DETROIT — Cal Ritchie has not been Matthew Schaefer, which is to say his introduction into the NHL has gone on what you might call a normal pathway.
There have been flashes of the 21-year-old’s prodigious talent. There have been moments when he’s struggled.
It has not gone in a straight line, but he looks more at home now than he did when he first got to the Islanders three weeks ago.
Scoring his first goal with the Isles in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Stars will certainly give the rookie a psychological boost to go with his improved play, too.
Cal Ritchie celebrates after scoring a goal in the Islanders’ 3-2 win over the Stars on Nov. 18, 2025. AP
Ritchie arrived in the low slot just in time to slam in Anthony Duclair’s feed at 10:31 of the second to open the scoring in a game that went haywire in the final period.
He’s waited over a year between NHL goals, as his first had come on Oct. 14, 2024 for the Avalanche against the Islanders during a seven-game stint in Colorado last season before the Avs returned him to OHL Oshawa.
Ritchie didn’t say whether the lack of scoring was weighing on him, but judging by his body language, it felt good to finally score one with the Islanders.
“I thought it was a really good shift before from Bo [Horvat’s] line,” Ritchie said, smiling, in the dressing room Tuesday night. “Got a lot of zone time and then changed in the O-zone. We got out there and tried to buzz around, tried to create something. Got the puck from, I think it was [Ryan Pulock], and gave it across to Dukie. He made a really nice pass to me. Glad I could finish that off.”
Unlike most rookies, Ritchie’s offense has been the less impressive side of his game so far with the Islanders.
Immediately after being called up, Patrick Roy slotted Ritchie in the top six, but he struggled to impose himself on the game there and was dropped to the fourth line.
Cal Ritchie (right) and Braeden Bowman (left) battle for the puck during the Rangers’ overtime loss to the Golden Knights on Nov. 13, 2025. NHLI via Getty Images
Though the top six is still considered the eventual destination for Ritchie, the fourth line looks like a better fit at the moment.
There’s still not a consistent trio at the bottom of the lineup for the Islanders — Max Tsyplakov was back with Ritchie and Casey Cizikas on Tuesday, with Max Shabanov moving up in the lineup due to Simon Holmstrom’s absence with illness — but the fourth line has looked steady with Ritchie in the middle.
His 200-foot game and responsibility in the defensive zone has impressed the Islanders, and kept him in the NHL even when Ritchie wasn’t delivering offense as easily as expected.
Scoring, of course, will provide some hope that Ritchie’s offense is falling into place too. It doesn’t hurt that the fourth line has generated some chances over the last couple of games too, even without the goal on Tuesday.
“You know what, the more he’s playing, the better he’s playing,” coach Patrick Roy said Tuesday. “I felt like the last game in Colorado, that line played really well and tonight, again. It’s nice to see him be rewarded.
“I feel like he’s holding more on pucks. He’s very smart defensively. Offensively, I feel like he’s holding on pucks and made some great plays. He’s got so much skills and talent, it’s nice to see.”
Per a source, the NHL did not have a hearing regarding supplemental discipline for Mikko Rantanen following his hit that injured Alexander Romanov late in Tuesday’s game.
The Islanders did not practice Wednesday in Detroit, but Romanov was added to injured reserve, confirming that he’ll miss at least seven days.
Marshall Warren, who replaced Romanov when he was out with an upper-body injury earlier in the year, would be the obvious call-up before Thursday’s game against the Wings.
