Calum Ritchie is why New York Islanders didn’t acquire another center at trade deadline

With the dust pretty much settled on the New York Islanders’ trade deadline moves, the time has come to dissect what happened and didn’t happen leading up to March 7.

Beyond the Brock Nelson trade, the Isles sat on their hands, failing to make any significant moves. In particular, I would have expected the Isles to add another center to replace Nelson in the depth chart. While that center would not have been a number-one or two guy, that center would have presumably filled the void for the remainder of the season.

The plan, at least on paper, was to move JG Pageau into the 2C spot with Casey Cizikas and Kyle MacLean rounding out the bottom six. But there’s always the chance that something could go wrong. That’s exactly what happened a few nights ago when the Isles were forced to play defenseman Adam Boqvist at center in place of MacLean.

Now, such a situation is not uncommon in the NHL. It’s like having position players pitch in baseball. It looks weird, but it’s mildly entertaining. But the situation does raise questions about a team’s depth chart.

In my mind, the question was: Why didn’t the Islanders get another center at the deadline? With plenty of guys hitting the waiver wire, perhaps one or two depth guys would have made sense just to run out the season.

Then, it hit me. The reason why the New York Islanders didn’t get another center was Calum Ritchie. Yes, Ritchie is going to be a key factor for the Islanders moving forward. But it’s a move designed to work next season and beyond.

Calum Ritchie firmly in New York Islanders plans for next season and beyond

Ritchie was the Colorado Avalanche’s first-round pick in 2023. Ritchie looks like a steal at 27th overall and has the makings of a solid two-way forward. He’s got great hands, speed, and can move the puck well over the ice.

If everything goes well, Ritchie could easily be a top-six center. Therein lies the problem. This season, the Avalanche wanted Ritchie to make the team. He did but slid into the third line behind superstar Nathan MacKinnon and 2C Casey Mittelstadt.

Needless to say, Ritchie struggled, scoring one goal in seven games. He went back to the OHL where he promptly shined.

The Islanders are now faced with a dilemma. Next season, Ritchie either plays in the AHL or gets a shot at the NHL. While Ritchie could benefit from some more seasoning at the AHL level, the truth is the Islanders want to infuse more youth into the lineup.

So, that situation means Ritchie, along with other young players like Isaiah George, should get significantly more playing time with the big club than in Bridgeport. Lou Lamoriello bet on Ritchie stepping in and potentially slotting as the 2C behind Bo Horvat.

If that move works out, the Islanders would hit the jackpot. But bear in mind Ritchie is still 20 years old. As such, some growing pains are to be expected. Everyone in the organization hopes that the New York Islanders' new top prospect blossoms into a meaningful contributor as soon as next season.