Flames, Coyotes Swap Ritchie Brothers in Trade Deadline Deal

The NHL trade deadline came and went on Friday, and while most of the big deals got done earlier, one fascinating trade went through before the 3 p.m. ET deadline. The Flames traded Brett Ritchie and Connor Mackey to the Coyotes for Nick Ritchie and Troy Stecher, the teams announced, which meant that Calgary and Arizona traded the Ritchie brothers for each other.

The deal marked the first time ever that brothers were involved in the same trade, according to the NHL’s database.

Brett, the older Ritchie brother, has been with the Flames since 2020 while Nick has been in Arizona since ’21. The two actually each played with the Bruins briefly during the 2019–20 season, but never actually got on the ice together.

While both players are forwards, Nick has consistently produced more points, totaling 21 points in 58 games this year compared to Brett’s eight points in 34 games. However, the Ritchie brothers are more known for their physical play than their point-scoring ability.

Getting traded in the middle of the season can be difficult, as players have to get used to living in new cities on the fly. At least both Ritchies can probably just swap places for the rest of the season and not worry about seeking out different living arrangements.