The Colorado Avalanche drafted Oshawa Generals center Calum Ritchie with the No. 27 pick of the first round on Wednesday.
Ritchie’s size, hockey IQ and two-way game make him one of the safer bets among 2023 forward prospects to lock down a long-term role in the NHL.
The forward was not a dominant scorer, and his 24 goals and 59 points in 59 OHL games were on the lower end for CHL first-round prospects.
Still, Ritchie has plenty of potential on offense; surrounded by Canada’s best 18-and-under talents at the IIHF World Junior Championship, Ritchie posted an impressive three goals and nine points in seven games.
His smooth handle in a sizable (6-foot-2) frame is reminiscent of Kevin Hayes’ offensive game without the big Bostonian’s lapses in effort and concentration.
Where Ritchie intrigues is the defensive zone and faceoff circle. Few high-profile draft prospects thrust themselves into dirty work the way he did last season, and his effort over 200 feet earned him an "A" with Oshawa.
“What Ritchie lacked in high-end offense this year, he made up for in extra defensive responsibility and more willingness to engage physically,” Daily Faceoff’s prospect expert Steven Ellis said. “And while he only had a point per game in the OHL, he decimated the Hlinka Gretzky with Canada before the season started before finishing off with a good U-18 World Championship despite dealing with a shoulder injury. He’s going to be a dependable two-way center in the NHL, and one that I think we’ll look back at as being one of the more effective players from this class.”
By drafting a forward who will almost certainly slot into their penalty kill in the long term, the Avalanche made a safe bet with the No. 27 pick. Ritchie’s advanced defensive instincts should set his floor as a reliable pro.
As an 18-year-old, Ritchie will not soon be eligible for an AHL season. He will likely return to the "O" next year to iron out his offense.
Although Ritchie does not have the ceiling of riskier mid-to-late first-round selections like Eduard Sale and Andrew Cristall, it is hard to envision a future where he is not a valued member of the Avs’ middle-six.
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