Pretty much.
This is a dog eat dog fanbase though, so consider that. He hasnt even played 100 games yet and we're already talking amnesty buyout. He was a major reason for our top 5 season last year.
Brad Richards
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Pretty much.
This is a dog eat dog fanbase though, so consider that. He hasnt even played 100 games yet and we're already talking amnesty buyout. He was a major reason for our top 5 season last year.
BTW I got incredibly pissed off the other day at people begging for applause and adulation because they anonymously insulted and attacked richards on twitter. Look, Richards sucks this year and I think he's another rope around the rangers neck and the levers about to release the platform from under our feet with this guy. But stories like this and my own personal experience with people who talk sh** when you can't do anything to them to make them back up what they're saying are what drive me nuts about entitled fans and net anonymity
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tenni...use-bullying-social-media-175955476--ten.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tenni...use-bullying-social-media-175955476--ten.html
Glen Sathers Cigar
Sather 4 Ever
I agree completely. There were a few rushed tonight and one or two vs Montreal where Richie looked like last year, rushing from his zone, through a few players and into the offensive zone. He's just not putting it together. He's either making a good rush, ending with a bad pass or forcing a pass or waiting one second too long to make a play.
I've been playing this game my whole life and this looks like a guy who's in a slump and playing with no confidence. He's over thinking everything he's doing with the puck which is leading to bad and forced passes. He's skating hard but not doing much with it. He's second guessing his decision making and thus, taking too long to do anything which is eliminating his chance at a successful play. Quintessential example of a hockey player who is playing poorly because of lack of confidence.
Look at those highlight videos for Dallas. There we see a player who is not even thinking about what he's doing, he's so confident in his abilities and his decision making that he is instinctively making amazing plays. Confidence is key for Richards, hopefully he can string together a few decent games and get some rolling here.
Ugh, and now there is a "Value of: Brad Richards" thread on the trade forum. Can we get off this guy already? See my post there if you want to see how upset I am with everyone here. Wait, I'll copy and paste it for you to read in case. This was directed to one of our fans who claimed Richards sucked the entire second half of last season...
"You mean when Richards had 22 points (7g 15a) in 17 games in March? Or when he lead the Rangers with 15 points in the post season scoring pivotal goals to advance the Rangers to the Conference Finals?
This thread has "What have you done for me lately" written all over it. To say he sucked the second half of last season is delusional.
He had 39 points in the last 41 games he played in 11-12, including the playoffs. And that's when you WANT him to perform. He was big for us March -- May and you said was bad in the second half?
He's had a rough start to this season. I get it. But outside of Lundqvist, he was the biggest reason we got to the Conference Finals.
And yes, 16 games in a spectrum of 870 games is a SMALL sample."
/Thread
"You mean when Richards had 22 points (7g 15a) in 17 games in March? Or when he lead the Rangers with 15 points in the post season scoring pivotal goals to advance the Rangers to the Conference Finals?
This thread has "What have you done for me lately" written all over it. To say he sucked the second half of last season is delusional.
He had 39 points in the last 41 games he played in 11-12, including the playoffs. And that's when you WANT him to perform. He was big for us March -- May and you said was bad in the second half?
He's had a rough start to this season. I get it. But outside of Lundqvist, he was the biggest reason we got to the Conference Finals.
And yes, 16 games in a spectrum of 870 games is a SMALL sample."
/Thread
That's fine that you say this but do you really think the reasons why people are discussing this are not good reasons?
How often does a 31 year old with 7 years left a HUGE cap hit and a severely deteriorated game show up at the EXACT time a get out of jail free card is available? This is clearly a case with some very unqiue aspects yet people who support not cutting Richards refuse to even acknowledge that.
Again anyone who feels he WILL be a good player for another 3-4 years then I get you wanting to keep him and advocating we keep him for thos rreasons. But to blindly dismiss the other side as if there's no merit? Doesn't make much sense at all. After all this is a forum for hockey talk and debate what the hell kind of debate can you have if all one side does is say "You're stance is stupid/crazy" without giving any reasons beyond pure speculation to counter? Let's face it all evidence
a) his actual play vs his play in the past
b) Other players at similar ages including many we've signed
All that is very significant evidence that fuels the opinion that he should be bought out.
