Brad's Buy-out
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ZiGOODejad
intangibles
- Nov 30, 2013
- 5,375
- 1,568
it would be god awful if he didn't buy out richie but its got to happen.
then again if do and send a boat load of money at Paul Stastny its almost the same boat. yeah he's younger but still can't skate to safe his life anymore.
then again if do and send a boat load of money at Paul Stastny its almost the same boat. yeah he's younger but still can't skate to safe his life anymore.
I don't think Richards will be bought out if he keeps up this pace.
Before the Redden and Drury comparisons come in, those 2 were hardly NHL players at the time of the buyouts. Richards is at the very least an average 2C.
I still think he should get bought out. If you get out of that contract, you're set.
Before the Redden and Drury comparisons come in, those 2 were hardly NHL players at the time of the buyouts. Richards is at the very least an average 2C.
I still think he should get bought out. If you get out of that contract, you're set.
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yeah. It's sad how woeful our C depth is. If you buyout BR you are left with:
Stepan - average #1, good #2
Brassard - RFA, inconsistent #2, good #3
Miller - rookie, most likely #3
Lindberg - rookie, #3/#4
So we've either got to trade valuable assets for a top 6 C or get one through FA who will likely cost more than Richards
TheTakedown
Puck is Life
- Jul 11, 2012
- 13,694
- 1,493
I think Brad is here to stay.... But I think this one is more in the hands of AV rather than Sather...
If AV decides that he is a usable piece towards a cup contender team, especially if callahan brings back a top 6 puck-possession style winger, and free agency determines that we cannot afford a center man better than brad, then he sticks...
Rangers are loaded with talent. We've been through a rough 2 seasons since that ECF trip, but this team is not dead like buffalo or Calgary (the fact that we have 8 players going to the Olympics is an indicator of this).
At this point, with clarkson (a horrible winger) getting 5.25M, Callahan asking for $6M+, and guys like Blake wheeler and Dustin brown both getting $5.8M extensions for 20 goals a year, its no wonder Callahan wants 6M.
It is that fact alone that Richards is a bargain, even if we have to pay a year or two with a cap penalty.
If AV decides that he is a usable piece towards a cup contender team, especially if callahan brings back a top 6 puck-possession style winger, and free agency determines that we cannot afford a center man better than brad, then he sticks...
Rangers are loaded with talent. We've been through a rough 2 seasons since that ECF trip, but this team is not dead like buffalo or Calgary (the fact that we have 8 players going to the Olympics is an indicator of this).
At this point, with clarkson (a horrible winger) getting 5.25M, Callahan asking for $6M+, and guys like Blake wheeler and Dustin brown both getting $5.8M extensions for 20 goals a year, its no wonder Callahan wants 6M.
It is that fact alone that Richards is a bargain, even if we have to pay a year or two with a cap penalty.
Rangers ftw
Registered User
- May 8, 2007
- 2,389
- 460
I think we will keep. And I think we should. We'll have to overpay a UFA to take his spot or we'll stuck with Brassard at 2C. With the cap going up, the UFA will probable get same money as Richards is doing right now. It's not ideal, but as a 2C he good. It's more on whether Stepan is taking another step 
that will determine our center situation.
that will determine our center situation.
NoQuitInNewMexico
it's okay cause it's all just the way it should be
Richards's contract really is that bad, though. I like what he's doing for us, he's a huge, understated part of the power play, buying him out forces us into throwing piles of money at Stastny (IMO there's no alternative), but I still want to see it happen. He was so bad last year that it's hard to believe in him as a consistent contributor, definitely not around that price point.
I'm very interested in how it plays out, of course, none of these (besides maybe shipping out Cally if there's good interest in him) are easy decisions for Sather and crew.
I'm very interested in how it plays out, of course, none of these (besides maybe shipping out Cally if there's good interest in him) are easy decisions for Sather and crew.
Calad
Section 422
Look at the options we have available to replace Richards and how much they might cost.
Look at how much the cap is rising in the next couple years.
Look at the role he has played in turning around the power play.
Maybe he doesn't have 6 years left in him, but with the way aging players are lasting longer in this NHL and the type of game he plays its well within the realm of possibility. Even still. If he retires a year early thats 1 year we have 5.6 million on the cap when the cap is well north of 80 million
Look at how much the cap is rising in the next couple years.
