Prospect Info: Avs draft F Calum Ritchie (2023 #27 overall)

[henchman21]

Well most rookies aren't going to be very good right away don't you think? Bednar overplayed players who suck all the time though, Barberio, Bourque, Dries, Megna. Dude loves his ahl vets.

It is simply because those players are better than the youth, not a love for AHL vets.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Well most rookies aren't going to be very good right away don't you think? Bednar overplayed players who suck all the time though, Barberio, Bourque, Dries, Megna. Dude loves his ahl vets.

Again who has he not played that’s been a mistake in the long term?

 

[tigervixxxen]

IMO there are four of the current AHL guys that could still make it on the Avs within the next few years and should get call ups in the meantime.

- Foudy - the issue with him is he can't stay healthy.
- Ivan - IMO he has a chance to steal the 4C spot. He took a big step mid season but then hit a wall. He is a Bednar-type player for the 4th line.
- Jedlicky - Another guy that could steal the 4C spot (or a W spot) but he lost a full season so they will probably want him to prove himself in the AHL first but he is also a Bednar-type player.
- Olausson - Until just before he got hurt last season I would have agreed with you but it looks like he was turning a corner finally but then got hurt. He had 9 pts in his last 8 games and was also a lot more engaged. Small sample size though so he will have to show more consistency before the Avs promote him.

The Avs need to save cap space somewhere so I think Ivan will be given a very good look. For the same reason, I also agree with you on Ritchie and Behrens. It might be more difficult for Behrens because who then plays 3RW. I doubt the Avs would go with a Behrens-Malinski 3rd pair to start the season.

Foudy had one injury. He played 2.5 seasons in the AHL and didn’t miss a single game due to injury. He was scratched once and had covid were his only absences. Every single player gets injured in the AHL, Ivan escaped it this year but he probably won’t be so lucky next year. Injury is such an easy write off and nobody fact checks.

Jedlicka probably won’t get an ELC from the org but he can have fun playing for the Eagles on an AHL deal.

 

[chet1926]

Again who has he not played that’s been a mistake in the long term?

I guess the better question is who has Bednar actually given a shot to other than first round picks?

Not saying we have countless guys that should be given shots but giving a guy like Foudy minimal mins and shit linemates every time he gets a call up isn't exactly giving him a look.

I mean he got in 4 games this year and got around 5ish mins a game. Not exactly getting a shot to show what he can provide the team.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Foudy had one injury. He played 2.5 seasons in the AHL and didn’t miss a single game due to injury. He was scratched once and had covid were his only absences. Every single player gets injured in the AHL, Ivan escaped it this year but he probably won’t be so lucky next year. Injury is such an easy write off and nobody fact checks.

Jedlicka probably won’t get an ELC from the org but he can have fun playing for the Eagles on an AHL deal.

Foudy only played 26 games for the Eagles this season and only 46 the season before so he did miss considerable time.

The way Bednar was talking about Jedlicka at the end of TC I would be very surprised if he doesn't get an ELC. Maybe missing an entire year gets the Avs to hold off and like you said he starts with an AHL deal so they can see how he comes back from that injury. But you make it sounds like he means nothing to the Avs and I don't believe that is the case. Bednar really liked him. He went out of his way to praise the guy...and also Ivan by he way.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Well most rookies aren't going to be very good right away don't you think? Bednar overplayed players who suck all the time though, Barberio, Bourque, Dries, Megna. Dude loves his ahl vets.

Seriously man, what the hell is wrong with you. Who doesn't love the Jayson??!!

 

[McMetal]

The thing is, we always pencil in guys like Ivan and Foudy for next year at this time of the season, but the Avs front office NEVER does that. There will be UFA signings, two-way deals, and AHL stars who will be signed between now and training camp, plus the possibility of a waiver pickup in October. Pretty soon, the depth chart is going to be full. It always is.

They will certainly give a guy like Ritchie a CHANCE in training camp to bump one of the guys on two-way deals back to the AHL. But they're not going to hold a third line spot open for him and count on him to fill it, because that's something rebuilding teams do, and the Avs are very much not in that phase right now.

 

[Alienblood]

Foudy only played 26 games for the Eagles this season and only 46 the season before so he did miss considerable time.

The way Bednar was talking about Jedlicka at the end of TC I would be very surprised if he doesn't get an ELC. Maybe missing an entire year gets the Avs to hold off and like you said he starts with an AHL deal so they can see how he comes back from that injury. But you make it sounds like he means nothing to the Avs and I don't believe that is the case. Bednar really liked him. He went out of his way to praise the guy...and also Ivan by he way.

And Bowers

 

[Hasbro]

If you suck, he won't play you.

Tell that to Megna.

 

[Chiarelli]

Foudy and Ivan are try hards. That only takes you so far in the NHL and it fizzles out quick. Get some skill or enjoy the AHL. No one is holding these guys back but themselves.

 

[chet1926]

Tell that to Megna.

