matthias
Higgins Santorelli Burrows
Richardson Gaunce Fox
What?
Kassian has been our best player and Gaunce/Horvat havn't played a game in the NHL
Iam not sure what you mean, where have we picked size over skill, maybe the grabner trade with Booth coming in.
Talked about how he wants the Boston model of big tough 2 way players that can roll on 4 lines.
IE not a skilled sniper/dangler that will be a -40 (Yea I know EHlers is a +60)
He has the speed, shot, and hockey IQ to compliment it as well.
The guy fights as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RztPZLG34D0
1:20
He has such a damn quick accurate shot.
More I think about Ritchie the more I think he's the pick.
He's got too much skill and speed to go along with his immense size.
plus a shoulder injury i was aware of was only 2 months long and pretty minor.
Just gotta hope management agrees, if Burke likes Ritchie we can still pick up Dal Colle or Draisatil.
We lucked out at 6th overall. Ritchie is an X factor player that could very well be the best player in 4 years.
I can't see it.
There's Monstrous Canadian Power wingers out there at 6 of our choosing. We won't roll the dice on small european skill Aqualini won't allow it.
I've seen Ehlers, Kapanen, and Nylander higlights. Ritchie has comparable pure skill compared to all of them with the hockey IQ as well. Add his speed and the fact he could become a 240lb player is disturbing on a line with Kassian.
Ritchie just looks too promising with his speed and stick handling, and a quick accurate shot.
Then I heard someone mention Nick Ritchie has the potential to be unlike any player currently in the world and I think we need to take that gamble the more I thought about it.
I'd draft Ritchie with the 6th
Trade Kesler to Anaheim for Etem, 10th overall, and 27th
Draft Virtanen with 10th or Perlini.
Etem, Ritchie, Virtanen, Horvat, Shinkaruk, Gaunce, Cassels, Fox