NY Islanders’ Future Looks Brighter With Calum Ritchie’s Next Step Coming

or Calum Ritchie, the end of his rookie season isn’t about looking back — it’s about what comes next.

After splitting time between the NHL and AHL, Ritchie made it clear during clean-out day that his focus is already on building off the foundation he established in his first professional campaign.

“I was pretty happy with my development over the season,” Ritchie said. “I went to Bridgeport, worked on my game, learned lots… and just tried to grow my game over the season, prove to them that I can be here and have an impact.”

That growth didn’t come without early adversity. Like many young players, Ritchie entered training camp hoping to make the roster, only to be sent down. Instead of letting it derail him, he used it as fuel.

“Coming to camp, you want to make the team… getting sent down is obviously a bit of disappointment,” he said. “But I went down and worked.”

Now, with a full season under his belt, Ritchie understands what it takes to stick at the NHL level — and what he needs to improve.

“I think going back, getting stronger this summer… you realize how much of a grind that NHL season is,” he said. “Better skating, better shot, everything. This summer, I’m excited for it. It’ll be a big summer for me.”

One of the biggest developments in his rookie year was his positional versatility. Though naturally a center, Ritchie spent time on the wing, an adjustment he believes helped round out his game.

“I feel really comfortable as a center… but playing on the wing was a good learning experience,” he said. “It helped me with board battles, winning pucks, stuff like that.”

Still, if he wants to secure a long-term role down the middle, Ritchie knows where the work begins.

“You’ve got to win faceoffs to do that,” he said.

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