SALT LAKE CITY — Calum Ritchie’s first NHL trial run has come to an end. The Colorado Avalanche sent its top prospect back to Oshawa in the Ontario Hockey League, the club announced Wednesday. Ritchie, a 2023 first-round pick and one of the top forward prospects in the sport, had one goal in seven games for the Avs. Related Articles Colorado Avalanche | Joel Kiviranta scores 2 as Avalanche hold on to beat Kraken 3-2 Colorado Avalanche | Ross Colton’s scoring surge critical for short-handed Avalanche: “When he’s getting the opportunities, he’s burying them” Colorado Avalanche | Justus Annunen, Ross Colton help Avalanche win second straight Colorado Avalanche | Valeri Nichushkin returns to Denver; Kaapo Kahkonen arrives for Avalanche Colorado Avalanche | Avalanche Journal: What is the short- and long-term outlook at goaltender for Colorado? Colorado had a decision looming with Ritchie. Because he’s 19 years old and was drafted from a Canadian junior league, he cannot play in the AHL for the Colorado Eagles this season. The Avs either had to keep him with the NHL club or ship him back to Oshawa. Ritchie made the team out of training camp, in part because three key forwards were missing and a fourth was injured on opening night. He’s shown flashes of the high-end skill that could make him a star someday, but also did not look consistently ready for the pace and physicality of the NHL. He began the season on the second line, has played more on the third recently and spent a lot of time not playing at all in the third period when coach Jared Bednar decided to shorten his bench. Oshawa is expected to be one of the best teams in the OHL, so there could be a long playoff run for Ritchie. He’s also a lock, if healthy, to play for Canada at the World Junior Championships. Ritchie would be eligible to join the Eagles or return to the Avalanche after his OHL season is over. The Avs recalled Chris Wagner, likely to take Ritchie’s place in the lineup Thursday night in the club’s first-ever game against Utah Hockey Club. Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis.