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Brett Ritchie
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Brett Ritchie (born July 1, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for the Sheffield Steelers of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). He has formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Dallas Stars, 44th overall, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Key Information

Playing career

[edit]

Ritchie attended The Hill Academy.[1]

Junior

[edit]

In 2009–10 Ritchie scored 13 goals and 16 assists in 65 games for the Sarnia Sting during his first season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). During his second season, he missed approximately a month of the season due to mononucleosis, but despite playing just 49 games, his scoring improved to 21 goals and 20 assists during the 2010–11 season. Unfortunately, due to his illness during the mid-season, Ritchie missed his opportunity to play in the 2011 CHL Top Prospects Game.[2]

On January 5, 2012 Ritchie was traded to the Niagara Icedogs for Guelph's 2012 2nd round pick, Peterborough's 2014 2nd round pick, and Niagara's own 2013 2nd and 5th round picks – all of which Sarnia immediately traded to Mississauga to acquire goalie JP Anderson.[3][4]

Professional

[edit]

Dallas Stars

[edit]

On July 11, 2012, Ritchie signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars.[5] After attending the Stars' training camp, he returned to the OHL for the 2012–13 season.[6] At the conclusion of the 2012–13 season, Ritchie was re-assigned to the Stars' American Hockey League associate, the Texas Stars, for the remainder of the 2012–13 AHL season.[7] He made his professional debut on April 5, 2013, where he scored his first professional goal in a game against the Oklahoma City Barons.[8] A As the Texas Stars qualified for the 2013 Calder Cup playoffs, Ritchie scored the game-winning goal of Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal against the Milwaukee Admirals on April 27, 2013.[9]

Ritchie during the 2014 Calder Cup Finals.

Ritchie joined the Dallas Stars at the NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan in September 2013.[10] He also played with the Stars in their preseason games, spending time on their second power-play unit.[11] However, he soon suffered a lower-body injury and missed numerous preseason games to recover.[12] Following the conclusion of the preseason, Ritchie was re-assigned to the Texas Stars for the 2013–14 season.[13] Ritchie began the season strong, tallying two goals and seven assists to tie for ninth among AHL rookies in scoring by early November.[14] By the end of the month, he ranked seventh among rookies as he had added two more goals and four more assists for 15 points through 20 games.[15] He began January tied for 11th in rookie scoring with 23 points through 36 games.[16] Ritchie quickly picked up production throughout January and scored seven goals through 13 games.[17] In early April, Ritchie set a franchise-record by scoring four goals in a 5–1 win over the Lake Erie Monsters.[18] However, he later suffered an injury and was not expected to be ready to start the 2014 Calder Cup playoffs.[19] He finished the regular season with 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points through 68 games.[20] Ritchie subsequently missed the first eight games of the playoffs before returning to the lineup for the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Grand Rapids Griffins. In his return, he scored a goal on the power play to lift the Stars 7–1 over the Griffins and advance them to the Western Conference Finals.[21] Despite missing numerous games, Ritchie immediately brought offensive production to the Stars lineup and quickly scored three goals in three games. Two of his goals came during Texas’ 6–3 win over the Toronto Marlies to even their series to 1–1.[22] Ritchie scored the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals to advance the Stars to the 2014 Calder Cup Finals.[23] He scored another goal in Game 5 to lift the Stars to a 4–3 victory over the St. John's IceCaps and secure their first Calder Cup.[24] Ritchie finished the postseason with seven goals and 11 points in 13 games in the Calder Cup Playoffs.[20]

Ritchie with the Dallas Stars in 2015.

