1. Nick Ritchie
Acquired at the trade deadline in February of 2020 from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Danton Heinen, Ritchie struggled in the 2020 regular season and in the Toronto playoff bubble. It got to the point this offseason as to whether or not Sweeney might look to move him in trade.
Sweeney and the front office decided to hold onto him and the results have been far better than what people might have thought at the beginning of the season. He has eight goals and seven assists as the left wing on the second line with David Krejci.
With Pastrnak recovering from offseason hip surgery in January, Ritchie stepped in and filled his void on the Bruins first power play unit. He has been a solid net-front presence on the man advantage and it has paid off with five goals and four assists on the special teams unit. Even when Pastrnak returned, Ritchie has been a big part of the power play.
So far in 2021, the Bruins are getting the Nick Ritchie they hoped they were getting when they swung the trade last February. Without him and his production, there is no telling where they might be in the standings today.