How Brett Ritchie may have found new role with Stars by dropping gloves

In the past eight seasons, the NHL has seen the number of fights drop 230 percent from 645 in 2010-11 to 280 last season.
In 188 career NHL games heading into this season, Brett Ritchie had been in just five fights.
And today, we're talking about just how big a fight Ritchie had Saturday in a 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

That's part of the serial television nature of sports -- you never know when the next twist or turn might come -- but it's also an intriguing look into just what the 2018-19 Stars might be.
While new coach Jim Montgomery has preached speed and smarts, his University of Denver teams always had a physical edge. We might be seeing that a little muscle behind the quick hands also could help the Stars.

And while Ritchie has been seen as a possible top-six forward who can score on the power play in the past, a different element could definitely help a career that seemed stuck in the mud last season.
At the very least, the 25-year-old winger drew praise from everyone for his 7:19 of ice time Saturday.
"I can't say enough about what Brett Ritchie did," Montgomery said. "On the bench, you could feel it. It had everyone talking about it, going to high-five him or congratulate him or thank him. It's a big part of building a team. What he did, the value of it, you can't underestimate."
The Stars were in an intense game against a divisional rival and had jumped out to a 2-0 lead. However, Winnipeg clearly had the ability to come back, and when Stars defenseman Connor Carrick gave a Jets player a shove, Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien shoved Carrick into the boards with two seconds left in the period.
Dallas answered with a skirmish, but things were settled down, players were placed in the penalty boxes, and there was one last faceoff. Instead of going quietly into the intermission though, Ritchie challenged Adam Lowry to a fight, and the two engaged in a spirited brawl. The arena was charged up by the testosterone of the event, and the Stars headed off the ice feeling they could stand toe-to-toe with the Jets in every aspect of the game.

"That was a big time in the game," Stars captain Jamie Benn said. "I liked how even though it wasn't Buff, our team is sticking up for each other. I thought Ritchie did a hell of a job. You get mad respect from your teammates anytime you drop the mitts. I thought that was a big part in the game."
And a big time for Ritchie. A second-round pick from 2011, Ritchie saw his point production drop from 24 (16 goals, eight assists) in 2016-17 to 14 last season (seven goals, seven assists). He was unremarkable during training camp and looked like he might be losing a regular spot in the lineup to Roope Hintz or Denis Gurianov.
But Ritchie had a nice fight in the preseason finale against Colorado and has been solid in his two regular season games. He's adding not only the fighting element, but a big (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) power forward game that's been very noticeable.
"That's something Ritchie can do," Montgomery said, "but he can do a lot more than that."
In fact, it was the "lot more" that has defined Ritchie in the past, and the fighting part that is a little newer. But with Antoine Roussel leaving Dallas in free agency to sign with Vancouver, it's certainly a niche that he could step into.

"Stuff like that brings a team up. It's character," said defenseman Marc Methot. "Full marks to Ritchie. Doing that in front of 18-some-odd-thousand people is not an easy thing to do. You're in a bare-knuckle fight with someone.
"Brett's always there to stand up for his teammates, so full marks to him."
Even fuller marks when the fight is being talked about as something that was important as a big goal or big save.
"That game all started and ended with Brett Ritchie, as well," said Tyler Seguin, who had two goals and two assists. "What he did was great for our team, it shows that everyone's sticking together."
And no matter how much the league is changing, that's still an important element.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.