Exactly. He loves himself some shit grinders.

Bednar is going to have start giving younger guys looks. Can't continue to use journeyman to fill some cheap roster holes.

Dallas has vets but they also are giving younger guys chances and they are running with it. They are filling their cheap spots with guys like Megna.

Foudy, Ivan, Behrens, Malinski, Ritchie are all guys that should be considered reasonable chance to make the roster and play nightly. Not play 5 mins or less a night and then send them back 5 games later and replace them with shitty veteran journeyman.

 

[chet1926]

Foudy and Ivan are try hards. That only takes you so far in the NHL and it fizzles out quick. Get some skill or enjoy the AHL. No one is holding these guys back but themselves.

I'll take tryhards who can skate over some of the guys Bednar has thrown out constantly in the bottom 6 in his tenure. There is no way around it Bednar falls in love with journeymen too frequently while not really giving looks to younger guys. You can't tell me that guys like Megna deserved around 50 games with the team over the course of a few years. Those are 50 games that should have been distributed elsewhere.

 

[Chiarelli]

Exactly. He loves himself some shit grinders.

Bednar is going to have start giving younger guys looks. Can't continue to use journeyman to fill some cheap roster holes.

Dallas has vets but they also are giving younger guys chances and they are running with it. They are filling their cheap spots with guys like Megna.

Foudy, Ivan, Behrens, Malinski, Ritchie are all guys that should be considered reasonable chance to make the roster and play nightly. Not play 5 mins or less a night and then send them back 5 games later and replace them with shitty veteran journeyman.

Dallas can also draft. If these kids had the chops to be everyday NHLers they would be.

 

[henchman21]

Way too much obsession over the magic box. Many prospect are just not that good and are actually worse players than guys like Megna.

Just take Malinski… he has some talent and offensive pop, but his defensive game is so bad that he shouldn’t ever play in the NHL. He’s not a 40-50 point guys to make you ignore the defensive play.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Foudy and Ivan are try hards. That only takes you so far in the NHL and it fizzles out quick. Get some skill or enjoy the AHL. No one is holding these guys back but themselves.

Ya? Tell that to Logan O'Connor.

 

[ABasin]

Way too much obsession over the magic box. Many prospect are just not that good and are actually worse players than guys like Megna.

Just take Malinski… he has some talent and offensive pop, but his defensive game is so bad that he shouldn’t ever play in the NHL. He’s not a 40-50 point guys to make you ignore the defensive play.

Are we being too black and white about it though? Seems like we're saying that either a guy is very skilled at 18 or he sucks forever.

What about the (potential) development of these young players? Is there no option for young players to improve while they're outside the NHL?

 

[The Abusement Park]

I guess the better question is who has Bednar actually given a shot to other than first round picks?

Not saying we have countless guys that should be given shots but giving a guy like Foudy minimal mins and shit linemates every time he gets a call up isn't exactly giving him a look.

I mean he got in 4 games this year and got around 5ish mins a game. Not exactly getting a shot to show what he can provide the team.

LOC? Kerfoot? Timmins?

I mean the dude hasn't had much to work with when it comes to prospects. Kaut sucks. Olausson sucks. Ranta sucks. Bowers sucks. This isn't like Q playing Boychuck at forward and wasting a top pair talent. It's a bunch of dudes who aren't NHL players.

 

[chet1926]

The thing is, we always pencil in guys like Ivan and Foudy for next year at this time of the season, but the Avs front office NEVER does that. There will be UFA signings, two-way deals, and AHL stars who will be signed between now and training camp, plus the possibility of a waiver pickup in October. Pretty soon, the depth chart is going to be full. It always is.

They will certainly give a guy like Ritchie a CHANCE in training camp to bump one of the guys on two-way deals back to the AHL. But they're not going to hold a third line spot open for him and count on him to fill it, because that's something rebuilding teams do, and the Avs are very much not in that phase right now.

This is a fair statement. Our team very rarely gives any prospect any chance to make the roster outside 1st round picks.

The Avs are at a point, where they can't afford to fill roster spots with shitbags 8 years past their prime or AHL superstars.

Dallas just showed us what it takes to win. They had a nice mixture of younger guys they've drafted and a veteran core. Everyone was contributing.

For the Avs that means they can't just fill all the spots during the summer with garbage. You've got to have a handful of slots up for grabs and see if any of your young guys can grab them. You drafted/signed them why aren't you even remotely giving them a shot?

If they fail and look like shit, there are always league min "vets" available in Oct, Nov etc. And at that point you need to reevaluate your draft process.

 

[henchman21]

Ya? Tell that to Logan O'Connor.

The amount of skill LOC has is really underrated

 

[chet1926]

Dallas can also draft. If these kids had the chops to be everyday NHLers they would be.

How would we know, it's not like that even get a chance, because the first call up is always Megna, Wagner etc.

And to top that off there is never a roster spot available to compete for in training camp, we fill everything with shitty washed up vets prior to camp starting.

