Ritola will be traded or waived

[LeftWinger 4,953]

It just amazes me how people still question Ken Holland and the Wings management after a move like this. With the current record of post season appearances and 4 cups in the last 13 years, you would think people would put their trust in the management. Its easy to look upon decisions in hindsight and say "I told you so". I guess its even more difficult to trust in the management.

people still bitching about the loss of Quincey and now Ritola? Exactly how many Cups does Quincey have since he was waived? ...and how many do the Wings have since he was waived? Because of the CBA and the Cap (thanks buttman) we cannot keep every last prospect we draft. The only have three years of protection and not all of them can make the club every three years...

Will Ritola become a star? Maybe, but he wasn't gonna realize that here, even if he made the club or cleared waivers. Remember all the crying about Mattias being traded? or Fleishman?(SP) Well, again, how many Cups do they have in the time frame since they were dealt? If having Eaves over Ritola gives the Wings a better chance to win the Cup (obviously Holland thinks so) then I am all for it!

[Carman 387]

No big loss, he couldn't earn a spot on the team. Obviously he didn't work hard enough. Good luck to him.

[LeftWinger 4,953]

For a red wing defenseman prospect to step in the playoffs when he was not close to being NHL ready was huge. Meech played fine in 08 but I put a lot more weight into playoffs and Quincy did great for what he was asked to do. Also given our needs at the time and Quincy was a defensive, physical defenseman, keeping the small weak puck mover who has no high end potential at all as more then a 6th guy. Yeah that move was questionable at the time and most people here called from the start that we shouldn't have done it. I was one of them and look now

look at what? Quincey isn't tearing up the league, but if you mean because Meech was waived this year then ya, but we wouldn't have been able to fit Quincey under the cap anyhow, so they will still both be gone...

[GoWings1905 2,694]

He looked great? By that, do you mean he had to be coddled, given very little ice time, and in general protected from the top two lines of Anaheim and San Jose? And did you mean to note that when the Red Wings had that atrocious spell of injuries on defense in early '08, Meech absolutely outshined Quincey in every way possible?

Oh, selective memory...

While being overly sarcastic, you are actually proving the point of all of us that wanted to keep Ritola over Miller. Just because Meech outplayed Quincey doesn't mean it was the right decision. It clearly wasn't.

This is even more frustrating because we kept a player that probably won't dress most nights when everyone is healthy and has likely already reached his ceiling as a solid, 4th line defensive forward. Ritola may never even turn into more than that, but the potential for him to be greater is still there. I appreciate Drew Miller, but it seems truly silly to keep him on this team with what the Red Wings have in place over a 23-year-old that could be a productive forward for years to come.

Edited October 5, 2010 by GoWings1905

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

look on the bright side...atleast Stevie Y scooped him up. hopefully he shines in Tampa and makes Yzerman look even better than he already does.

[brett 1,029]

wasnt fair. how is a rookie supposed to compete with 2 guys that have been in the league for almost 5 years

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Meh, nothing really special about this guy. I mean if he was such a sure fire bet to be a solid NHL player he would have seen mroe time with the big club, especially with all the injuries this season. People overreact alot. He was skilled guy who couldn't produce points, who cares really. When we lost Quincy he had a solid playoff run with us where he looked great (still can't believe Holland waived him after that run) but this guy has done nothing

That was a year later.

Quincey's run was in 07, and did not impress the next season or in training camp of 08.

[sleepwalker 512]

Funny, me and my buddy were talking a bit over a week ago and I told him I predict Ritola would be waived and that Tampa would pick him up due to Yzerman knowing Ritolas potential. He told me I was f'in crazy. I should have bet him some money on it, lol.

Edited October 5, 2010 by sleepwalker

[Guest Crymson]

For a red wing defenseman prospect to step in the playoffs when he was not close to being NHL ready was huge. Meech played fine in 08 but I put a lot more weight into playoffs and Quincy did great for what he was asked to do. Also given our needs at the time and Quincy was a defensive, physical defenseman, keeping the small weak puck mover who has no high end potential at all as more then a 6th guy. Yeah that move was questionable at the time and most people here called from the start that we shouldn't have done it. I was one of them and look now

Quincey was in the playoffs that year to eat six minutes per game. He stepped in because of injuries; he played because the Red Wings needed him. This is not an unusual occurrence. In '06, the Sabres reached #10 on their defensive depth chart. Quincey showed no offensive capability in that postseason, and he was never on the ice on the PK or against the opponent's scorers. On the rare occasion that he was caught on the ice against a scoring line, he was routinely outmaneuvered. I recall Michalek absolutely undressing him on a 1v1 at one point. I fail to see how simply playing in the playoffs makes someone a valuable player when that player puts forth a very unimpressive performance. And as I noted, Quincey barely played.

