Byron Ritchie
Byron Ritchie (born April 24, 1977) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Ritchie was born in Burnaby, British Columbia, and grew up in North Delta, British Columbia.
Playing career
Ritchie was drafted in the 7th round (165th overall) by the Hartford Whalers in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. His rights transferred to the Carolina Hurricanes when the Whalers franchise relocated in 1997. On December 21, 1998, Ritchie made his NHL debut with the Hurricanes against the Buffalo Sabres. On January 16, 2002, he was traded to the Florida Panthers with Sandis Ozolinsh for Bret Hedican, Tomas Malec, Kevyn Adams and a conditional 2nd round selection in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. On July 4, 2004, he was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Calgary Flames. On July 2, 2007, Ritchie signed with the Vancouver Canucks, where he played for one season.
After the Canucks chose not to re-sign him, he signed as a free agent to play in Europe for Geneve-Servette HC of the NLA and signed a one-year contract. After a very good season in Switzerland during which he earned 60 points and took the 5th place of the overall top-scorer rankings, Ritchie, again a free agent, decided to sign with the Dinamo Minsk of the Russian KHL. In the 2009–10 season, Bryon was hampered by injury and played in just 12 games posting 3 goals for Minsk.
Podcasts:
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by Brian Ritchie
Religion Ruined My Life
by: Brian RitchieWhen I was five years old, I walked out of church and
got hit by a car.
I suffered a brain concussion and was put in the
hospital.
Many friends and relatives visited me there and brought
lots of cool presents.
Then Reverend McKenzie came bringing a boring coloring
book with bible stories.
I thought to myself, "If this man is in touch with God,
would he bring such a lame present? No way!"
My Mother says I was never the same after that day.
Religion ruined my life, Hallelujah, religion ruined my
life
Well I'm traumatized, permanantly scarred, hoisted by
religion's petard
When I was twelve, my famiily switched churches because
the one were attending wouldn't admit black people.
In Sunday School I would ask questions like, "How did
they fit two of every species on that boat? There are
no boats that large."
The minister told my parents, "He's causing doubt." I
became the first child to be expelled from the church.
When I realized my religion wouldn't let blacks in and
would kick a boy out,
it set me on a path of antisocial behaviour, which
landed me in jail within three years.
Religion ruined my life, Hallelujah, religion ruined my
life
Well I'm traumatized, permanantly scarred, hoisted by
religion's petard
As an adult, I thought I was safe from religion.
But when I was 26, my wife took all the money I had
saved from years of touring with the Violent Femmes and
went into hiding in Jamaica.
I didn't see my young son for five months. She came
under the spell of a Rastafarian con man and the money
dissapeared.
We're divorced now. She's into Hindu and says she's
raising my four year old boy to be a great spiritual
leader.
Religion ruined my life, Hallelujah, religion ruined my
life
Well I'm traumatized, permanantly scarred, hoisted by