Calgary Flames acquire Troy Stecher and Nick Ritchie from Arizona Coyotes
The Calgary Flames have acquired defenseman Troy Stecher and winger Nick Ritchie from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Connor Mackey and winger Brett Ritchie.
Hearing #Flames are getting Troy Stecher and Nick Ritchie in exchange for Connor Mackey and Brett Ritchie.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 3, 2023Stecher and Nick Ritchie were pending UFAs for the Coyotes, so as sellers they were looking to bring in assets for them. They got get that in Nick’s brother Brett Ritchie and Connor Mackey, although Mackey is the only player they’ll have the rights to beyond this season, with him being a pending restricted free agent and Brett Ritchie being a pending unrestricted free agent.
In return, the Flames move out two players they weren’t playing too often in exchange for a depth forward and defenseman that they may actually use, especially if injuries occur.
Stecher has seven assists this season through 61 games for the Coyotes, although he’s not really known for his offense. That said, he was elevated to a bigger role in Arizona after they started to sit Jakob Chychrun for trade-related reasons, and in those nine game he was there, he put up three assists, so that could be a good sign for the Flames.
Nick Ritchie has been churning along at his usual production rate, with 9 goals, 12 assists, and 21 points in 58 games this season. He joined the Coyotes last season as a cap dump from the Toronto Maple Leafs on his current two-year deal with a $2.5 million AAV.
Brett Ritchie has struggled to stay in the Flames lineup, getting into just 34 games on the year. That said, he may have a chance to crack 10 points for the first time since 2017-18, with six goals and two assists for eight points in 2022-23 with plenty of runway to get those last two points.
Mackey is more of a depth defenseman, but he becomes a warm body for the Coyotes after they just offloaded three defensemen in the past few days. He’s played just 10 games this season, with two goals and an assist for three points that ties his career high from his first season in 2020-21.
