RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

It's the hockey equivalent of a hotshot wunderkind climbing the corporate ladder.
From the mailroom to the penthouse, the corner office with a view.
In the span of only six weeks, Brett Ritchie has done everything asked of him - and then some.

To report to camp on a tryout, work your way into a contract and grind away on the taxi squad, debut on the fourth line and turn that into shot on one of the top units only days later?
It sure says a lot about the man's work ethic, character and skill-set.
The 27-year-old has come exactly as advertised.
And he's earned this opportunity.
"Hopefully he brings some speed, some size and puck possession, go to the net and play a 200-foot game," said Head Coach Darryl Sutter, who will have Ritchie riding shotgun with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan tonight. "The one thing I've seen in practice, when he gets going, there's some power and speed there.
"That line needs that
"And we need those two guys to be - quite honestly - better players for us, and they will be."

Sutter, of course, cautions that it "hasn't worked yet," and will reserve judgment until after their first game together.
But Ritchie has been a pleasant surprise for the Flames this year and, although the sample size accounts for only five of the team's 26 games, his underlying numbers are excellent.
He tops the list with a 58.9% Corsi, while helping generate 56.76% (21-16) of the scoring chances, and 53.33% (8-7) of the high-danger looks in just under 40 minutes of even-strength ice time.
He also has a goal and hits like a Ram Truck - both qualities the new skipper holds in high regard.
"I feel pretty good," Ritchie said of the past few weeks. "It's good to get a few games in a row, and a back-to-back last weekend. That obviously helps to get in a rhythm and allow me to play my game. That's all you want to do. Just try and play your game and hope it translates to some success for the team.
"I don't think they're too tough to play with. You try and get the puck to Johnny and he's going to make some pretty special plays, and the same goes for Sean. I think the recipe is there to have some success and if we each play our game - we bring something a little different - on paper it should work.
"It's been good so far in the two practices."
Ditto for the rest of the troops.
With Sutter at the helm, the Flames have had a pair up-tempo skates this week to prepare them for tonight's clash with the high-flying Montreal Canadiens, who are coming off a 5-1 victory last night in Vancouver.
The Flames trail the Habs by six points for the final playoff spot in the North, but view the start of the 'Sutter Era' as a chance to turn things around.
"Just little areas I think we've emphasized the last few days - like turnovers, playing well in front of our net, their net, things like that have been brought up," said captain Mark Giordano when asked about what kind of a stylistic impact Sutter's arrival will have on the team. "Not to give away too much, but little tweaks within our system. And, individually, we can be harder and play better as individuals, which will help the team.
"Whenever a new coach comes in there, there's always a group of guys who feel they're getting a clean slate, a fresh set of eyes looking at them, a new chance. Then, there are guys who want to re-establish how they've played (in the past).
"Everyone's sort of in the same boat and there is obviously guys that have different opportunities now."

Like, say, a 6-foot-4, 220-lb. power forward such as Ritchie who scored 16 goals one season as a member of the Dallas Stars.
Sutter isn't concerned about personal stats like that.
But if he can inject some new blood, some positivity and life into this group, the team stands to benefit.
"They've worked the last few days and have been very receptive to the little things that we'd like to change and the things we'd like individuals to do better," Sutter said. "Now you need the performance part.
"There's really no magic to it.
"The talking part's easy. Now, it's the next part."