Brad Richards Part II

[NYR Viper]

I'd rather take a flier on a couple mid-tier guys. Let Clowe walk, amnesty Richards, and focus on guys like Viktor Stalberg, Clarke McArthur or Bryan Bickell. Those types. System guys, not huge names, with some upside. That's assuming the price is right. Who knows what the UFA market will bring this summer.

Jettison BR and let that be the big "splash" we make on the market. Ever.

I am still on board with re-signing Clowe (if it is on decent terms). Also, it's hard to sign some of these "depth" players when the top pieces are still missing.

gonna be tough not to make a big splash every few years when the team rarely ends up with a top draft pick. but yeah, it's unfortunate so many of these guys don't pan out.

Exactly.

Im inching closer to the idea of amnestying Richards this summer. Cut bait and get it overwith.

But if they're going to do that, they better not reach into attempting to replace him with a #1 center that just doesnt seem to be on the market.

Agree. They have to be patient and find the RIGHT player(s). A defenseman would be nice who can skate and help the PP. Streit maybe on a shorter deal as a bottom-pairing guy?

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I am still on board with re-signing Clowe (if it is on decent terms). Also, it's hard to sign some of these "depth" players when the top pieces are still missing.

Yea, yea we know.

I think you'd be for re-signing Clowe even if he comes back during this playoff run and someone literally decapitates him.

 

[Trxjw]

Cut ties and be done with it. He's just not the same player. Whether that's because of injuries, age, or too much pressure, he's just not a fit.

Might be quite a few buyouts this summer as teams try and get cap compliant. Could nab one if we have the cap space and the right player is available. Would be just fine with staying out of the UFA market though.

 

[NYR Viper]

Yea, yea we know.

I think you'd be for re-signing Clowe even if he comes back during this playoff run and someone literally decapitates him.

Well then we wouldn't have to worry about anymore head injuries!

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Getting rid of Richards is a no-brainer now. We have Stepan and Brassard for the 2 center roles, put a young gun on the 3rd, Boyle on the 4th and use the cap space generated to either sign Clowe and get a different winger to fill our needs. If we have something left, we can shop for a 3rd line center. We don't need a 7 m/y center

 

[OverTheCap]

I'd rather take a flier on a couple mid-tier guys. Let Clowe walk, amnesty Richards, and focus on guys like Viktor Stalberg, Clarke McArthur or Bryan Bickell. Those types. System guys, not huge names, with some upside. That's assuming the price is right. Who knows what the UFA market will bring this summer.

Jettison BR and let that be the last big "splash" we make on the market. Ever.

Definitely, I have more faith in depth players/secondary scorers meeting or exceeding expectations than I do in the big names. This team performs better when they play greater than their sum of their parts rather than relying on "star forwards" to carry them.

Building around big name forwards from outside the organization has not worked so far, and I'm not sure if it ever will. The Rangers really need to find a way to draft their own forward talent.

 

[RangerBoy]

Richards should be rested for tonight. He barely played yesterday.

 

[Trxjw]

I'd rather take a flier on a couple mid-tier guys. Let Clowe walk, amnesty Richards, and focus on guys like Viktor Stalberg, Clarke McArthur or Bryan Bickell. Those types. System guys, not huge names, with some upside. That's assuming the price is right. Who knows what the UFA market will bring this summer.

Jettison BR and let that be the last big "splash" we make on the market. Ever.

Stralberg is an interesting name. I certainly think this team could use more speed, and he's a guy who can play up and down the lineup depending on the temperature of the game. We'd have to do a bit more "cleaning" to find a spot for him though, and does he make sense with Hagelin in the lineup already?

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Able to trade Gomez and Gabs and I think dramatically win both trades.

ABle to bury Redden in the minors (though he still influenced the summer cap)

Now we get this buyout for the big Brich.

We simply will not continue to luck out like this. A guy will get seriously injured like Dip or yashin did and then you're on the hook. We have set ourselves up to get out from these contracts which was smart but this richards buyout option...I dunno maybe Sather knew ahead of time it was likely but that's an awful big risk, we got lucky that the option is there, period. Regardless as many have said we thought he'd be 60-80 pts for at least 3 years and decline more slowly. His PP uselessness was completely surprising.

