Dallas Stars Prospects: Is Brett Ritchie A Full Time NHL Player

Brett Ritchie has been the favorite among Dallas Stars minor leaguers for quite some time. As a second round pick (44th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, every Stars fan wanted to know more about him.

He remained with his OHL team the Niagara IceDogs after the draft, sticking around with them for the next two seasons while the Dallas Stars were trying to exorcise the demons from their own closet. They had not made a postseason appearance in four years, their longest drought in franchise history. They needed to figure out how to right the ship and dove into free agency and trades instead of looking to rebuild with a hefty arsenal of prospects.

Meanwhile, Ritchie was taking the OHL by storm. During the 2012-2013 season, Ritchie had 41 goals and 76 points in 53 games. This stellar performance was enough to turn him into a pro. He joined the Texas Stars club, and did not slow down in any fashion.

The 22-year old forward continued his rise to offensive stardom, scoring 22 goals and 48 points in 68 games during the 2013-2014 season. Ritchie was a prime piece in the Texas Stars’ run to the Calder Cup championship during the 13-14 campaign. He would eventually be invited to participate as a member of the Dallas Stars prospect team at the 2014 Traverse City Tournament. This would prove to be a setback though, as Ritchie would injure his right pinky finger in a game.

The 6-3, 209 pound forward would end up missing training camp, which took a shot at his chances of being on the opening night roster in Dallas. He would end up starting another season in the AHL, much to the dismay of many Dallas Stars’ fans who were growing weary of not seeing him put in work for the Stars offense.

After a slow and dismantled start for the Dallas Stars in 2014, it was clear that they needed some help. Though the problems were primarily in the crease and on the blue line, a new injection of youthfulness in the lineup seemed like a decent idea.

On December 31, 2014, rumors were fumbling around the Dallas Stars media that they had called up a player in secret. This player was not made public until right before warmups, though everyone already had a good idea of who it was. After tallying 21 points in 33 games in the AHL, Brett Ritchie made his jump to the NHL just in time to start against the Arizona Coyotes.

About halfway through the second period, Ritchie was dealt a beautiful pass from Travis Moen and cashed in for his first NHL goal on his first NHL shot. Ritchie played like a man possessed in his NHL debut, finding multiple high-grade scoring chances while on the fourth line.

Ritchie clearly earned himself a spot on the Dallas team. Tallying three points in his first two games, he became the hot topic of the Stars offense. He ended up taking a three week hiatus on the injured reserve from mid-January to early February. After that he remained on the team until playoff hopes were entirely extinguished for Dallas. He returned to the Texas Stars for a short period of time before they were knocked out of the first round.

Ritchie ended up playing 31 NHL games and tallying 6 goals and 9 points. Though these aren’t the most impressive numbers, doing them in 13:59 average ice time all while making the shift from AHL play to NHL play is impressive. His physical presence on the ice mixed with his persistence in puck possession turn him into a threatening member on any line.

So now the question is, does Brett Ritchie have the reputation to be a full-time NHL player? If so, do the Dallas Stars have a spot for him with full-time promises?

Well the obvious answer is that Ritchie is NHL-caliber and could help the Stars out on offense. The Stars currently have the second-best offense in the league, and Ritchie would surely push them over the gap. But do they have a spot? That is the problem. The Stars have an overstock of forwards and have yet to set them up. Ritchie could make it on board in a few scenarios, so there is still hope.

But Brett Ritchie needs the Dallas Stars, and the Dallas Stars need Brett Ritchie. A beautiful steal in the draft, it’s time for him to be able to show off his true skill.

Next: Texas Stars Have Ongoing Battle In Crease For Starting Spots

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