Where's the fun in dismissing this evidence without logic or is it just fun to anonymously attack people and insult their opinions without any logic in your response?
I think this post is pretty valid, and illustrates brilliantly what I came to post in a new thread: We've Lost Our Chemistry.
We lost key heart and soul guys (Prust, Feds), a guy that has was one of our initial "rebuild" guys and part of the fabric of the post-lockout Rangers (Dubinsky), and a very serviceable guy who could add offense on occasion (and a Center at that), in the much maligned Anisimov. Now, we've also lost Powe, and Nash, our most potent offensive machine. Add the natural regression of Richards, and the typical Gaborik off-year, and you have a recipe for a shockingly unpredicted year of disappointment. There are just to many variables. Last year's team just...worked. They all bought in, and rode the wave between their play, the HBO series, Winter Classic, etc. It was a special season. So many things are different. This is not the same team, at all. This team, quite frankly...is not very good.
I'm not even gonna compare this team to the one who won the President's Trophy, then came in dead-last in the division, then WON the CUP. But... I can dream.....
Right now, I can't say I'm happy with the state of really, anything. I'm certainly not thinking that the Cup is even a remote possibility, at this point.
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I agree completely. There were a few rushed tonight and one or two vs Montreal where Richie looked like last year, rushing from his zone, through a few players and into the offensive zone. He's just not putting it together. He's either making a good rush, ending with a bad pass or forcing a pass or waiting one second too long to make a play.
I've been playing this game my whole life and this looks like a guy who's in a slump and playing with no confidence. He's over thinking everything he's doing with the puck which is leading to bad and forced passes. He's skating hard but not doing much with it. He's second guessing his decision making and thus, taking too long to do anything which is eliminating his chance at a successful play. Quintessential example of a hockey player who is playing poorly because of lack of confidence.
Look at those highlight videos for Dallas. There we see a player who is not even thinking about what he's doing, he's so confident in his abilities and his decision making that he is instinctively making amazing plays. Confidence is key for Richards, hopefully he can string together a few decent games and get some rolling here.
i just can't help but worry about this team. I never go for the blame on a single player. This is not baseball.
As you correctly point out, Richards was a total menace to the opposition with Dallas. It was a different game than what the Rangers play, but I still don't know why the Rangers forwards on the skilled lines should not be able to roam more freely. i am not saying that they should not care about backchecking, but the correct balance has to be struck. The Rangers skilled lines should be going more freely for the net, with offense the priority. I cannot say that they are not allowed to do this, just that it certainly does not look right. Not right at all.
There were significantly prolonged stretches last year he played invisible or just as poorly as this. Based on his age and contract length AND sample size with the Rangers it's too early to say CUT HIM THIS INSTANT but it certainly makes sense to start evaluating alternatives to keeping him
Nobody said he was bad the second half of last year. He finished strong last year. He was, however, mediocre to bad for the first 60 games of last year. If he's gonna be awesome 20 games a year, believe me, I'm thrilled he's picking the last 20 games instead of say, the first, but the bottom line is he hasn't played well for like 70% of the games he's played as a Ranger. People say "he'll get it together," well, if him getting it together is playing well for a quarter of the regular season, I think I'll pass. I hope he's great in the playoffs again. But if our #1 center is going to play bad for most of the season, counting on even getting there is a dangerous thing to count on.
Agreed. He looked lost at points last season. But the fact is, he finished strong with us. 39 points in 41 games March through May is tough to complain about. Especially when you saw some of his performances in the post season. Even with his prolonged stretches last season, he finished with 66 points (not great for him, but good enough to be considered a #1 center).
A rough start to one season (and a rough start to last season too... a rough half of last season). He has been wildly inconsistent. I get it. But this is a knee jerk reaction IMO. Because if you go based on how he finished last season, he was a big time player for us. Give him the opportunity to redeem himself.
If we make the post season, and he leads the team in scoring again, and once again finds a way to score several timely goals for us, people will be singing a different tune.
I really feel is "what have you done for me lately" and the NY attitude everyone has where they ALWAYS expect results immediately (especially when bloated contracts are involved).