Following their Calder Cup win, Ritchie returned to the Dallas Stars' training camp and participated in his second NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan.[25] Although the Stars won their game against the Carolina Hurricanes prospects, Ritchie injured his right pinky and was expected to remain out for the remainder of the tournament as a precaution.[26] After spending two weeks in recovery, Ritchie returned to the Stars lineup for their third exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on September 26.[27] On October 1, Ritchie and Jyrki Jokipakka were re-assigned to the AHL to start the 2014–15 season.[28] He began his sophomore season with the Texas Stars going scoreless in his first five games despite ranking second in the AHL with 30 shots on goal.[29] He later missed some games through November and December due to illness and injury.[30][31] Upon recovering, he scored his second hat-trick with the Stars during their game against the Charlotte Checkers on December 27, 2014.[32] Following this game, he led the team with 11 goals and tied for third on the team with 18 points. As a result of his outstanding play, he was recalled to the NHL level for the first time of the season on December 31.[33] Ritchie subsequently scored the game-winning goal in his NHL debut as the Stars shutout the Arizona Coyotes 6–0 on January 1. He became the first Stars player to score his first NHL goal in his first NHL game since Antoine Roussel in 2013.[34] After scoring in the following game, he also became the first Stars player to score a goal in each of his first two games since Mike Modano in 1989-90.[35] He earned playing time on the Stars' top line with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn[36] as he tallied three goals in his first six NHL games.[37] As Seguin and Benn struggled to produce, head coach Lindy Ruff placed Ritchie on a line with Benn and Cody Eakin.[38] However, this was shortlived as Ritchie suffered an undisclosed injury and was placed on injured reserve prior to the 2015 NHL All-Star Game break.[39] At the time of the injury, Ritchie had tallied four points and a +8 plus/minus rating in eight NHL games. He was eventually re-assigned to the Texas Stars but was recalled on February 5.[40] He went pointless in two more games before being returned to the AHL level.[41] However, as a result of injuries to Seguin, Patrick Eaves, and Ales Hemsky, Ritchie returned to the Dallas Stars on February 14.[42] He was re-assigned to the Texas Stars temporarily just prior to the NHL trade deadline so that he would be eligible for the AHL playoffs.[43] Upon returning to the Dallas Stars, Ruff put Ritchie on a line with Shawn Horcoff and Curtis McKenzie,[44] although both Ritchie and McKenzie were re-assigned to the Texas Stars on March 31.[45] He helped the Texas Stars qualify for the 2015 Calder Cup playoffs and tied for the team lead in scoring before they were eliminated by the Rockford IceHogs.[46]

Ritchie underwent surgery to repair a ligament in his wrist during the 2015 offseason and was expected to recover within three to four months.[47] Upon returning to the ice, he began the 2015–16 season in the AHL with the Texas Stars. He accumulated 14 goals and 28 points through 35 games before making his NHL season debut on March 4, 2016.[48] Despite playing on the Stars' top line in his season debut,[48] he quickly became a healthy scratch for numerous games.[49] He later suffered another upper-body injury and missed eight games to recover.[50] He was eventually re-assigned to the AHL but returned to the Dallas Stars' lineup after the Texas Stars were eliminated from the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs.[51] In his NHL postseason debut, Ritchie played an average of 6:36 through 11 shifts during the Stars' Game 4 win over the St. Louis Blues.[52]

After a healthy preseason, Ritchie started the 2016–17 season on the Dallas Stars' roster.[53] In his first full season with the Dallas Stars, he ranked fourth on the team with 16 goals and shared eighth on the club with two game-winning goals.[54] He began the season accumulating two goals and an assist as the lineup suffered numerous injuries.[55] During a 5-2 win over Predators on December 8, Ritchie set a new career high for goals in a season by tallying his seventh in the first period.[56] He would later experience a 13 game goal slump which he broke in a 6–4 win over the Los Angeles Kings on January 9.[57] Following a season-ending injury to Roussel in March, Ritchie was expected to gain a larger role on the ice and accept more responsibilities.[58] He earned time on the Stars' second power play unit alongside forwards Jason Spezza and Devin Shore.[59] At the conclusion of the season, the Stars extended a qualifying offer to Ritchie to retain his negotiating rights.[60] He eventually signed a two-year, $3.5-million contract extension to remain with the team on July 6, 2017.[61]

Ritchie began the 2017–18 season registering two points in 12 games and ranked second on the Stars with 33 hits. He was later placed on injured reserve following an injury on October 30.[54] Ritchie returned to the Stars' lineup on November 10 after missing three games.[62]

Boston Bruins

[edit]

After seven seasons within the Stars organization, on June 25, 2019, Ritchie was not tendered a qualifying offer enabling him to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.[63] Marking his 26th birthday on the opening day of free agency, Ritchie was signed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the Boston Bruins.[64] He made his season debut with the Bruins on October 3, against the Dallas Stars. He subsequently scored the first goal of the 2019–20 season to lift them to a 2–1 victory.[65] Following the season opener, he tallied two goals and three points in 14 games before missing several more contests due to various injuries.[66] He missed seven games to recover from an infection before returning to the Bruins lineup on November 23.[67] However, his return was shortlived as his infection continued to flare up.[68] He missed seven more games to recover from the infection before returning to the lineup again on December 7.[69] He was eventually re-assigned to the Bruins' AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins on January 15 after accumulating two goals and four assists for six points through 27 games.[70]

Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes

[edit]

As a free agent from the Bruins, Ritchie was left unsigned entering training camp for the delayed 2020–21 season. On January 9, 2021, Ritchie was invited to join the Calgary Flames training camp on a professional tryout basis.[71] After impressing at training camp, Ritchie signed a one-year, two-way contract with an average annual value of $700,000 with the Calgary Flames on January 17, 2021.[72] After concluding his second season with the Flames, Ritchie was left to explore free agency before re-signing with the Flames approaching training camp to a one-year, $750,000 contract on September 22, 2022.[73]

In the following 2022–23 season, Ritchie added six goals through 34 regular season games before he was dealt at the NHL trade deadline along with Connor Mackey to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for his younger brother Nick Ritchie and Troy Stecher on March 3, 2023.[74] The trade marked the first time in NHL history that brothers had been traded for each other,[75] but the second time overall in North American professional sports, following a 2008 National Basketball Association (NBA) trade that saw Pau Gasol and Marc Gasol traded for each other.[citation needed]

Overseas

[edit]

On November 18, 2023, Ritchie signed a one-year contract with HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).[76] However, his season was limited to only 12 regular-season and two playoff games.

On September 25, 2024, he signed a one-year contract with HK Nitra in the Slovak Extraliga.[77] After recording 24 points in 28 games, which included two games against brother Nick playing for HC Nové Zámky,[78] Ritchie was released from his contract so he could sign with the Schwenninger Wild Wings in Germany. According to Nitra club president Miroslav Kováčik, the reason for his release was that Slovak league officiating did not allow Ritchie or other skilled players to fulfill their offensive potential.[79]

Ritchie started the 2025-26 with Villacher SV but after playing just eight games (on a tryout) he was released on January 6th. [80] Just a short 3 days after he was released from Villacher SV it was announced he had signed for the Sheffield Steelers.[81]

Early life

[edit]

Ritchie was born on July 1, 1993, in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada[82] to parents Paul and Tammy. Ritchie comes from an athletic family with both his parents and younger brother engaging in various sports throughout their lifetime. His mother was a three-sport athlete while attending Brock University and his father played in the Ontario Hockey League.[83] Before his brother Nick was drafted in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, they competed in lacrosse together.[84] Brett's younger brother, Nick Ritchie, plays in the NHL for the Calgary Flames. Nick was drafted 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks at the NHL Entry Draft. During the 2012–13 season, Ritchie played with Team Canada to win gold medals at both the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships.

Career statistics

[edit]

Regular season and playoffs

[edit]
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2009–10 Sarnia Sting OHL 65 13 16 29 35 — — — — —
2010–11 Sarnia Sting OHL 49 21 20 41 47 — — — — —
2011–12 Sarnia Sting OHL 23 8 7 15 30 — — — — —
2011–12 Niagara IceDogs OHL 30 16 14 30 24 19 3 8 11 14
2012–13 Niagara IceDogs OHL 53 41 35 76 40 4 1 3 4 9
2012–13 Texas Stars AHL 5 3 1 4 0 9 2 0 2 2
2013–14 Texas Stars AHL 68 22 26 48 53 13 7 4 11 10
2014–15 Texas Stars AHL 33 14 7 21 40 3 1 1 2 2
2014–15 Dallas Stars NHL 31 6 3 9 12 — — — — —
2015–16 Dallas Stars NHL 8 0 1 1 7 2 0 0 0 0
2015–16 Texas Stars AHL 35 14 14 28 26 3 1 1 2 0
2016–17 Dallas Stars NHL 78 16 8 24 38 — — — — —
2017–18 Dallas Stars NHL 71 7 7 14 42 — — — — —
2018–19 Dallas Stars NHL 53 4 2 6 57 1 0 0 0 2
2019–20 Boston Bruins NHL 27 2 4 6 21 — — — — —
2019–20 Providence Bruins AHL 12 2 2 4 6 — — — — —
2020–21 Calgary Flames NHL 32 4 4 8 24 — — — — —
2021–22 Calgary Flames NHL 41 3 1 4 29 7 2 0 2 4
2022–23 Calgary Flames NHL 34 6 2 8 23 — — — — —
2022–23 Arizona Coyotes NHL 16 2 3 5 2 — — — — —
2023–24 Dinamo Minsk KHL 12 2 1 3 10 2 0 0 0 0
2024–25 HK Nitra Slovak 28 12 12 24 22 — — — — —
2024–25 Schwenninger Wild Wings DEL 19 6 4 10 16 3 3 1 4 4
NHL totals 391 50 35 85 255 10 2 0 2 6
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Men's ice hockey
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Silver medal – second place 2010 Ontario