I'll mention again the fact that Quincey was given the same chance Meech was in '08. Whereas Meech showed flashes of brilliance, exhibiting a dynamic style and earning time both playing on the first pairing and quarterbacking the power play and garnering high praise from both the organization--and many on these boards--Quincey was absolutely average and not very noteworthy. Put two and two together.

You're complaining based on hindsight. Oh, and nobody who lamented that move had any idea that Quincey would develop any sort of offensive talent. You just contradicted yourself.

[Guest Stolberg]

wasnt fair. how is a rookie supposed to compete with 2 guys that have been in the league for almost 5 years

poor ritola

[dropkickshanahans 463]

Oh well, not a big loss IMO, I mean, he wasn't able to beat out Miller for a reserve spot after all. He does have potential though, so that'll be another reason to watch the Lightning this year. I hope he does well there.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Sometimes I hate sport, sometimes I really, really hate it.

No big loss, he couldn't earn a spot on the team. Obviously he didn't work hard enough. Good luck to him.

LOL, he really had a chance didn't he?

[Guest mindfly]

Sometimes I hate sport, sometimes I really, really hate it.

LOL, he really had a chance didn't he?

He wasn't good enough for the top 2 lines on the wings' (not many 23 year olds are)

and miller has more experience, is a better PKer and therefore more important to this team than ritola...why the anger?

Edited October 5, 2010 by mindfly

[Carman 387]

Sometimes I hate sport, sometimes I really, really hate it.

LOL, he really had a chance didn't he?

He's had a couple years to prove he can make the Red Wings.

But no, I'm sure the Red Wings have no clue what they are doing and decided to waive the next Gretzky for s***s and giggles.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

He wasn't good enough for the top 2 lines on the wings' (not many 23 year olds are)

and miller has more experience, is a better PKer and therefore more important to this team than ritola...why the anger?

Because we just lost a very, very solid prospect for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Gosh I hate waivers, and I hate this aspect about the NHL. How you can put years and years od development into someone and have them lost for nothing. Ritola can clearly play in the NHL, he has a great skill level, a good work ethic, he'll hit, he can play on both special teams, and he's only 23. He'll prove to be a very solid NHL player and we've lost him for nothing, all so Miller can spend one more season with Detroit.

What a joke.

He's had a couple years to prove he can make the Red Wings.

But no, I'm sure the Red Wings have no clue what they are doing and decided to waive the next Gretzky for s***s and giggles.

Ah I see, we've never made a mistake? Gotcha.

[RedWingsFan13 0]

Because we just lost a very, very solid prospect for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Gosh I hate waivers, and I hate this aspect about the NHL. How you can put years and years od development into someone and have them lost for nothing. Ritola can clearly play in the NHL, he has a great skill level, a good work ethic, he'll hit, he can play on both special teams, and he's only 23. He'll prove to be a very solid NHL player and we've lost him for nothing, all so Miller can spend one more season with Detroit.

What a joke.

Ah I see, we've never made a mistake? Gotcha.

Miller gives us MUCH better PKing than ritola. With Huds back we have acquired the lost PP depth and adding Mo will help the PP as well, so we needed to make sure our PK was up to par, with malts and draps in the end of careers we chose a better PKer over potential and Miller is more sound in his defensive aspects than ritola. Its not a big loss.

Edited October 6, 2010 by RedWingsFan13

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Miller gives us MUCH better PKing than ritola. With Huds back we have acquired the lost PP depth and adding Mo will help the PP as well, so we needed to make sure our PK was up to par, with malts and draps in the end of careers we chose a better PKer over potential and Miller is more sound in his defensive aspects than ritola. Its not a big loss.

Yeah man, with Helm, Abdelkader, Eaves, Filppula, Cleary, Draper, we're so short on PK options!!

