Nick Ritchie, formerly with the Calgary Flames, is on the hunt for a new team after a stint overseas took an unexpected turn.
Ritchie and Karpat Part Ways Following Lengthy Suspension
Earlier this season, Nick Ritchie, a seasoned player with 481 NHL games under his belt and a former top-10 pick, opted for a change by joining Karpat in the Finnish LIIGA.
Anticipations were high for Ritchie's performance in the Finnish league, but the reality fell short. In 10 games, he only managed to tally 5 points and faced an 8-game suspension following a controversial incident.
In light of these developments, Karpat and Ritchie mutually agreed to part ways. The team issued a translated statement explaining their decision:
"Karpat cannot offer Ritchie a big enough role in the team for the rest of the season, so he is free to look for a place to play elsewhere. When he came up, we knew he was a high risk / high reward style card that we thought was worth a look. However, he was not able to rise to the role that we would have needed him to play."
With this separation, Ritchie is now open to exploring opportunities worldwide for his next contract. Given his gritty playing style, there's speculation that an NHL team might take a chance on the Ontario native.