International

[edit]
Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2010 Canada Ontario U17 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 2 1 3 6
2011 Canada U18 4th 7 4 3 7 6
2011 Canada IH18 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 4 0 4 2
2013 Canada WJC 4th 6 1 3 4 2
Junior totals 24 11 7 18 16

Awards and honours

[edit]
Honours Year
World U-17 Hockey Challenge silver medal 2010 [85]
Calder Cup champion 2014

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Brett Ritchie

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Brett Ritchie (born July 1, 1993) is a Canadian right winger. He was selected by the in the second round, 44th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and played 391 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) across four teams, accumulating 50 goals, 35 assists, and 85 points. Ritchie's early career began in the (OHL), where he was drafted first overall by the in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection and later traded to the . Over 217 OHL games, he recorded 98 goals and 109 assists, earning a spot on the OHL Second All-Star Team in 2013. Following his junior success, Ritchie transitioned to professional hockey with the of the (AHL), where he contributed to their 2014 championship, posting 53 goals and 48 assists in 141 regular season AHL games, plus 7 goals and 4 assists in 13 playoff games. His NHL debut came with Dallas on December 31, 2014, marked by a game-winning goal against the . In the NHL, Ritchie's most productive season was 2016–17 with the , when he achieved career highs of 16 goals and 24 points in 78 games. He later signed as a with the in 2019, recording 6 points in 27 games during the 2019–20 season, before joining the in 2021 and being traded to the in 2023. After his NHL stint, Ritchie played briefly for HK Nitra in the during the 2024–25 season before signing with of the (DEL) on January 8, 2025, for the remainder of the 2024–25 season, where he tallied 9 goals and 5 assists in 22 games (19 regular season and 3 playoff). Following the 2024–25 season, Ritchie has not signed with a new team as of November 2025. Internationally, he represented at the 2009 Memorial Tournament, winning gold, and the 2010 , earning silver. Ritchie is the younger brother of former NHL player .

Early life

Family background

Brett Ritchie was born on July 1, 1993, in , . Ritchie's parents, Paul and Tammy Ritchie, provided a strong athletic foundation for their family. Paul Ritchie, who played forward for the London Knights in the from 1980 to 1982, later coached youth hockey teams, including serving as an assistant coach for the Acton Minor Hockey Association and the Major Atom Hurricanes. Tammy Ritchie was a three-sport standout in , , and during her youth. Ritchie has a younger brother, , born on December 5, 1995, who is also a player and has appeared in over 300 NHL games with teams including the , , and . The Ritchie family placed a significant emphasis on sports from an early age, with Paul introducing both sons to hockey by providing them with sticks and skates, fostering their shared pursuit of the sport.

Youth development

Brett Ritchie, born on July 1, 1993, in , was introduced to hockey at an early age through the local minor hockey programs offered by the Orangeville Minor Hockey Association. His father, Paul Ritchie, who had a background in coaching, played a pivotal role in his initial training, guiding Brett and his younger brother through foundational drills and team practices in the association's house and representative leagues. This family involvement fostered a structured environment for skill acquisition, emphasizing basic puck handling, skating, and positional awareness from peewee and bantam levels onward. As Ritchie progressed in Ontario's minor hockey system, he competed with representative teams in regional tournaments, building competitive experience against top youth talent in the province. By age 14, he had transitioned fully into a forward role, leveraging his emerging physical attributes—described as already "big and very strong"—to excel in physical play and battles along the boards. To advance his development, Ritchie joined the in the (GTHL), a premier minor hockey circuit, where he played U15 AAA in the 2007-08 season (42 games, 20 goals, 24 assists) and U16 AAA in 2008-09 (44 games, 21 goals, 30 assists). These experiences honed his style, focusing on net-front presence and shot accuracy while adapting to higher-intensity games. Prior to entering major junior hockey, Ritchie's pre-2009 accomplishments included strong performances in key showcases, such as the 2008-09 OHL Cup tournament with the Marlboros U16 AAA team, where he recorded 5 goals and 2 assists in 7 games. Additionally, his team won the 2009 Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic as Minor Midget champions, highlighting his contributions in high-stakes youth competition. These early selections and successes, including invitations to provincial scouting events, underscored his rapid growth and potential as a skilled, physically imposing forward.

