With the Rangers, Torts has finished 9th, 8th, 1st, and now he is in 9th currently. This is Gaborik's first poor season as a Ranger (I don't count 2 years ago because of the injury), and Richards despite only putting up 66 points was great for us last year in big situations.
Why are you more inclined to getting rid of 2 of our best players after one BAD season in lieu of Torts who has had only one really good season?
First, let me say that, IMO, this season is almost a lost cause. Luckily, this format will not be repeated for a decade, if ever. Next year will be normal - normal length offseason, normal length camp, preseason games to work on strategy without losing points, etc. If it were up to me, I wouldn't make huge changes, just try to move pieces around to get a bottom 6 that can do what a bottom 6 is supposed to do, be hard to play against and be at least a vague threat to score goals, and then see how the team looks next year in a normal format.
Having said that, people are calling for huge changes. If huge changes are going to be made, I think that trading Gaborik and doing something with Richards are wiser than firing the coach halfway through a shortened season after doing so well last year. Again, if I were at the desk, neither would happen.
It's Gaborik's first poor season as a Ranger, yes. But his contract is up next year. He's 31 and is going to command a deal too large to keep him along with younger players on the upswing after next season. I'm not sold on getting rid of him before then, but I think that if a big change needs to be made and there's a good return for him that can maybe add some depth at C and balance out the contract situation - now might not be the worst time in the world to pull the trigger. Honestly, I like Gaborik and I think he's been a big-time game-breaking player most of his time here. I'm not married to trading him, but the idea isn't so crazy taking the circumstances into account.
Richards I feel differently about. The guy got a retirement contract, had an underwhelming season last year and now this year, he looks lost and borderline useless. Having bad puck luck is one thing - this is not that. The guy looks like he didn't prepare for the season. That's completely unacceptable for a supposed leader making that sort of money and playing 1C. It's too important a position to be waiting for someone to start playing and acting like a professional. If NYR wants to really try to get a cup while Hank and Callahan and Nash are here along with the unsustainably awesome D corp of McD, Girardi, Staal and MDZ - something needs to happen fast. Richards is having the biggest negative effect on the team and he's in the position to have the biggest positive effect being a first line center. If there's any way at all to trade him for a Stepan-like 2C with potential and a strong work ethic, I'd do it and run away laughing.
Lastly, I'm not against getting rid of Torts no matter what. I'm against getting rid of him based on this season and it's wacko format. Yeah, other teams are dealing with it well, that doesn't change the fact that this team isn't. It sucks, but not every team is equipped to handle the same situation the same way. Also, I don't want to fire the guy to replace him with unemployed coach X, Y or Z. If there's a coach out there who seems like a really good fit, that's one thing. I don't see him. Ruff coached some awful, awful Sabres teams and Boucher didn't find success with an offense that was deeper and more talented than this one.
