Texas Adds Brett Ritchie, Trades Vet Forwards with Dallas

Brett Ritchie in last summer's prospect camp (Credit: Kimberly Van Heel)
With the Niagara IceDogs eliminated from the OHL Playoffs last weekend, Brett Ritchie has joined the Texas Stars and is expected to be in practice this week with the club. He could play in this weekend's games.

Ritchie had a very successful junior career, playing alongside Islanders prospect Ryan Strome and racking up 98-90-188 in 217 games played in the OHL. Ritchie was better than a point per game player this season at 41-35-76 in just 53 games.

Although the top two lines appear to be solidified for now in Texas, there could be room on the third line for the winger.

In other news, Texas swapped veteran forwards with their parent club, receiving Toby Petersen and losing Francis Wathier. Dallas plays at home tonight against the Ducks. Petersen played last night against the Kings and only saw 6:40 time on ice. Francis Wathier has been called up once before this season but has yet to figure into a game.

Here's the combined release:
The Texas Stars, proud American Hockey League affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced today that Dallas has assigned right wing Brett Ritchie to Texas from the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League. Dallas has also returned center Toby Petersen on loan to Texas.

Ritchie, 19, skated in 53 games during the 2012-13 season with the Niagara IceDogs, posting 76 points (41G-35A) with a plus-35 rating. He recorded career-highs in goals, assists, points and plus/minus during the 2012-13 campaign along with finishing the regular season ranked sixth in total goal-scoring in the OHL. Additionally, Ritchie recorded an eight-game goal streak (16G-6A-22 PTS) from Nov. 1 through Nov. 18, which was the longest goal streak of the OHL season. Amongst Niagara team leaders, he was first in goal-scoring, second on the club in total points and plus/minus rating.

During the 2013 OHL Playoffs, Ritchie posted four points (1G-3A) in four games during the first-round series against the Oshawa Generals. Over the course of his four seasons in junior hockey with Niagara and the Sarnia Sting (OHL), Ritchie appeared in 220 games with 99 goals and 92 assists for 191 points and 176 penalty minutes. The Orangeville, Ont., native was Dallas’ second-round selection (44th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Petersen, 34, appeared in one game during his assignment with Dallas, notching 6:40 in time-on-ice against Los Angeles on March 31. During the 2012-13 season with Texas, he has appeared in 65 games earning 23 points (7G-16A). Over the course of his career, Petersen spent five of his nine NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars and posted five points (2G-3A) in 39 games during the 2011-12 campaign with Dallas. In 398 career NHL games with Pittsburgh, Edmonton and Dallas, Petersen has posted 81 points (33G-48A) and 50 penalty minutes. Originally drafted in the ninth-round (244th overall) by Pittsburgh, the Minneapolis native made his NHL debut with the Penguins against Ottawa on Dec. 5, 2000.

Comments

  1. Unrelated to this post, but if the Dallas Stars miss the playoffs, who (if anyone) is likely to be sent down for the AHL playoffs?

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  2. Was discussing this last night. in the unlikely hood of them missing the playoffs we would be at least 1 round already into the caulder cup playoffs by the time they sent us any of our old guys back like Dillion,Benn,Wathier,Vincour,Smith i don't think they would send Eakin back though he is stuck with Dallas for sure.

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  3. I'm not sure about Eakin, I have to go with they do send him back down simply because you can't replicate playoff experience, sure didn't hurt or keep them from sending Jamie Benn down when Texas had a run in them and Benn has to be looked at as a better prospect (at the time) then Eakin. I think we get everyone back and we win the Cup.

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  4. Joe N. is a fool for trading Jagr he would have eventually turned them around. i knew Roy was going but Jagr? 0.o

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  5. Looking at the rules that determine a playoff roster.

    "And per National Hockey League rules, only those players who have been recalled from an AHL club following the NHL trade deadline (Wednesday, Apr. 3 at 3 p.m. ET) may be returned to the AHL during the remainder of the season."

    it looks like players will only be eligible if they are on the Texas Stars roster the 3rd? If so that's a big mess. Even Wathier wouldn't be eligible to be on the playoff roster. That's crazy, can it be right?

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  6. This means that if the Stars desire any player currently in the NHL to play in the AHL postseason, then that player must be assigned to the AHL before the trade deadline tomorrow. This is simple a paper transaction but here's the rub -- teams have just four "non-emergency" recalls after the deadline passes.

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