[Broken 16 381]

Haha, because you're perfectly aware of the fact that other than my avatar, I really don't lament about those guys much, if at all; which means, as usual, you just wanted to start a meaningless argument like Carmen and Eva. Go find a noob or something.

Pretty dumb to have an avatar like that and then get all butt hurt when someone calls you on it.

Are there some people that really lament the loss of Leino still? Lol.

Sucks to lose Ritola but someone had to go. But the organization lost the exact player they were prepared to lose. I can think of worse scenarios.

Edited October 6, 2010 by Broken 16

[RedWingsFan13 0]

Yeah man, with Helm, Abdelkader, Eaves, Filppula, Cleary, Draper, we're so short on PK options!!

Apparently you are one of those people who can not read into the undertones of a statement and need it spelled out.

M I L L E R I S B E T T E R I N H I S D E F E N S I V E G A M E T H A T S W H Y R I T O L A I S G O N E

(miller is better in his defensive game thats why ritola is gone)

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Apparently you are one of those people who can not read into the undertones of a statement and need it spelled out.

M I L L E R I S B E T T E R I N H I S D E F E N S I V E G A M E T H A T S W H Y R I T O L A I S G O N E

(miller is better in his defensive game thats why ritola is gone)

Uhhh I understood you. But you're making it sound as though because Miller can PK in the NHL right now, Ritola should've been moved. Who says Ritola can't? Who says Ritola doesn't have much higher upside than Miller?

Proof will be in the pudding, and we'll come away looking pretty foolish IMO.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Yeah man, with Helm, Abdelkader, Eaves, Filppula, Cleary, Draper, we're so short on PK options!!

No kidding, I couldn't agree more. People act like losing Miller means we have nobody left to kill penalties. The Red Wings are frickin loaded with solid defensive forwards. Besides, how many penalties is Miller going to kill as the 13th forward which he will be when everyone is healthy?

Hell, I know Babcock prefers to keep their minutes down but we also have the luxury of throwing two of the best defensive forwards out there to kill penalties if necessary. There are hundreds of Drew Miller's floating around in the NHL and we kept one for a year over a prospect that could develop into far more than anything Miller has. I don't even care so much what Ritola did compared to Miller right now. In the future, this appears to be a very short-sighted decision. The Red Wings gave up potential to keep a 13th forward.

[Carman 387]

Ritola doesn't have any potential in the minds of the management, that's why he was waived.

Face it, he did not perform well enough in his several years here to win a spot on the best team in the league. He had every opportunity to prove himself, and he failed to do so.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

No kidding, I couldn't agree more. People act like losing Miller means we have nobody left to kill penalties. The Red Wings are frickin loaded with solid defensive forwards. Besides, how many penalties is Miller going to kill as the 13th forward which he will be when everyone is healthy?

Hell, I know Babcock prefers to keep their minutes down but we also have the luxury of throwing two of the best defensive forwards out there to kill penalties if necessary. There are hundreds of Drew Miller's floating around in the NHL and we kept one for a year over a prospect that could develop into far more than anything Miller has. I don't even care so much what Ritola did compared to Miller right now. In the future, this appears to be a very short-sighted decision. The Red Wings gave up potential to keep a 13th forward.

Excellent post, very well said.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Ritola doesn't have any potential in the minds of the management, that's why he was waived.

Face it, he did not perform well enough in his several years here to win a spot on the best team in the league. He had every opportunity to prove himself, and he failed to do so.

Come on, they may not feel he was ready right now but no potential whatsoever? A former member of the Red Wings organization seems to think he does and Yzerman saw him play plenty over the years.

Five pre-season games is every opportunity and a handful of games last season on a team decimated with injuries? Ritola has potential - unfortunately it will be realized elsewhere while we watch Drew Miller maybe kill penalties or sit in the press box as a healthy scratch.

[Carman 387]

Come on, they may not feel he was ready right now but no potential whatsoever? A former member of the Red Wings organization seems to think he does and Yzerman saw him play plenty over the years.

Five pre-season games is every opportunity and a handful of games last season on a team decimated with injuries? Ritola has potential - unfortunately it will be realized elsewhere while we watch Drew Miller maybe kill penalties or sit in the press box as a healthy scratch.

Who says Ritola has a higher ceiling then Miller actually?