With the free-agency period getting underway, here are a few quick thoughts on both the additions and losses that are set to reshape some of Boston’s roster for the 2019-20 season:
ADDITIONS
Bruins sign F Brett Ritchie to 1-year, $1-million contract
The Bruins’ cap space might be limited, but the club made one addition to the NHL roster in the first hour of free agency with the signing of Ritchie. A big body (6-foot-4, 220 pounds), Ritchie appeared in 53 games with the Dallas Stars last year, tallying four goals and six total points while accruing 57 penalty minutes.
With Noel Acciari’s departure (more on that later), Ritchie will likely
slot into the rotation of Boston’s fourth-line skaters, which already features Sean Kuraly, Joakim Nordstrom and Chris Wagner.
It may not be a headline grabber but at his worst Ritchie would be a steady 13th forward that Boston could insert into the lineup if the team is in need of a thump up front. And given Don Sweeney’s recent track record when it comes to striking gold on fourth-line forwards with great value (Wagner/Nordstrom/Tim Schaller), then this move could be another low-risk, high-reward signing. Ritchie, who just turned 26 on Monday, is two years removed from a 2016-17 campaign in which he tallied 16 goals and 24 total points over 78 games with the Stars.
While he's largely been sized up as Acciari's replacement as a bruising winger, Don Sweeney did note that Ritchie does have the potential of playing up in the lineup if need be.
"Yes, certainly from size, right shot, physicality, scored 16 goals two years ago, so obviously he had a little higher shooting percentage that year than he did the next two years," Sweeney said of Ritchie filling in a similar role as Acciari. "Do we expect him to reach that? We hope, we do, put him back in some situations that – you know, he’s played for three different coaches in the last three years.
"We went through all the metrics in terms of where he can help us with puck possession. He’s not a penalty killer that Noel is so distinct difference between the two players in that regard, but I do believe we had a vacancy on that side. Now we’re hopeful Brett will come in, recognize the opportunity in front of him and take advantage of it to playing with potentially one of three pretty good centers."
Bruins sign F Par Lindholm to 2-year, $1.7 million contract:
Boston added to its bottom-six depth by inking Lindholm to a deal with good value at $850,000 AAV over two years. Lindholm, who made his NHL debut last season while playing for the Maple Leafs and Jets, scored a goal and added 12 assists over 65 games. That production is obviously a dip from his last two years in the Swedish Hockey League, where he tallied 33 goals over 87 games, but the 27-year-old forward still projects as a viable fourth-line option that can assist a club on the penalty kill — an area that a potential Acciari replacement in Ritchie is not very well versed in.
"We only had one left-shot centerman, very good on faceoffs, also kills penalties, certainly in his previous years in Sweden he had 18 goals," Sweeney said of Lindholm. "Fifteen goals the year before that. I don’t believe he’ll score just one. We felt that same way with (Joakim Nordstrom) the previous year. So again, some of it’s speculation, some of it is just trying to work through the metrics of a guy on another team and how he’s going to come in and play on your team in a particular role that you envision him in."
Sweeney pretty much hit the nail on the head when it comes to comparing Lindholm and Nordstrom — who went from two goals over 75 games with Carolina in 2017-18 to seven goals over 70 games in Boston the following year. The skill is clearly there. Now let's see how Lindholm responds after getting a year of NHL action under his belt.
"Well, again, we’re looking at a bunch of different players in terms of who’s available and who’s going to come in and compliment and push our group," Sweeney said of Legace. "Max has some NHL experience. That was one of the caveats we would like to have and the box we would like to check. He’s played for a couple of different organizations. Everybody spoke very highly of his approach to the game. He continues to get better when he’s had more opportunity.
"We basically told Max that he can complement our top two guys, push our top two guys when we run into trouble because he has that NHL experience, but most importantly our younger guys have to take the net from him. He’s been in situations where he’s been the go-to guy with a couple different clubs in the American Hockey League, and our younger goaltenders need to understand they will have opportunity, but they need to take the net from a guy who has it without being blocked out, obviously."
"I think there’s always a breaking point, and we got to a point where I felt that we needed to head in a different direction," Sweeney added when asked about negotiations with Acciari's camp.
"He’s got a heavy presence," Sweeney said of Gaunce. "Also, a left shot, has killed penalties, above 50% on the faceoffs, you know, again, didn’t get as much of an opportunity this past season as he had in previous seasons. Can he pop offensively? That’s the big question at the NHL level for him, been productive at the AHL level. You know, again, can play a heavier game.
"His foot speed has been questioned. We talked a little bit about that with him, and he’s been a little bit more productive at the NHL level when he’s on the wing, but again, can play two positions, and he’s a left shot and good on faceoffs. Again, that’s part of the internal competition that we’re hoping to create within our group."