Bruins waive disappointing Brett Ritchie for purpose of assignment to Providence

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By WEEI 93.7

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Clearly Bruins general manager Don Sweeney or coach Bruce Cassidy or both have seen enough of Brett Ritchie.

The would-be power forward that spent most of the season’s first four months floating around the rink, when he was healthy, was waived Wednesday for purpose of his assignment to Providence of the American Hockey League. Ritchie had two goals in 27 games this season.

The move was first leaked by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and was later confirmed by the Bruins.

Ritchie (BOS), Stewart (PHI) on waivers

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 15, 2020

Although he had been playing better of late, Ritchie never earned the favor of Cassidy and probably most let the Bruins down in their Dec. 23 win against Washington. In that 7-3 victory the Capitals took legal but unnecessary runs at both Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy without any response from Ritchie. That trend continued in a loss at Columbus on Tuesday.

Without the Bruins announcing another move, we don’t know yet what they’re thinking about a replacement for Ritchie is. If it's someone coming up from Providence, Anton Blidh, Trent Frederic, Karson Kuhlman and Jack Studnicka are all candidates that bring different things, and perhaps the Bruins are mulling over exactly what they want to do with their lineup.

They could shift Charlie Coyle back to wing and bring up a center, or they could bring up a wing and then decide if that player should play on the third or second line. Anders Bjork has been inconsistent as David Krejci’s right wing. It could also be time to break up the fourth line again.

Whatever the Bruins decide, it appears they’re not going to be having anything to do with Ritchie, who signed a $1 million, one-year deal July 1, for the foreseeable future.

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