Cal Ritchie’s time with the Colorado Avalanche did not unfold exactly how he imagined.
Selected 27th overall by Colorado in the 2023 NHL Draft, Ritchie entered the organization as one of the franchise’s most promising young forwards. His first taste of NHL action arrived sooner than expected, as he earned a spot on the Avalanche’s opening-night roster for the 2024-25 season and scored his first career NHL goal in just his third game — ironically coming against the New York Islanders in a 6-2 loss.
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But Ritchie’s path to establishing himself at the NHL level was not without obstacles.
After appearing in seven games with Colorado, he was reassigned to the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, where he continued refining his game and reminded everyone why he was viewed as one of the Avalanche’s top prospects. Ritchie dominated offensively, recording 70 points in 55 games with 15 goals and 55 assists before adding another 25 points in 21 playoff contests, including nine goals and 16 assists.
Then came another unexpected chapter.
On March 6, 2025, the Avalanche traded Ritchie, along with two draft picks and defenseman Oliver Kylington, to the New York Islanders in exchange for veteran forward Brock Nelson and prospect William Dufour.
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For any young player, being traded by the organization that drafted you can be a difficult moment. However, when Ritchie spoke with The Hockey News in November, he made it clear that his focus was not on what happened behind him — but on the opportunity in front of him.
“I’m just trying to focus on myself and stay present,” Ritchie said. “I mean, I’m with the Islanders and not focusing on the past and what happened there. I’m just really excited to be a part of the Islanders, like I said, and staying present.”
But the trade was not the first time Ritchie had to overcome adversity during his young career.
After beginning the previous season with Colorado, Ritchie entered Islanders training camp hoping to earn a full-time NHL role. Instead, he found himself starting the year in the American Hockey League with the Bridgeport Islanders.
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Rather than viewing the assignment as a setback, Ritchie used it as another opportunity to improve. After recording three points, including a goal and an assist, through his first three AHL games, he earned a recall and remained with New York for the remainder of the season.
Despite limited ice time and the challenges that come with adjusting to the NHL level, Ritchie made an impact. He finished the season with 30 points in 65 games, recording 13 goals and 17 assists.
At the end of the season, Ritchie reflected on the disappointment of starting the year in the minors. For many young players, that type of setback can become a source of frustration. For Ritchie, it became another stepping stone.
“Coming to camp, you want to make the team, and then getting sent down is obviously a bit of a disappointment,” Ritchie said. “So I went to Bridgeport, worked on my game, learned a lot, and then I got the call-up and just tried to grow my game over the season and prove to them that I can be here and have an impact and help the team. I was pretty happy with my development over the season. I thought they did a great job with me, showing me video and all that stuff. I can’t thank them enough.”
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That mindset has become a defining characteristic of Ritchie’s development. Every obstacle has presented another opportunity to grow, and the 21-year-old understands that his next step will require continued improvement.
When asked what areas of his game he wanted to focus on, Ritchie had a clear list of priorities.
“Going back, getting stronger this summer — obviously you realize how much of a grind an NHL season is. Just being able to put my body through that and get stronger, improve my skating, improve my shot, everything. This summer is going to be a big summer for me. I don’t want to shut down.”
One of the biggest areas of focus moving forward will be his development at center.
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Ritchie revealed that Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer, who took over for the final four games of the regular season following the firing of Patrick Roy, sees him as a center moving forward — a position Ritchie has played throughout much of his career.
While New York utilized him primarily on the wing last season, despite his limited professional experience at the position, Ritchie embraced the opportunity and used it to become a more versatile player.
“I talked to Pete when he first came in, and he said he sees me as a center going forward. I’m excited for that opportunity, but obviously planning on meeting with those guys. It was awesome and a good learning experience for me. I’ve never really played wing a ton in my career, so to be able to round out my game and know that I can play wing at this level was really big for me and really important.”
While Ritchie has his own goals for development, he also understands that versatility is what allows players to earn trust at the NHL level.
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Whether it is playing center, taking faceoffs, contributing on the power play, or doing the little things away from the puck, Ritchie is willing to embrace whatever role helps his team succeed.
“It’s something that’s a work in progress. These guys are going against each other on faceoffs and have been doing it for 10, 15 years at the NHL level, so I’m just continuing to learn — whether it’s faceoffs, net front, on the power play, all that stuff.”
For the Avalanche, Ritchie’s story is a reminder that development rarely follows a straight line. The former first-round pick has already experienced being sent down, being traded, and having to fight for his opportunity.
Each time, he has responded the same way — by getting better.
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