Brad Richards

[nevesis]

he had a few chances, but he looked too hesitant. he's thinking too much. cares too much and it's an issue for a guy with hockey iq as high as his

He's still skating with cement in his ****ing boots, and can hardly get off the ice at the end of a shift, after not even hustling that hard!

He's out of shape! and its disgusting to see...

$12,000,000 a year this season, to sit in the off-season and eat PEI mussels up north and sip wine day in day out.

Dude didn't look like he was keeping in tip top shape for the season during the lockout. There is no excuse for that.

Look at his instagram for a peak into his life over the past few months, its obvious he wasn't doing everything he can to keep himself in tip top condition like other players did. He's older now, doesn't care much anymore.

 

[Ice Hockey]

i hate to say it and i hope i'm wrong but i believe we got gomez'd w/ the richards deal. if we did we need to get out of the business of signing guys that aren't superstars long term contracts.

 

[The Gloaming]

He's still skating with cement in his ****ing boots, and can hardly get off the ice at the end of a shift, after not even hustling that hard!

He's out of shape! and its disgusting to see...

$12,000,000 a year this season, to sit in the off-season and eat PEI mussels up north and sip wine day in day out.

Dude didn't look like he was keeping in tip top shape for the season during the lockout. There is no excuse for that.

Look at his instagram for a peak into his life over the past few months, its obvious he wasn't doing everything he can to keep himself in tip top condition like other players did. He's older now, doesn't care much anymore.

Holy ****, so much this. I don't know what he was doing in the offseason, but I do know that he wasn't playing anywhere in Europe, and was sitting at the damn CBA negotiations whenever they were on. Yeah, so much physical energy required for that. You've got guys like Stamkos who trained with Gary Roberts, and then you have Richards who went tanning on the beach. Who's going to be ready for the season, do you think?

On the topic of getting him back to game shape, I have some suggestions.
A. Put him on the wing until he looks like an NHL'er out there. Less skating needed, less defensive coverage needed. Put him with some speed and get him to keep up. (Although I remember Kreider and Gaborik playing alongside of him yesterday, and going, "there's no way he's keeping up with those two."
B. let him watch the entire 1st period on the bench. Not the third, when he has already been spoon-fed minutes. Let him get back in the 2nd period and see if he looks like a 12 million dollar man. If not, ride the pine in the third and beyond.

I was fine with him last year when he wasn't playing well at stretches, but it was nowhere near this bad. Add a Ghostly Gaborik and an undisclosedly-injured Rick Nash, and it's been very tiring to watch the past 2 games.

 

[SlingshotVv]

Good ole behind-the-back-turnover-Richards. I never caught many Dallas games, and I know the hype on this guy's playmaking was massive. But he's been a turnover machine the majority of his time here. I can remember 2 nice set-ups during last season's playoffs. But I can think of 3 ridiculously poor passing decisions and two passes that had they been on the tape could've been scoring opportunities last night alone!

I am overwhelmingly underwhelmed at his performance as a NYR. I see a lot if the Chris Drury fall-off in Richards' current game.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

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.

Oh yea but as a person I also just felt strongly against the actions of fans in this case. Just because atheletes should be able to weather the criticism doesn't mean I have to accept that people try to bully anonymously and attack others with no repercussions. I dunno it made me think of a guy surrounded by dozens of others who sticks his hands out for some high fives like a dunce after some lame taunt. Mind you I am the furthest thing from a fan of this player right now and his signing in general.

 

[Hire Sather]

Richards needs to be better but short of him turning into a 100 point player, he needs to be bought out after next season.

I'm not ripping him or even getting on him for his play this season. I think he will recover to at least last years form soon enough.

However, that contract WILL become an albabtross to our cap in the future, theres no way around it and without the ability to dump a guy in the minors to save cap space, it has to be done.

That doesn't mean Richards can't be a good player here for 4-5 more years, but I think its something that probably has to be done.

