TSN: Brad Richards NOT being bought out

[OverTheCap]

I remember we had this argument in the beginning of the season: Richards was playing poorly but people would say he was putting up points so he must be playing well.

Richards rarely played a solid game from start to finish all season. He was slow, disengaged, making poor decisions and horrible passes, and was a major contributor to our PP woes. The amount of turnovers he made was alarming. It's nice that he managed to put up points despite his poor play, but more often than not, he was a liability or non-factor rather than a positive presence on the ice.

I'm hoping that the lack of conditioning and lockout had something to do with his struggles and that he'll be better this year, but I'm not sure. He is definitely on the decline at this point of his career. He also admitted in his first season here that it would took him awhile to get comfortable in NY, and it's obvious he was having some confidence issues this past season. Who knows what his mindset will be in what will likely (hopefully?) be a lame duck season.

 

[Mr Atoz*]

Richards went 5g 7a over the last 12 games. Yeah, the team played great, but Richards was part of that a scored at a ppg. Saying Richards played well in that (very small) stretch doesn't seem wrong

Every one of those five goals were lucky. Every one.

 

[The Gloaming]

So, over/under on turnovers for next season:

I'm going with 820.

 

[beastly115]

Gorton probably sent the paperwork through while Glen was on the potty. We all know what happens when Sather gets cap space. Gorton was saving Sather from himself.

 

[Green Blob*]

Every one of those five goals were lucky. Every one.

Goals are Goals. Who the hell cares how they go in.

 

[KreidertheGlider]

Gorton probably sent the paperwork through while Glen was on the potty. We all know what happens when Sather gets cap space. Gorton was saving Sather from himself.

This made me laugh

Known evil>Unknown evil

 

[mike14]

Every one of those five goals were lucky. Every one.

yeah, we've covered that

 

[KreidertheGlider]

Goals are Goals. Who the hell cares how they go in.

None of them changed the outcome of the season, if I remember correctly; maybe he had 1 GWG in his hat trick game.

Most useless goals ever

 

[Thirty One]

Brad Richards scores terrible goals, his assists are garbage, and his hygiene is questionable.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Idiots.

 

[17futurecap]

None of them changed the outcome of the season, if I remember correctly; maybe he had 1 GWG in his hat trick game.

Most useless goals ever

He tied up the clincher in Carolina by shooting wide and having the goalie kick it in his own net, skill!

 

[mike14]

Time to sticky a 'NYR stats" thread so that we can keep track of our players 'real' point totals based on use to the team?

Serious suggestion, this seems to come up about a different player every season, time to put a stop to it by tracking real points

 

[The Gloaming]

Yeah, he scored a bunch of fluke goals against the likes of Florida and Carolina late in the season. Great. He sure did follow that up with some good playoffs!

 

[GAGLine]

If, and it's a pretty big if, Richards gets hurt and can't be bought out, we're looking at a Cap recapture risk. Anyone want to take a stab at what the Cap is going to be when we get to the point that Richards would retire? $80m? $85m? $90m??? I would not at all be surprised to see those numbers become reality. $5m on a $85m Cap? From the Rangers point-of-view, that's worth the risk in seeing if he can turn it around.

A lot of people say the cap will be higher so it won't be a big deal, but player salaries will be higher also. Look what Perry and Getzlaf got. Look at what Malkin got. Look at what Streit got.

The Rangers spend to the cap every year. 3 consecutive years where we have almost 6 mil in dead cap space will be a problem no matter how high the cap is.

 

[Pizza]

Funny that on the main board, most think this a good move.

 

[Florida Ranger]

Funny that on the main board, most think this a good move.

I think it is. Keep him one more year.


But I do see the major risks going into 2014... He has to get bought out next year though.

 

[Loff]

Had a feeling this would happen. Hopefully he'll get back to his 11/12 form or better. Redeem yourself, Beaver!

 

[Kane One]

Was Drury injured? He was bought out. He could have contested the buyout if he was injured. He lost $1.667M in the buyout. Drury was owed $5M and ended up with $3,333,333.

From everything I remember, he decided not to file a grievance. He accepted the buyout even though he was injured.

Drury will accept a buyout from the Rangers and become an unrestricted free agent, opting not to fight the process with a medical exemption under the collective bargaining agreement for his ailing left knee.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/pu...-drury-who-bows-out-with-class?urn=nhl,wp8229

Drury was injured.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

Funny that on the main board, most think this a good move.

Most people there didn't watch Richards slogg through the whole season. He looked like a little lost puppy out there, even when he was "hot" at the end of the regular season.

I wonder how much of this decision is due to the fact that the Garden is a publically traded company. Having to pay out so much dead money can't look good on a balance sheet. Although, Sather is so stubborn and thinks so much of his hockey ability that it could be mainly that too.

Ah, the joys of being a 3rd generation Ranger fan.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

None of them changed the outcome of the season, if I remember correctly; maybe he had 1 GWG in his hat trick game.

Most useless goals ever

To be fair, the goal he scored against Carolina was HUGE, as bat**** crazy and lucky as it was.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

He also got some the luckiest bounces and most meaningless points I've ever seen.

The hat trick vs Buffalo was especially memorable. Luckiest hatty I've ever seen.

EDIT - Should have kept reading the thread...

EDIT 2 - Still like it as a hockey move. Get the risks. Get why people are pissed.

 

[Crease]

He better be at the gym right now, in bubble wrap.

 

[Tawnos]

A lot of people say the cap will be higher so it won't be a big deal, but player salaries will be higher also. Look what Perry and Getzlaf got. Look at what Malkin got. Look at what Streit got.

The Rangers spend to the cap every year. 3 consecutive years where we have almost 6 mil in dead cap space will be a problem no matter how high the cap is.

Hey, I agree with you. I was just looking at the logic from the team's point of view.

 

[mike14]

He better be at the gym right now, in bubble wrap.

you want him to sweat of those kilos huh?

I don't think Richards will be more than a 60-70pt player ever again (especially not on the Rangers), but I'm confident in thinking that his play in the lockout effected season is the exception, not the rule

 

[Tawnos]

you want him to sweat of those kilos huh?

I don't think Richards will be more than a 60-70pt player ever again (especially not on the Rangers), but I'm confident in thinking that his play in the lockout effected season is the exception, not the rule

What's a kilo?

Richards needs to find a way to reinvent his game. Maybe he can still put up 60-70, but if he doesn't figure out the best way to reach those numbers with his declined skillset, he's not going to be worth much.