Former Leaf signs a professional tryout with a Central Division team
A former Maple Leaf has found himself in a bit of a precarious predicament this summer after failing to secure a contract during free agency. As is often the case when players cannot find a guaranteed deal for the season ahead, a PTO is often the only other option, short of playing overseas.
Nick Ritchie's tenure in Toronto was not a long one, signing a 2-year contract with the Leafs in the 2021 offseason before being traded in February of 2022, before he had even played out the first year of his deal. Now, just a year and a half later, Ritchie has officially signed a PTO with the St. Louis Blues.
Ritchie was originally brought in to Toronto to provide some secondary scoring and to be that rough, imposing figure in the middle of the roster. Unfortunately, things didn't work out the way either side would have liked with Ritchie not producing up to the level of expectation and the Leafs having demoted him to the 4th line before his departure.
Last season was not a banner year for Ritchie, who produced just 26 points in 74 games, split between the Coyotes and Flames. He'll have to put forth a much more concerted effort if he hopes to turn his PTO into a contract in St. Louis. If the Blues are looking to remain competitive, they're not going to offer a contract to someone who isn't going to hold up their end of the deal. If the goal is to rebuild, then perhaps Ritchie will have the inside edge on an NHL job in St. Louis, since the Blues will still need to carry a 23-man roster.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 14 | 52 ANSWERS Former Leaf signs a professional tryout with a Central Division team Will Ritchie's PTO land him an NHL contract with the Blues? | ||
| Yes | 19 | 36.5 % |
| No | 33 | 63.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
