AHL/Ontario Reign Photo
Following His Second Straight Shutout, Reign Goaltender David Rittich Should Be a Trade Candidate for Struggling NHL Clubs
The art of saving pucks is a sought-after commodity in the modern-day pro hockey game.
In the NHL, goal scoring has never been more prevalent, with six to eight horns a night more common than in years past.
Numerous clubs have struggled with combined tandem save percentages, with the Edmonton Oilers just one of many teams needing a re-tool in net.
Veteran NHL netminder David Rittich, currently playing some of the best hockey of his pro career with the AHL's Ontario Reign, could be an inexpensive answer to the question of, who's next?
Rittich, 31, signed a $875,000 contract with the Los Angeles Kings in the offseason, finding himself relegated to the American League thanks to the red-hot play of Kings number one Cam Talbot and the contract status of partner Pheonix Copley.
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With the tandem likely set in stone in the City of Angels, Rittich, coming off of his second straight shutout last night (he's stopped 56 straight pucks against Coachella Valley and San Jose), would be an attractive option for a club looking for a steady net-front presence with NHL experience.
Currently sitting with six wins and three shutouts across 11 starts with the Reign with a 2.38 GAA and .916 SP, Rittich is a veteran of 172 NHL games with the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets.
Rittich put up a 2.67 GAA and .901 SP in 21 games in the Jets in 22-23 before signing a one-year contract with the Kings in July.