Playing career

Junior career

Ritchie was selected by the with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2009 OHL Priority Selection after playing for the U16 AAA. In his rookie 2009–10 season with , the 6-foot-3 right winger recorded 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points in 65 games, establishing himself as a physical presence on the wing. The following year, 2010–11, Ritchie improved offensively with 21 goals and 20 assists for 41 points in 49 games, despite missing approximately a month due to mononucleosis, which also forced him to sit out the 2011 CHL/Top Prospects Game. Early in the 2011–12 season, Ritchie tallied 8 goals and 7 assists in 23 games for Sarnia before being traded to the Niagara IceDogs on January 5, 2012, in exchange for three second-round picks and a fifth-round pick. Joining Niagara midseason, he contributed 16 goals and 14 assists in 30 regular-season games, adding 3 goals and 8 assists in 20 playoff contests as the team advanced to the OHL finals. As an overage player in his final OHL season of 2012–13, Ritchie emerged as a for Niagara, posting a breakout performance with 41 goals and 35 assists for 76 points in 53 games; he was considered a potential candidate due to his scoring prowess and veteran presence. A highlight was his career-high six-point game (four goals, two assists) against the on November 3, 2012. Prior to the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Ritchie ranked 36th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting's final list, praised in scouting reports as a big with a strong shot, good skating for his size, and potential to develop into a top-six NHL winger despite injury setbacks. The selected him in the second round, 44th overall.

Dallas Stars

Following his selection by the in the second round (44th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Ritchie signed a three-year entry-level contract with the organization on July 11, 2012, carrying a cap hit of $925,000 per season. He spent the initial part of his professional development in the (AHL) with the Stars' affiliate, the , beginning with a brief appearance in five games during the 2012–13 season, where he recorded three goals and one assist. Ritchie's full AHL development occurred in the 2013–14 season, during which he established himself as a promising , posting 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points in 68 regular-season games while accumulating 53 penalty minutes, reflecting his physical 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame. In the Calder Cup playoffs, he played a key role for , contributing seven goals and four assists in 13 games as the team captured the 2014 championship, defeating the St. John's IceCaps in overtime of Game 5 in ; Ritchie scored in that decisive match to help build an early lead. His playoff performance highlighted his scoring touch and physical presence in high-stakes situations, earning him recognition as a top prospect in the organization. Ritchie made his NHL debut with the on December 31, 2014, against the , where he immediately impacted the game by scoring his first career NHL —on his first shot—7:22 into the second period, contributing to a 6–0 victory and marking the first game-winning in a debut for a Stars player since 2008. Over the 2014–15 season, he appeared in 31 games as a bottom-six forward, tallying six goals and three assists for nine points, often deployed for his size and forechecking ability to disrupt opponents. Through the 2018–19 season, Ritchie solidified his role as a physical, energy-line winger, playing 241 regular-season games with and recording 33 goals, 21 assists, and 54 points, along with 156 penalty minutes that underscored his gritty, hit-heavy style. His most productive year came in 2016–17, with 16 goals in 78 games, though production dipped in later seasons amid competition for bottom-six minutes. Ritchie's tenure with the Stars concluded after the 2018–19 season, when the team declined to extend a qualifying offer, allowing him to enter unrestricted free agency; he subsequently signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the on July 1, 2019.

Boston Bruins

Brett Ritchie signed a one-year contract with the as an unrestricted on July 1, 2019, worth $1 million, bringing his prior NHL experience from the organization to provide depth on the wing. During the 2019–20 season, Ritchie appeared in 27 games for the Bruins, recording 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points while primarily filling roles on the team's third and fourth lines as a physical, bottom-six forward. His ice time averaged around 10 minutes per game, contributing to the team's and penalty kill efforts amid a competitive forward group. On January 15, 2020, the Bruins placed Ritchie on waivers for the purpose of assignment to their AHL affiliate, the , after he struggled to maintain a consistent NHL role; he cleared waivers two days later and reported to Providence. In 12 regular-season games with Providence, Ritchie tallied 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points, serving as a veteran presence on the roster before the AHL season was suspended in March due to the . He was not recalled to following the NHL's pause and resumption in the bubble. The shortened , limited to 70 games for the Bruins due to the outbreak, further constrained Ritchie's opportunities to compete for a roster spot upon any potential AHL resumption or postseason call-up. Ritchie's contract expired at the end of the season, making him an unrestricted in the summer of 2020; the Bruins opted not to re-sign him amid heightened roster competition and the addition of other forwards to bolster their depth.

Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes

Ritchie signed a one-year, with the worth $700,000 on January 17, 2021, after impressing during training camp on a professional tryout. He re-signed with the on September 21, 2022, to another one-year deal valued at $750,000. During his time in Calgary, Ritchie served primarily as a depth forward on the fourth line, contributing physical play and occasional scoring. Over two full seasons and part of a third (2021–23), he appeared in 107 NHL games with the , tallying 20 points (13 goals and 7 assists). His most productive stretch came in the 2022–23 season, where he scored 6 goals in 34 games. Ritchie also spent brief periods with the Flames' AHL affiliate, the , where he was assigned and recalled multiple times, though he recorded no points in limited action. On March 3, 2023, ahead of the NHL trade deadline, the Flames traded Ritchie and defenseman to the in exchange for his brother and defenseman , marking the first brother-for-brother trade in league history. With , Ritchie continued as a bottom-six forward for the remainder of the 2022–23 season, playing 16 games and recording 5 points (2 goals and 3 assists). In total, across his stints with the Flames and Coyotes, Ritchie played 123 NHL games, accumulating 25 points (15 goals and 10 assists). Following the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2022–23 season, Ritchie became an unrestricted and did not sign another NHL deal, effectively concluding his North American professional career in the league.

European career

After concluding his NHL tenure, Ritchie briefly pursued a return to North American professional hockey with a professional try-out agreement with the in September 2023, but did not secure an NHL contract. He transitioned to shortly thereafter, signing a one-year contract with of the (KHL) on November 18, 2023. In the 2023–24 season, injuries limited his participation to 12 regular-season games, where he recorded 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points, along with 2 playoff appearances without points; the stint highlighted initial challenges in adapting to the KHL's larger ice surface and more physical, skill-oriented international style compared to North American leagues. For the 2024–25 season, Ritchie signed a one-year with HK Nitra of the on September 25, 2024. He contributed offensively with 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 28 games, showcasing a strong adjustment to the league's faster pace and smaller rinks, though his was mutually terminated on January 8, 2025, amid reported frustrations with officiating. That same day, he joined of the German on a for the remainder of the season. In 19 regular-season games, Ritchie tallied 6 goals and 4 assists for 10 points, adding 3 goals and 1 assist in 3 playoff games to help the team in their postseason run; his physical presence and scoring touch proved valuable in the DEL's balanced, high-scoring environment. Ritchie's European moves reflect broader transitions for North American players overseas, including overcoming setbacks and varying league dynamics—from the KHL's demands to the Extraliga's intensity and the DEL's emphasis on transitions—while achieving notable successes in production during shorter stints. As of November 2025, Ritchie remains with , continuing his professional career in the .

International career

Under-17 tournaments

Brett Ritchie was selected to represent Team Ontario at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, an annual international tournament showcasing elite under-17 talent, where fields four regional teams based on evaluations of top players from provincial development programs and early junior leagues. The selection process emphasized forwards with physical presence and scoring potential, drawing from Ritchie's performances in Ontario's minor hockey circuits leading into his rookie OHL season. As an emerging power forward standing 6 feet 3 inches tall, Ritchie contributed offensively during the tournament held in , , from January 3 to 9, 2010, helping Team Ontario secure a with a 4-1 record, including a 5-4 gold-medal final loss to the . In six games, he tallied 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points, along with 6 penalty minutes, demonstrating his ability to drive play in high-stakes international competition. A standout performance came in Ontario's opening 6-4 round-robin win over on January 3, where Ritchie scored twice alongside teammate Garrett Meurs, providing crucial offense during a game that saw the team withstand a late rally to preserve their undefeated streak and medal aspirations. His physical style and goal-scoring drew attention from NHL scouts, enhancing his profile ahead of the 2011 draft.

Under-18 tournaments

Brett Ritchie was selected to represent at the 2010 following a successful at the national under-18 selection camp in , . Playing as a right winger, Ritchie contributed offensively with four goals in five games, helping secure the gold medal after defeating 2-1 in the championship game. His goal-scoring prowess, including multi-goal efforts in preliminary round wins over and , underscored his physical presence and net-front ability on a squad that outscored opponents 25-8 overall. Later, Ritchie earned a spot on Canada's roster for the 2011 IIHF World Under-18 Championships in after impressing at the under-18 selection process. He recorded four goals and three assists for seven points in seven games, tying for third in team scoring among forwards. In the medal rounds, Ritchie scored twice in the 5-4 overtime semifinal loss to the and added a goal in the 6-4 bronze-medal defeat to , as finished fourth overall. His strong showing, particularly his 14.29% shooting percentage and physical play along the boards, elevated his profile ahead of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, where he was selected 44th overall by the .

