Bruins walk away from Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase after saying they wouldn't

According to a report from Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Boston Bruins will NOT be extending a qualifying offer to pending free agent Nick Ritchie, essentially cutting ties with him.

Bruins GM Don Sweeney had earlier said that his plan was to qualify Ritchie, negotiate a new deal with him and bring him back for 2021-22. That evidently will not be the plan now.

Check it out:

The 25 year old Ritchie managed 15 goals and 26 points in 56 games for the Bruins last season. While Ritchie has been inconsistent since being selected 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Ritchie has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his short career.

Friedman's Sportsnet colleague Chris Johnston also reports that the Bruins have not submitted a qualifying offer to Ondrej Kase, either. Again, Sweeney had said last week that both players would be back in 2021-22, so clearly something has changed.

Ritchie was due $2 million in a qualifying offer while Kase was due $2.6 million.

Both players will hit the open market as unrestricted free agents once the market opens up later this week.