Cal Ritchie's game has seen massive improvements over the last 20 games with the NY Islanders

The NY Islanders and Mathieu Darche have made a concerted effort to revamp the prospect pool and have been successful in doing so in just one year. But the first domino to fall came before Darche’s tenure, as Lou Lamoriello acquired Calum Ritchie in a deal that sent Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche.

Ritchie, 21, was a player the staff kept a close eye on throughout rookie and training camp. A top-25 prospect when he joined the Islanders, Ritchie is supposed to be one of the cornerstones of the franchise alongside Matthew Schaefer.

Ritchie is getting better everyday

On the cusp of making the team out of training camp, Ritchie suffered a lower-body injury with a timeline of two weeks, forcing him to begin the season with the Bridgeport Islanders in the AHL. After just three games in Bridgeport, the Islanders were dealing with injury problems of their own, calling the rookie up for his first action with the big club.

Adjusting to a new club and a new league, Ritchie’s numbers were underwhelming, scoring four times and adding four assists through 28 games. He was moved throughout the four lines, as Patrick Roy searched for the best fit for the team. 

Over the Islanders’ last 20 games, Ritchie has found a home in the Islanders’ top-6 and the top power play unit, with his play and ice-time rapidly improving. Over that span, he’s added 11 points (4 G, 7 A), averaging 14:59 a night, opposed to 12:54 in his first 28.

Though the Islanders’ power play is struggling, ranked 29th in the league at 16.2%, Ritchie, while playing along the goal line, has made a connection with whoever is in the bumper position, effectively serving as the unit's best play on the man-advantage. 

According to today’s lines in practice, Ritchie will get an opportunity to play on the Islanders’ top line tomorrow alongside Bo Horvat and Emil Heineman.

His skating is average at best, but Ritchie is cerebrally among the best in the league despite his age, making up for lack of foot speed. He’ll continue to improve as he enters his prime and should be a major part of this team for years to come.