 

[JohnC]

Tonight Brad will see the team is need of help due to all the injuries. He finally snaps out of his funk and scores two hat tricks. Book it

 

[Vitto79]

Tonight Brad will see the team is need of help due to all the injuries. He finally snaps out of his funk and scores two hat tricks. Book it

pretty please.................. I have my doubts just because when Richards was signed I was exited but I figured we had 3 good yrs and the other yrs they may regret..........Richards had some down times last yr but overall he was great........so lets hope that happens again............if not they have the buyout after next yr........we have to give BR this yr and next then review

 

[Baby Punisher]

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.

We have not seen the pre-concused Richards that played in Dallas since he became a Ranger. We have flashes now & than. Nothing steady.

At some point the Rangers have a tough decision to make.

 

[HonestGabe]

He will snap out of it. He's in a funk. We went over this last year, and the conclusion was we would be kissing the guys feet come March and April and into the playoffs. And we were. He will be a PPG player or better in the second half, and I'm willing to bet a pretty large sum on that.

 

[Riverdale]

He will snap out of it. He's in a funk. We went over this last year, and the conclusion was we would be kissing the guys feet come March and April and into the playoffs. And we were. He will be a PPG player or better in the second half, and I'm willing to bet a pretty large sum on that.

Ya...**** consistency. Its ok if he stinks all season and then turns it on towards the end.

Will he get better? Probably. But in a few years his good play will just start diminishing as well. Terrible contract, and I don't want to deal with him for what, 7 more years?

 

[gmerger37]

Every game he is looking more and more likely to join a list of FA signings who won a cup elsewhere and just came to the Rangers to get paid and live it up. Sickening.

 

[Kreider Typical]

Every game he is looking more and more likely to join a list of FA signings who won a cup elsewhere and just came to the Rangers to get paid and live it up. Sickening.

you can't seriously believe he wants to play like this

 

[gmerger37]

you can't seriously believe he wants to play like this

That's not what I'm saying. If what people are saying is true and he spent the off-season and lockout on the beach instead of in the gym and on the ice, does that scream of a guy who is hungry to you?

Does he want to play like crap? No, of course no competitive athlete wants to. But if he didn't put in the preparation properly that is 100% on his shoulders and that indicates, at least to me, a lack of hunger and a player who has other priorities besides winning.

 

[Dorado*]

He's no longer quick , which is affecting his time and space drastically . His lack of physical strength enables him to be punched off the puck rather easily . Easy going Brad seems to be rather soft . While he has shown a flair for the big spotlight in moments last season ( 8 ? GWG or something like that ?) his overall physical body if work is declining it appears .
Can he rebound with a full camp and perhaps a strict diet and fitness regiment in the offseason ? Perhaps . Even if he puts up a monster second half and possibly year next year the compliance buy out should happen in order to not be hamstrung with an over 35 contract . As bad as Messier was his second go round at least he could be tough and strong on puck , but was utterly a disaster . I felt like the minority most nights in my feeling he held back the NYR for those years . Brad is headed down the same path and the sentimentality between him and Torts and their glory days should not be allowed to continue . NYR are paying him to the player he was not the one he is which is a 2-3 C at this point

 

[Dorado*]

That's not what I'm saying. If what people are saying is true and he spent the off-season and lockout on the beach instead of in the gym and on the ice, does that scream of a guy who is hungry to you?

Does he want to play like crap? No, of course no competitive athlete wants to. But if he didn't put in the preparation properly that is 100% on his shoulders and that indicates, at least to me, a lack of hunger and a player who has other priorities besides winning.

He certainly does not have te look of a guy doing all kinds of plyometric drills and dragging a weight sled across a lawn like the Gary Roberts set and eating lean meat and vegetables . He seems a more fine dining and wining and fishing and beaching and golf guy .
Hunger is gone he is another mercenary in a long line of mercenaries and to be honest Torts does too . Torts is starting to wreak if a guy who wanted back in the spot light but is no longer a relevant coach ... Jack Adams candidate be damned .