So I'm not sure how you can say they don't have the chops when there is nothing for them to even chase, Bednar and co aren't cut/buyout a vet no matter what.

I'll be stunned if they even give Ritchie a look this year. It's just not how are team operates.

 

[dahrougem2]

Foudy isn't held back by lack of speed or skill, though I think his puck skill could be improved. It's between the ears. He looks lost in any NHL action. Skates around aimlessly.

There's a reason why LOC is first on the forecheck and it isn't his speed.

 

[chet1926]

LOC? Kerfoot? Timmins?

I mean the dude hasn't had much to work with when it comes to prospects. Kaut sucks. Olausson sucks. Ranta sucks. Bowers sucks. This isn't like Q playing Boychuck at forward and wasting a top pair talent. It's a bunch of dudes who aren't NHL players.

LOC is only valid person on the list. Kerfoot was 23 and came in when our roster was mid. Timmins maybe, but he was a walking injury.

Speaking of Kerfoot, Malinski is a perfect example of guy that simply didn't get a enough run. He was as good as JMFJ and Jones but didn't get any real look and always was sent down no matter what he provided. He had 10 pts in 23 games, not half bad and honestly was starting to look the part of a bottom pairing guy. Then just was sent to oblivion and they'd rather play Caleb f***ing Jones who sucked.

 

[chet1926]

Foudy isn't held back by lack of speed or skill, though I think his puck skill could be improved. It's between the ears. He looks lost in any NHL action. Skates around aimlessly.

There's a reason why LOC is first on the forecheck and it isn't his speed.

Not sure how you tell anything on Foudy when he get 5 mins a night with 4th liners and then gets sent back.

Glad you are able to tell exactly the issues he has in the whole 20 mins of action he got this year.

 

[henchman21]

Are we being too black and white about it though? Seems like we're saying that either a guy is very skilled at 18 or he sucks forever.

What about the (potential) development of these young players? Is there no option for young players to improve while they're outside the NHL?

I don't think it is black and white, nor that players can't improve. I would say that people seriously underrate the skill in the NHL overall. So many of these players are absurdly skilled. To get by on skill alone, we're talking the top .1% can do that. We frequently see guys who get by on their skill sets being humbled in the NHL. Byram is honestly a great example... he got by on simply being better than everyone else for his whole career prior to the NHL. He was BY FAR the most talented player on any team he played for up until the NHL and he played like it. He took over games for his team, did what he wanted when he wanted, could run his mouth to anybody and back it up. Now in the NHL, he's hard pressed to be a top 5 most talented guy on his team. Suddenly his game has to change. Instead of bending the game to his will, he has to fit into a role within the game. He's a more extreme example, but this happens with many guys.

Cogliano was an elite player through college, but when he got into the NHL, he couldn't dominate like he could. He had to change his game and find a role. And he did as a 3rd line, PK guy. Many guys struggle with that transition.

Every player can improve to a point, some end up limited by skills, style of play, frame, etc. When you get past the very elite skill guys, you get more into how they can fit in a NHL roster. Malinski is more skilled than a lot of NHL defensemen. He skates well, has a decent frame, and can attack offensively. But he's not more offensively skilled than guys like Makar, Toews, or G. So trying to make it as 1 of 6 every night defensemen, he has to find a niche. It won't be on a NHL power play, so he has to be a reliable PK guy and defensively without losing that offense. That's realistically not in his skill set.

A blast from the past name... Sheldon Dries. I don't think people actually realize how good of hockey player he is. He's a dominant AHL guy who makes players like Ivan and Foudy look bad. He can control the game at that level and looks far more skilled than them (same with guys like Tynan and Agozzino)... he just can't do enough in the NHL to make it work. The step is too large.

When people talk about any skill in a player's game whether it be a shot, hands, skating, etc... they don't really look at how much of a driver it is in the success at the current level and how that skill will be in the NHL. If that skill is minimized in the NHL where they trend more back to average... that player will have a hard time transitioning and have to find a new route to be as effective.

 

[The Abusement Park]

LOC is only valid person on the list. Kerfoot was 23 and came in when our roster was mid. Timmins maybe, but he was a walking injury.

Speaking of Kerfoot, Malinski is a perfect example of guy that simply didn't get a enough run. He was as good as JMFJ and Jones but didn't get any real look and always was sent down no matter what he provided. He had 10 pts in 23 games, not half bad and honestly was starting to look the part of a bottom pairing guy. Then just was sent to oblivion and they'd rather play Caleb f***ing Jones who sucked.

I mean Kerfoot and Malinski are literally the same scenario as players.... Kerfoot earned a shot and filled a role. Malinski does not.

Malinski's issues are purely skill set related. He's decent offensively, but he's at best our 3rd best offensive dman and not NHL quality defensively. When you're a 7D having no defensive ability is a problem if you aren't filling an offensive role which Malinski does not.