Ritchie Ramping Up in Rookie Season

Cal Ritchie turned some heads on the New York Islanders recent road trip.

In the literal sense, Ritchie spun everyone around with his spin-o-rama pass to Anthony Duclair for the game-winning goal against the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 15. That play – the first of three Ritchie-Duclair hookups in the last four games – may have caught the eye of Canadian media who haven’t regularly watched Ritchie, but the Isles are certainly aware of the 21-year-olds talent.

“He's doing a heck of a job,” said Mathew Barzal, who fed Ritchie on the play in Edmonton. “Every day I see a little bit of growth in him and his patience on the ice. He's got great IQ and furthermore, just him being more comfortable in game situations, playing more minutes, being in different situations.”

Ritchie’s responsibilities have increased steadily throughout the season, in part due to injuries to mainstays like Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri, but also because the rookie keeps rising to the occasion.

He’s played on the Islanders top power-play unit for a few weeks, working along the goal line.

“They want that ready look on the goal line, so [I’m] trying to be there for Barzy for an out,” Ritchie said. “I’m just trying to make some plays and I'm kind of learning as it goes.”

The goal line is also where he scored a between-the-legs, game-winner in Tampa Bay back on Dec. 6.

"He's got beautiful skills," Head Coach Patrick Roy said. "The goals that he's been scoring tells us that there's something there for us.”

Ritchie has 15 points (7G, 9A) in 39 games for the Islanders this season, including seven points (3G, 4A) in 10 games since sitting as a healthy scratch on Dec. 27 against Columbus. He responded with a goal the next game against Chicago and is currently riding a four-game assist streak.

“You can't come into the NHL and immediately get that timing down,” Barzal said. “The game is so fast and so tight, and I really think he's come around quickly. It’s because he's got such a good head on him and really sees the ice.”

He’s become a bit of a utility piece for Roy, centering a rotating cast of wingers including Jonathan Drouin, Emil Heineman and Max Shabanov and his chemistry with Duclair has emerged on the power play. Where Roy saw a young player focused on the defensive side of his game early in the season, the coach is seeing some of the offensive chops coming forward.

“When you start in the league, you want to make sure that you do the right thing, to keep your place in the NHL,” Roy said. “I feel like he's progressing really well, and we're very happy with how he’s been playing right now.”

Ritchie said confidence plays a role as well, trusting himself to pull off a spin move.

“I think it's a big confidence thing,” Ritchie said. “I try to play with as much confidence as I can all the time, but I think in those situations, I'm not really thinking about anything. I'm just trying to play hockey and make my reads and play with my instincts.”

Ritchie, who turned 21 on Wednesday, is still in the early stages of his NHL career, so there’s still a lot to learn, but the young forward has is taking his rookie season in stride.

“Really enjoying it,” Ritchie said. “Obviously, our team's having some good success, and I’m glad to be a part of it. And I think I'm learning. I'm growing my game a lot every day, so it's been really good so far.”