Drury had 2 good years and we only had him for what 5 years?

 

[NYR Viper]

Stralberg is an interesting name. I certainly think this team could use more speed, and he's a guy who can play up and down the lineup depending on the temperature of the game. We'd have to do a bit more "cleaning" to find a spot for him though, and does he make sense with Hagelin in the lineup already?

I wonder what Bozak would be asking for via UFA. He is a good center, good on face-offs as well. Weiss is another interesting option. Stepan, Brassard, Weiss and Bozak can all play wing if need be as well.

 

[The Gloaming]

I think I heard Bozak is asking for Grabovski money.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Richards should be rested for tonight. He barely played yesterday.

He shouldve been rested for this season too, but that didnt work out too well

 

[nyr2k2]

If you were to cut bait with Richards and Pyatt, and brought in Bozak and Stalberg, you could go something like:

Hagelin-Stepan-Nash
Zuccarello-Brassard-Callahan
Stalberg-Bozak-Dorsett

And then hopefully you've also got Miller and Kreider, maybe Lindberg, pushing for spots. But right there you have nine guys that actually belong in a top nine. And save for Dorsett, they're all more than capable offensively. I don't usually enjoy doing"what if" projections, but I like the idea of having legitimate depth and balance through the lineup. Of course, only if the price is right...

One thing that's becoming clear to me, though, is that when I look to next season I just can't come up with a lineup that includes Brad Richards. Not one that I feel good about anyway.

I think I heard Bozak is asking for Grabovski money.

If that's the case, no ****ing way. I can't imagine him getting that though. He's not the offensive player that Grabovski is (even accounting for this season), and you have to think that prices are going to become a bit deflated under the new cap.

 

[NYR Viper]

If you were to cut bait with Richards and Pyatt, and brought in Bozak and Stalberg, you could go something like:

Hagelin-Stepan-Nash
Zuccarello-Brassard-Callahan
Stalberg-Bozak-Dorsett

And then hopefully you've also got Miller and Kreider, maybe Lindberg, pushing for spots. But right there you have nine guys that actually belong in a top nine. And save for Dorsett, they're all more than capable offensively. I don't usually enjoy doing"what if" projections, but I like the idea of having legitimate depth and balance through the lineup. Of course, only if the price is right...

One thing that's becoming clear to me, though, is that when I look to next season I just can't come up with a lineup that includes Brad Richards. Not one that I feel good about anyway.

I think the hope has to be that Kreider will be ready for a top-9 role next year. Given a longer leash due to the regular season he has to play every night in the NHL. Just too much talent.

I would go after Bickell though.

Bickell-Boyle-Asham/Haley

Agreed on not wanting Bozak for 5.5 million/season. Stephen Weiss?

 

[iamitter]

Stralberg is an interesting name. I certainly think this team could use more speed, and he's a guy who can play up and down the lineup depending on the temperature of the game. We'd have to do a bit more "cleaning" to find a spot for him though, and does he make sense with Hagelin in the lineup already?

He's also never performed in the playoffs.

 

[RangersFan]

with signings like richards, redden, drury, gomez, you really gotta wonder what this teams nhl scouts are doing. their declines should be evident to those who are paid to evaluate players. yes, even before they sign here, if these guys do this for a living they should be able to take note of signs in players that it might be a mistake investing large sums of money to these guys.

the days of this team adding THE Marquee FA of the summer should be over no matter how attractive the name (though malkin is interesting only because he's special). they continue to fail and decline in NY. they gotta really start being selective of who they sign in FA, even if it's a wait and see game over multiple years, they gotta really target and be selective. of course when jobs matter, and icing the best team possible year after year is important, this team has failed too many times in the FA market, pre and post cap. they gotta start fostering chemistry with the parts that work, avoid the big expensive name, and fill in holes with reasonable FA that make sense, and really hope and pray younger players improve year after year, and also hope to strike lighting in the draft.

this organization has tried to fix bad teams with marquee FAs, tried to put a good team over the top with marquee FAs, and tried to address areas of weakness with marquee FAs, and they have failed spectacularly time and time again. their one arguable sucess was gaborik, who even then ended up being too inconsistent, despite having 2 40 goal years.

