Ex-Leaf expected to be released by his team this summer, set to become a UFA
A former Leaf has found himself without a job next season after his DEL team, the Iserlohn Roosters have informed him that they have no intentions of re-signing him.
Former 10th overall draft pick (2014), Nick Ritchie, has played just 18 pro games in 2023-24, split between the Roosters in the DEL, Germany's top men's league, and Karpat of SM-liiga, Finland's top men's league. After the Roosters' announcement on Sunday, it appears as though Ritchie will be a UFA in the summer of 2024.
Ritchie missed an 8-game stretch this season while with Karpat over an incident in which he repeatedly struck a downed opponent in the head. Following the incident, he and Karpat came to terms on a buyout that ultimately led to the Orangeville, Ontario native becoming a free agent, signing with Iserlohn shortly thereafter.
Ritchie has amassed just 7 points across 18 games this season - a season in which he was supposed to go over to Europe and dominate in hopes of putting himself back on the radar of NHL teams. At this point, it seems unlikely that we see him back in the NHL.
| POLL | ||
17 MARS | 676 ANSWERS Ex-Leaf expected to be released by his team this summer, set to become a UFA Will we ever see former Leaf Nick Ritchie in the NHL again? | ||
| No, his time has passed | 575 | 85.1 % |
| Yes, someone will give him a 1-year deal | 101 | 14.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
