Controversial forward Nick Ritchie joins his brother's team on a new contract
Former NHL winger Nick Ritchie has found a spot to play for this season signing a one year contract with HC Nove Zamky in Slovakia.
The 28 year old last appeared in the NHL with the Arizona Coyotes & Calgary Flames in 2022-23. Ritchie started the season with Arizona contributing nine goals & 12 assists in 58 games. At the trade deadline he was sent to Calgary in exchange for his brother Brett Ritchie adding five points in 16 games with the Flames. When he reached free agency no NHL team re-signed him so he joined the St. Louis Blues training camp on a professional tryout (PTO) but was eventually released without an offer.
Ritchie then headed overseas signing with Finland's Kärpät but struggled with just one goal, 70 penalty minutes & a -7 rating in 10 games before his contract was mutually terminated. He finished the season in Germany's DEL with the Iserlohn Roosters where he tallied two points in eight games.
Joining Nove Zamky in Slovakia Ritchie brings valuable NHL experience to the team alongside defenseman Shawn Lalonde who played one NHL game for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012-13. At this point Ritchie's NHL career is likely over unless he has a major resurgence abroad. Over his eight NHL seasons the 6'3" left winger played 481 games with the Ducks, Coyotes, Bruins, Maple Leafs & Flames posting 84 goals & 102 assists for 186 points.
| POLL | ||
25 OCTOBRE | 33 ANSWERS Controversial forward Nick Ritchie joins his brother's team on a new contract Do you think Nick Ritchie will ever return to play in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 8 | 24.2 % |
| No | 25 | 75.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