 

[Trxjw]

Bozak is another mistake waiting to happen. He's not a $5M per year player.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

I'm a big Bozak getter here. Not at 5 but around the ballpark of 3. Good center.

 

[NYR Viper]

I'm a big Bozak getter here. Not at 5 but around the ballpark of 3. Good center.

I would do 3.5-3.75 for him. He is a top-6 center for sure.

 

[The Gloaming]

Bozak would be a great fit. Not at a long term, 5 million per contract, which someone will inevitably give him.

 

[NikC]

with signings like richards, redden, drury, gomez, you really gotta wonder what this teams nhl scouts are doing. their declines should be evident to those who are paid to evaluate players. yes, even before they sign here, if these guys do this for a living they should be able to take note of signs in players that it might be a mistake investing large sums of money to these guys.

the days of this team adding THE Marquee FA of the summer should be over no matter how attractive the name (though malkin is interesting only because he's special). they continue to fail and decline in NY. they gotta really start being selective of who they sign in FA, even if it's a wait and see game over multiple years, they gotta really target and be selective. of course when jobs matter, and icing the best team possible year after year is important, this team has failed too many times in the FA market, pre and post cap. they gotta start fostering chemistry with the parts that work, avoid the big expensive name, and fill in holes with reasonable FA that make sense, and really hope and pray younger players improve year after year, and also hope to strike lighting in the draft.

this organization has tried to fix bad teams with marquee FAs, tried to put a good team over the top with marquee FAs, and tried to address areas of weakness with marquee FAs, and they have failed spectacularly time and time again. their one arguable sucess was gaborik, who even then ended up being too inconsistent, despite having 2 40 goal years.

outside of Redden, all of those players were relatively young and coming off VG seasons with their former clubs. What other criteria can you identify prior to going after these FAs?

Each of the players you mentioned failed for different reasons, although some did have initial success. I'm not sure what the case is with Brad Richards. I'm starting to think that there is lingering problems suffered from the concussion in his last season in Dallas. The Kaleta hit might have instigated things?

Regardless, his play has dropped beyond belief. Also, he's no dummy and probably knows he's a prime candidate for amnesty buyout. I'm sure it's given him even less incentive to dig deep and find his game.

 

[NYR Viper]

outside of Redden, all of those players were relatively young and coming off VG seasons with their former clubs. What other criteria can you identify prior to going after these FAs?

Each of the players you mentioned failed for different reasons, although some did have initial success. I'm not sure what the case is with Brad Richards. I'm starting to think that there is lingering problems suffered from the concussion in his last season in Dallas. The Kaleta hit might have instigated things?

Regardless, his play has dropped beyond belief. Also, he's no dummy and probably knows he's a prime candidate for amnesty buyout. I'm sure it's given him even less incentive to dig deep and find his game.

Drury, Richards and Redden were not young. They were all 30+ when they signed, no?

 

[NikC]

I am still on board with re-signing Clowe (if it is on decent terms). Also, it's hard to sign some of these "depth" players when the top pieces are still missing.

I wouldn't approach Clowe with anymore than a 1 year deal. It's a shame he got hurt and we couldn't see him in his playoff role, but there's no way you can pursue this guy aggressively.

 

[NikC]

Drury, Richards and Redden were not young. They were all 30+ when they signed, no?

i said relatively young...

RangerFan implied that there was evidence of decline in all these players prior to us obtaining them.
I don't see that clearly in any player other than Redden...

 

[NYR Viper]

i said relatively young...

RangerFan implied that there was evidence of decline in all these players prior to us obtaining them.
I don't see that clearly in any player other than Redden...

Looking back, the Drury situation was pretty evident giving a guy 5 years who could not control an offense, was on the smaller side and lived and died but giving up his body consistently.