 

[*Bob Richards*]

He certainly does not have te look of a guy doing all kinds of plyometric drills and dragging a weight sled across a lawn like the Gary Roberts set and eating lean meat and vegetables . He seems a more fine dining and wining and fishing and beaching and golf guy .
Hunger is gone he is another mercenary in a long line of mercenaries and to be honest Torts does too . Torts is starting to wreak if a guy who wanted back in the spot light but is no longer a relevant coach ... Jack Adams candidate be damned .

When points like this get brought up, I think it really dilutes the debate as to why Richards isn't playing up to snuff.

 

[Dorado*]

So his off ice habits haven't affected the fact that he can't hold on to the puck or create any time and space for himself ?

 

[*Bob Richards*]

So his off ice habits haven't affected the fact that he can't hold on to the puck or create any time and space for himself ?

I'd say its way more mental than anything. He definitely is feeling immense pressure considering the eyes of the world expect him to carry this PP which is essentially a war crime considering its ineffectiveness.

If you wan't to say that he isn't up to snuff because he does step into games 100% there, fine. Blaming it on "fine dining" and "fishing" sounds a little ridiculous to me. It's like when everyone ragged on Chris Drury's "ruined weekend".

 

[Heyoooo*]

Its definitely mental. Richards was never that great physically anyway.

His strength has always been his hockey IQ, and hes overthinking and trying to do too much right now. With that, come boneheaded passes and turnovers.

Totally mental.

He looks old out there? He looked old out there last year.

 

[gmerger37]

Its definitely mental. Richards was never that great physically anyway.

His strength has always been his hockey IQ, and hes overthinking and trying to do too much right now. With that, come boneheaded passes and turnovers.

Totally mental.

He looks old out there? He looked old out there last year.

That's fine, and I agree Brad has always relied on his hockey IQ, the problem is when you get older being out of shape can hinder you very quickly, and you can no longer rely on just your instincts and intelligence alone out there. Physically you have to stay on top of your conditioning as you get older, if you don't it's something that can make you age even faster in sports.

Being in ok shape or even out of shape when your 25 or 27 is not preferred but is doable, but as you start getting into your 30's as an athlete you better start watching what you eat and commit yourself to a workout regime to stay on par with some of the younger bodies around the league. As far as I'm concerned with an older athlete if you're not trying to get ahead, you're essentially falling behind.

 

[Dorado*]

I think he maybe needs to perhaps realize he has to take his physicality and quickness to a new level . The league is younger, stronger , bigger and faster . Time and space is at a premium and while neve an overly physical player his guile and vision made up for that . Those days appear to be gone . Perhaps an off season of hard core plyo , quickness drills and a weight regiment to add some lean muscle could be the fountain of youth . The game he made look easy is not there any more .

 

[Off Sides]

How about they put Kreider on Richard's left, put him in the mentor type role?

 

[*Bob Richards*]

When it comes to the physical aspect of it, I haven't really noticed him to be that bad. I'm not demanding he turn into Eric Lindros and turn every shift into the Normandy Invasion. I just want him to remove the cobwebs from his brain. He's a player lauded for his IQ, not explosiveness.

 

[Dorado*]

How about they put Kreider on Richard's left, put him in the mentor type role?

Until Torts is gone Kreider is not going to get any kind of consistent minutes . I watched that kid Saad last couple of games with Hossa and Toews . He only has 3 goals , but is getting a lot more consistent minutes . Saad didn't look to possess that my h more if any skill set greater than CK . What he looked to be doing is skating hard Ho and down the wing and when given the chance taking puck to the net . The Hawks even do this crazy thing called skating though the NZ with speed and hitting passes in stride and allowing fast players to use their speed . They also dumped and cycled . It was crazy to watch . I thought th only way to play awas a stretch pass tip dump in to failed retrieval or a cycle to wrap around