I will say this:
When Nash is healthy I think you should pair him with Krieder and Richards and see if that can get him going. No offense to Cally, but he isn't good enough to jump start that line. Enemy defenders just need to isolate Richards and you can completely nullify that line. If Nash is out there it gives more room for Krieder and Richards.
I think steps-hags-gabs is at least getting opportunities. I think if Richards-Nash can get some chemistry that would change the scoring a bit.
When Nash is healthy I think you should pair him with Krieder and Richards and see if that can get him going. No offense to Cally, but he isn't good enough to jump start that line. Enemy defenders just need to isolate Richards and you can completely nullify that line. If Nash is out there it gives more room for Krieder and Richards.
I think steps-hags-gabs is at least getting opportunities. I think if Richards-Nash can get some chemistry that would change the scoring a bit.
It's not like I am forgetting what Richards did for the team last year. The reason that I talked about his stint with Dallas was that I had already started thinking about a transition for the Rangers. A transition to a faster game, with Kreider in the lineup and the speed opening up the possibilities.
Maybe I was overly ambitious in thinking this. Maybe I expect too much too soon, but I will say that there is no way in hell that Brad Richards is no longer a good hockey player.
That is illogical.
Edit: I completely stood behind Richards last season during his somewhat slow start, and loved seeing him pull off plays that no other Ranger was capable of during the latter part of the season and into the playoffs.
Maybe I was overly ambitious in thinking this. Maybe I expect too much too soon, but I will say that there is no way in hell that Brad Richards is no longer a good hockey player.
That is illogical.
Edit: I completely stood behind Richards last season during his somewhat slow start, and loved seeing him pull off plays that no other Ranger was capable of during the latter part of the season and into the playoffs.
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Whens the latest he can be bought out 2014? he certainly has until then to prove something but if he continues this ALL THE WAY TILL THEN how could we not buy him out?
How do buyouts work under the new CBA? Under the last one his cap hit would last FOREVER. e.g. if he had 8 years left on the contract at the time of the buyout, the cap penalty would be spread out over 16 years? No? Doesn't make fiscal sense to do that.
When did the Islanders stop having the Yashin cap hit? Just the other year?
It doesn't make sense to buy out contracts that are that long term.
Unless the new CBA is different with buyouts.
Glen Sathers Cigar
Sather 4 Ever
Yup, I agree with you. They are not roaming freely, as you put it, I think because they are all afraid of getting benched. I think they need a solid week or two of games where they are putting up good offensive performances, by everyone not just Nash's line, and that will get their confidence up. Play 5 or 6 games in a row where you score 4-6 goals, with Nash, Richards, Gabby, Cally, Steps, Hags all putting up good numbers in there, and I think that will naturally open up the offense. Everyone here likes to blame Torts and rag on him that we are playing too uptight, and that might be true for now. However, if we can go on a streak and score 5-6 goals a game for a week or two all in a row, it will naturally change our offense.
Players will take chances, score more goals and be more creative. The fact that they score more will allow torts to shorten his leash. It's all a balancing act. The first thing that needs to happen is they need to show they're capable of it. Which means Richie, Nash, Gabby, Cally need to step up and make some big plays.
The Gloaming
23
Each team gets two compliance buyouts that don't count against the cap. We already used one on Redden.
Richards seems to have just lost a step this season. He's so slow... Yes he plays responsibly on defense, but our breakouts are anemic. You know what he's going to do EVERY time. Dump pass in or backhand pass to the LW. Where is the CREATIVITY?!?!?! I'd rather dump him and sign a younger center that has the balls to make some plays on his own and not rely on others.
While i don't necessarily agree with the twitter stuff, this is sports. One of the MANY high pressure jobs out there. If you can't handle the criticism go bag groceries. Some of us have hard jobs where people are always judging and looking for perfection. You use it as inspiration to become better. You don't whine and cry. Richards needs to prove the critics wrong, because he HAS been garbage and HAS to step up.
Blueshirt Special
Shady Brey
Apparently BR has been injured since the start of the season. Severe trauma to the gluteus maximus is causing concussion like symptons.
carry on
carry on
Richards has been average at best since day 1. Ok, he has had some good moments, but not enough to justify his 9 year contract.
Kreider Typical
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