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Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 4 Breakout Candidates for 2021-22

By Stephen Nixon

MONTREAL, QC - MAY 24: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens in Game Three of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on May 24, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - MAY 24: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens in Game Three of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on May 24, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Nick Ritchie, Toronto Maple Leafs
Nick Ritchie, Boston Bruins (Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports) /

No. 3: Nick Ritchie

Nick Ritchie should play beside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and should not find his way to the third line. In my opinion, he’s the perfect Zach Hyman replacement and you’ll forget the name Hyman before the season is over, because of Ritchie.

Similarly to Bunting, Ritchie is also a hometown kid and is also 25-years-old. The only difference is that Ritchie has 350 games of NHL experience, compared to Bunting’s 26 games.

Ritchie hasn’t been a huge goal-scorer over his career, but he’s been consistent. Averaging double-digit goals per season, Ritchie brings some goal-scoring ability, but also a toughness that this team is lacking.

If he’s paired beside Matthews and Marner, Ritchie has more enough skill to keep up with those guys but can also be the puck-retrieval player that Hyman was. That line needs an energizer bunny who can win puck battles and be physical, so with that responsibility, will come some dirty goals.

Ritchie has never scored 20 goals in a season, but if he’s paired beside the Leafs best duo, expect him to have a similar type of season that Hyman’s had in the past, scoring 20 goals and contributing 40-50 points.

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