Brad Richards

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Richards is a concern for sure. I don't think its for lack of effort, or any of the silly things about his mind not being on hockey. The guy is a total professional, and a big-game player.

With that said, theres 2 big glaring issues here:

1. He looks like hes been skating in mud all season
2. His decision making has gotten progressively worse

First order of business is Tortorella should tell him that hes going to sit for a week if he delivers another erratic drop pass.

With all that said, I still have faith in him. He has a track record of playing better when the games get more important.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Ridiculous. Players have the right to explore other things off the ice. If he was doing charity work (and he was) nobody would say a thing.

The fashion staff was endearing to Avery, but its causing Richards' game to go off a cliff.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Need to keep things in perspective here....yes, Richards has had some really bad games, and at times looks absolutely Redden-like. But we also have to remember how well he played in the playoffs last season. He was HUGE.

That said, even if Richards picks up his play as the season goes along, Sather should still seriously consider buying him out at the end of the season. That contract and cap hit will go on for seven more full seasons after this season...it's absolutely brutal and will potentially cripple this franchise.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Need to keep things in perspective here....yes, Richards has had some really bad games, and at times looks absolutely Redden-like. But we also have to remember how well he played in the playoffs last season. He was HUGE.

That said, even if Richards picks up his play as the season goes along, Sather should still seriously consider buying him out at the end of the season. That contract and cap hit will go on for seven more full seasons after this season...it's absolutely brutal and will potentially cripple this franchise.

The buy-out stuff is stupid to think about until this summer. Im pretty damn positive that management isn't thinking about buying out their #1 center right now.

 

[Jersey Girl]

The buy-out stuff is stupid to think about until this summer. Im pretty damn positive that management isn't thinking about buying out their #1 center right now.

I completely disagree with this post.

They should definitely consider buying Richards out over the summer.

 

[KreiMeARiver*]

Same old Rangers...

Sign a player who is a year from being totally washed-up to a lucrative, long term, crippling deal.

He's been god-awful.... hope he turns it around.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Same old Rangers...

Sign a player who is a year from being totally washed-up to a lucrative, long term, crippling deal.

He's been god-awful.... hope he turns it around.

We were badly in need of a 1st line center and he was the best one available in any free agent class for like the next 4 years... All free agent signings are risks.

If anything was typical about this situation its your reaction and how it resembles a "typical" Ranger fan's complaining.

 

[Jersey Girl]

We were badly in need of a 1st line center and he was the best one available in any free agent class for like the next 4 years... All free agent signings are risks.

If anything was typical about this situation its your reaction and how it resembles a "typical" Ranger fan's complaining.

While I do not disagree with your post in general, the bolded part has no basis in truth whatsoever.

 

[Boom Boom Geoffrion*]

As upsetting as Richie's performance has been thus far, I'm not foolish enough to suggest we should buy him out. Look around the league - teams are desperate for centers who can produce. Richards has played like ****, but he's producing on the stat-sheet.

I think he's tradeable. No reason to buy out someone who can help the team win this year, and has value.

He had a rought start last season too. But late in the season, and the playoffs, he was real solid. Just have to be patient with him at this point.

 

[KreiMeARiver*]

We were badly in need of a 1st line center and he was the best one available in any free agent class for like the next 4 years... All free agent signings are risks.

If anything was typical about this situation its your reaction and how it resembles a "typical" Ranger fan's complaining.

blah blah that's fine, I'll accept that.

I'm not gonna lie...I was 100% for the signing.... and I'm not ready to start whining and complaining about Richards, in earnest. Not yet, anyway. He'll be better.....

So yeah, basically I'm contradicting myself. haha

I don't think he'll be terrible enough this year, to warrant a buyout.

 

[nevesis]

Richards game tying goal with a few seconds left wasn't because he is some superior clutch playoff hockey player named Brad Richards, its because we got extremely lucky.

That type of luck happens about one time every 500 games.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Richards game tying goal with a few seconds left wasn't because he is some superior clutch playoff hockey player named Brad Richards, its because we got extremely lucky.

That type of luck happens about one time every 500 games.

Richards had a good playoff run last year...his contribution was much more than one game tying goal.

 

[bubba5]

Boy I remember when we signed him I knew this day would come quick, and everyone said oh he is different, great signing, blah blah blah and criticized me for saying it then. To give a 30 year old that many years and that much money with a big cap hit in today's NHL world is crazy. You can't sign a guy that long term hoping for him to give you something in the first couple years of the contract only. Well we can thank our lucky stars we have a buyout coming. He won't get bought out though until after next season though(I believe that is when we can still do it)

 

[NYR Viper]

As upsetting as Richie's performance has been thus far, I'm not foolish enough to suggest we should buy him out. Look around the league - teams are desperate for centers who can produce. Richards has played like ****, but he's producing on the stat-sheet.

I think he's tradeable. No reason to buy out someone who can help the team win this year, and has value.

He had a rought start last season too. But late in the season, and the playoffs, he was real solid. Just have to be patient with him at this point.

I feel similarly. I just wonder if he would waive his NMC to go somewhere else.

 

[NYR Viper]

Boy I remember when we signed him I knew this day would come quick, and everyone said oh he is different, great signing, blah blah blah and criticized me for saying it then. To give a 30 year old that many years and that much money with a big cap hit in today's NHL world is crazy. You can't sign a guy that long term hoping for him to give you something in the first couple years of the contract only. Well we can thank our lucky stars we have a buyout coming. He won't get bought out though until after next season though(I believe that is when we can still do it)

I said the same thing. I was excited to have him for 4 years, after that I was beyond worried. 32 years old. 7 years left after this one.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I completely disagree with this post.

They should definitely consider buying Richards out over the summer.

Well, then, we sort of agree. I said the mere notion shouldnt even be thought about until the final horn sounds on this season.

 

[Trxjw]

Well, then, we sort of agree. I said the mere notion shouldnt even be thought about until the final horn sounds on this season.

I wish that were the case. Unfortunately, all he's doing is reminding me how badly he's playing each time he gets on the ice.

 

[nevesis]

Anyone talking about trading Richards...

Who is going to pick up that massive contract?

No one.

 

[broadwayblue]

The question about the signing was when (not if) his play would deteriorate to the point of being a detriment during the course of his contract. We all knew he wasn't going to play at an elite or even semi-elite level for 9 years...but the thought was if he could perform for 6 of those years we could by out the last 2 or 3 and not get destroyed by the ensuing cap hit. To think we are having this discussion less than 2 full seasons in is beyond disconcerting.

I'm stunned by how poorly he played last night. He made literally one decent poke check and the rest of his ice time was brutal. He might have been playing for the other New York team in that one.

 

[NYR Viper]

Anyone talking about trading Richards...

Who is going to pick up that massive contract?

No one.

Maybe one of the other teams who offered a similar contract to him?

 

[MaximusT]

You don't throw 9 year deals at players over 30....his best days are behind him imo

 

[nevesis]

You don't throw 9 year deals at players over 30....his best days are behind him imo

Compliance buyout Richards, give 27 year old UFA center Ryan Getzlaf a nice contract, win Stanley Cup.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

This is silly he was terrible yesterday because of stupid turnovers and mental lapses. That has nothing to do with age.

 

[bubba5]

Just went through the thread when we signed Richards, at least 90% loved the deal, I said by year 4 we would be killing Richards and asking for Sathers job and people bashed me, well I was wrong, only took to years. Also, someone said this is Drury 2, boy he could not have been more right!

 

[Bluenote13]

This is silly he was terrible yesterday because of stupid turnovers and mental lapses. That has nothing to do with age.

Boy are you way off !

Signed
Rodney