World Junior Championship

Ritchie represented at the 2013 IIHF World Under-20 Championship in , . In six games, he recorded one goal and three assists for four points, as finished fourth after a 6-5 loss to in the semifinal and a 2-0 loss to in the bronze-medal game.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Brett Ritchie's junior career statistics in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) spanned five seasons from 2009 to 2013, during which he recorded 99 goals and 92 assists for 191 points in 220 regular-season games, along with 4 goals and 11 assists in 24 playoff games.
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIM+/-PlayoffsGPGAPtsPIM+/-
2009-10Sarnia StingOHL6513162935-33------
2010-11Sarnia StingOHL4921204147-1------
2011-12Sarnia StingOHL238715300------
2011-12Niagara IceDogsOHL301614302427203811160
2012-13Niagara IceDogsOHL53413576403541349-1
Total220999219117628244111525-1
In the American Hockey League (AHL), Ritchie played 153 regular-season games from 2012 to 2020, accumulating 55 goals and 50 assists for 105 points, and added 11 goals and 6 assists in 28 playoff games; during the 2014 Calder Cup playoffs with the Texas Stars, he recorded 7 goals and 4 assists in 13 games en route to the championship.
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIM+/-PlayoffsGPGAPtsPIM+/-
2012-13Texas StarsAHL53140392022-2
2013-14Texas StarsAHL682226485314137411103
2014-15Texas StarsAHL33147214019311220
2015-16Texas StarsAHL3514142826-231120-1
2019-20Providence BruinsAHL1222461------
Total1535550105125352811617140
Ritchie's National Hockey League (NHL) career, from 2014 to 2023 across the , , , and , included 391 regular-season games with 50 goals and 35 assists for 85 points, plus 2 goals in 10 playoff games.
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIM+/-PlayoffsGPGAPtsPIM+/-
2014-15NHL3163912-1------
2015-16NHL80117-320000-2
2016-17NHL78168243811------
2017-18NHL717714421------
2018-19NHL5342657-7100020
2019-20NHL2724621-3------
2020-21NHL3244824-5------
2021-22NHL4131429-672024-1
2022-23/AZ CoyotesNHL508513250------
Total391503585255-13102026-3
In European professional leagues from 2023 to 2025, Ritchie appeared in 59 regular-season games across the (KHL), , and (DEL), tallying 20 goals and 17 assists for 37 points, and contributed 3 goals and 1 assist in 5 playoff games.
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIM+/-PlayoffsGPGAPtsPIM+/-
2023-24Dinamo MinskKHL1221310-320003-2
2024-25HK Nitra28121224227------
2024-25Schwenninger Wild WingsDEL19641016-1331440
Total5920173748353147-2

International

Ritchie's international statistics are limited to youth tournaments, with no appearances for the senior Canadian national team. The following table summarizes his performance in key under-17 and under-18 tournaments:
YearTournamentTeamGPGAPtsPIM
201062136
201054042
201174376
201361342
These figures reflect his contributions during Canada's medal-winning efforts in the (gold) and U18 Worlds (silver), as well as the U17 Challenge (silver for ) and fourth-place finish at the World Juniors.

Awards and honors

Junior awards

During his junior career in the (OHL), Brett Ritchie was named to the Second All-Star Team in 2013 as a right winger, recognizing his standout performance with the where he led the team with 41 goals and 76 points in 53 games. Ritchie also earned weekly recognition for his offensive contributions, being selected as the CHL Player of the Week for the period ending November 4, 2012, after recording 13 points (8 goals, 5 assists) in four games to help the IceDogs secure three victories. Academically, Ritchie was honored as part of the OHL All-Scholastic Team in 2011 while with the , acknowledging his strong academic performance alongside his on-ice development.

Professional achievements

Ritchie's most notable professional achievement came during the 2013–14 AHL season with the , where he contributed significantly to their championship win. In the playoffs, he recorded 7 goals and 4 assists in 13 games, including key scoring in the finals against the St. John's IceCaps, such as doubling the lead in one game with a high-slot goal. In the NHL, Ritchie made an immediate impact in his debut on , 2014, scoring his first career goal on his first shot against the in a 6–0 victory, which also stood as the game-winner. Over his NHL career spanning multiple teams including , , , and , he established himself as a reliable depth forward, accumulating 50 goals and 35 assists for 85 points in 391 regular-season games. Ritchie's professional tenure extended to Europe with Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for the 2023–24 season, followed by HK Nitra of the Slovak Extraliga from September 2024 to January 2025, and then Schwenninger Wild Wings of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) starting January 8, 2025; however, he has not earned major individual recognitions in these leagues.

