Bruins sign free-agent right wing Brett Ritchie to one-year deal
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Bruins made their first dips into the unrestricted free agent market on Monday. They’ve agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with right wing Brett Ritchie, according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports.
Brett Richie @NHLBruins 1 / approx $1M #tvasports
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) July 1, 2019
Ritchie turns 26 on Monday. He spent the past five seasons with the Dallas Stars, scoring 33 goals and 54 points in 241 games. However he only appeared in one game for Dallas in the 2019 playoffs.
Realistically, Ritchie represents a replacement for the departing Noel Acciari as a depth/reserve winger. He plays a physical brand of hockey and comes in at a strapping 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. He still has some untapped upside as a scorer, though (16 goals in 2016-17).
Clearly, the Ritchie signing shows that the Bruins wanted to add size to the system and depth among their right-shot forwards. But it has a low chance of becoming a hugely impactful signing beyond maintaining depth and toughness in the bottom-6.
Ritchie isn’t the Bruins’ only reported signing on Monday. They’ve also reportedly agreed to a one-year, $700,000 deal with goaltender Maxime Lagace and extended defenseman Connor Clifton for three years and $1 million annually.
UPDATE: The Bruins have officially announced the Ritchie and Lagace signings, along with a three-year extension for defenseman Connor Clifton.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at [email protected].