References

  1. https://www.nhl.com/player/brett-ritchie-8476439
  2. https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/r/ritchbr01.html
  3. https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/45554/brett-ritchie
  4. https://theahl.com/stats/player/4859
  5. https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/player/_/id/16136/brett-ritchie
  6. https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/brett-ritchie-moves-from-slovakia-to-germany-nitra-club-president-blames-slovak-refs
  7. https://puckpedia.com/player/brett-ritchie
  8. https://chl.ca/ohl-sting/ritchie-s-success-a-family-affair/
  9. https://vitacollections.ca/HaltonNews/details.asp?ID=313434
  10. https://www.ocregister.com/2014/09/23/ducks-top-draft-pick-ritchie-rich-in-size-skills-ambition/
  11. https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/08/21/bruins-get-multi-talents-from-brett-ritchie/
  12. https://chl.ca/ohl-sting/sting-select-brett-ritchie-12th-overall/
  13. https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=122902
  14. https://chl.ca/ohl-sting/the-next-ones-brett-ritchie/
  15. https://www.niagarathisweek.com/life/icedogs-add-nhl-prospect/article_0cec66bb-e5c2-55ee-be23-0612cf75c1bb.html
  16. https://thehockeywriters.com/ohl-2012-13-season-preview-part-2/
  17. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2012/11/03/sp-ohl-roundup-121103.html
  18. https://chl.ca/ohl-sting/ritchie-will-be-busy-at-the-nhl-combine/
  19. https://thehockeywriters.com/the-next-ones-brett-ritchie-nhl-2011-draft-prospect-profile-power-forward-looking-to-sting/
  20. https://nhlentrydraft.flywheelsites.com/reports/d1350/
  21. https://www.texasstars.com/news/detail/texas-stars-win-2014-calder-cup-championship
  22. https://theahl.com/stats/player/4859/43/brett-ritchie
  23. https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/getting-to-know-brett-ritchie-308159066
  24. https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/07/01/bruins-to-sign-right-winger-brett-ritchie/
  25. https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/bruins-place-brett-ritchie-on-waivers-for-purpose-of-assignment-313975562
  26. https://bostonhockeynow.com/2020/01/15/bruins-place-forward-brett-ritchie-on-waivers/
  27. https://theahl.com/stats/player/4859/51/brett-ritchie
  28. https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/bruins/2020/01/15/bruins-waive-right-wing-brett-ritchie/4kh2zKwXwZkkntsEwWJ0hP/story.html
  29. https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/30049763/nhl-free-agency-2020-preview-team-needs-trade-targets-cap-space-key-dates
  30. https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/b-s-offseason-set-to-shift-into-full-gear-319302232
  31. https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/flames-sign-brett-ritchie-320395664
  32. https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/flames-re-sign-brett-ritchie-335657434
  33. https://sportsforecaster.com/nhl/p/19036/Brett_Ritchie/transactions
  34. https://www.nhl.com/news/ritchie-brothers-in-trade-between-calgary-flames-arizona-coyotes-341792438
  35. https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/report-brett-ritchie-to-join-florida-panthers-on-pto
  36. https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2023/11/brett-ritchie-signs-in-khl.html
  37. https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/brett-ritchie-signs-in-slovakia
  38. https://thehockeywriters.com/docs/brett-ritchie/
  39. https://chl.ca/ohl-sting/ritchie-named-to-under-17-team/
  40. https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/national-championships/men/world-u17/2010
  41. https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/whc-17/stats/2009-2010
  42. https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/national-championships/men/world-u17/2010/schedule/game-summaries/jan-03-rus-ont
  43. https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/2011-wu17-06-en
  44. https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/team-canada/men/under-18/2009-10/home
  45. https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/ivan-hlinka-memorial/stats/2010-2011
  46. https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/2010-nr-097-en
  47. https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/team-canada/men/under-18/2009-10/game-summary-can-5-nor-0
  48. https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/team-canada/men/under-18/2010-11/home
  49. https://www.quanthockey.com/wjc-u18/en/teams/team-canada-players-2011-wjc-u18-stats.html
  50. https://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/244/IHM2440CAN_83_12_0.pdf
  51. https://chl.ca/ohl/canada-to-play-for-u18-bronze-after-5-4-ot-loss-to-usa/
  52. https://globalnews.ca/news/120294/russia-wins-bronze-with-6-4-victory-over-canada-at-world-under-18-hockey-tourney/
  53. https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/2013-nr-009-en
  54. https://chl.ca/ohl/icedogs-brett-ritchie-named-chl-player-of-the-week/
  55. https://chl.ca/ohl/ohl-announces-academic-player-of-the-year-award-winners/
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