Look at the role he has played in turning around the power play.
Maybe he doesn't have 6 years left in him, but with the way aging players are lasting longer in this NHL and the type of game he plays its well within the realm of possibility. Even still. If he retires a year early thats 1 year we have 5.6 million on the cap when the cap is well north of 80 million
First of all there is NO GUARANTEE of getting any UFA so why take the gamble? B-Rad is playing good...the cap is going up which means his contract isn't that bad... I love how people say he lost his legs.... he didn't have legs to begin with! The dude is very smart with the puck has a great shot and is CLUTCH... that doesn't age... in the playoffs... I'm going to be very happy to have a vet like Richards to lead the way... especially if we lose cally
Good points.
I think there are a bit of a risk with Richards. There are risks with letting him go too.
We also have a really young team, and especially no veterans to talk of (BR is the oldest at 33...).
Tough decision to make.
can not have that cap hit until he is 40, I don't care if he leads the Rangers in scoring this season.
Blueblood9
Registered User
I was all for buying him out last season and was pissed when we didnt.
Things seemed to have changed. He has been our best center this season and is most definately playing better than last season. If Cally gets traded then we will need a Vet to be the voice in the room and it seems like he has that voice.
Everyone complains about sather and every gm but these decisions are not easy. I certainly do not know what to do.
On a side note when is the buy-out period compared to FA is it before or after?
Things seemed to have changed. He has been our best center this season and is most definately playing better than last season. If Cally gets traded then we will need a Vet to be the voice in the room and it seems like he has that voice.
Everyone complains about sather and every gm but these decisions are not easy. I certainly do not know what to do.
On a side note when is the buy-out period compared to FA is it before or after?
The Lunatic Fridge
why is my name here?
As bad as the cap hit is. You have to take future cap limits into account for this. I'm not saying that justifies not buying him out, However sather will certainly look at it.
Please. I never said you couldn't be clutch at advanced age. You made the claim that "clutch" doesn't age. Chris Drury is an excellent example to the contrary. He was the Captain Clutch. When he got to his final season, all he did was take faceoffs and then go change. He had little to no hockey ability left. Where was his "clutch" in the series vs Washington? Gone.
I love the Brad Richards we've been seeing this year, but I have little faith in him being an impact player in the future. Here's my reasoning:
Do you remember the Brad Richards of last year? That is Brad Richard when he's not in physical shape. And that is the Brad Richards we will be seeing as he regresses physically in the years to come. Jagr is a beast. Brad Richards is not Jaromir Jagr.
Yes he is having a great year, but it is also in many ways a contract year for him. I don't know if he's trying to avoid a buyout or if he is playing for his next contract after the buyout, but either way he has incentives to play extra hard this year.
His contract will look better if the cap goes up, but we can't keep taking on/keeping contracts like his just because the cap may go up in the future. That is setting the organization up for more for of the same.
It's dangerous to ignore this and not use this as the major determining factor. In 2 years we'll be wanting to kill ourselves if we keep him. Probably not I mean we could absorb the cap impact but why would we want to? The ONLY guy we should overpay this offseason is girardi because there are NO alternatives. You can find someone to do what BR is doing within 2 or 3 years. Hell we had Erik Christensen in a top line role, guys like P.A. are always showing up out of nowhere. If BR was doing something truly unique and special that is irreplaceable then I'd understand keeping him. Girardi is though at that top RD spot. But he BR isn't. Again what's more important is I don't think he will even continue to do what he is currently doing.
I'm going to also have faith and assume that Stepan will get better then what he has been this year. It may not be next year but he will get better imo and do even more than what BR is doing now. Brassard is competent although we all agree Step and Brass is a weak top 2 C combo. But a top 2 C combo of BR and Step isn't 6.6 mil better. Hell it's not even 3 mil better. Stepan needs to act like he wants to be the best and improve his skating. There's no excuse to have it be so weak.
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eco's bones
Registered User
Rangers will be stuck with Brad for 6 more years. If he decides to retire in 3 we'll be stuck with his cap hit for the rest of the term. This guy is not Jaromir Jagr. He doesn't have the size, the strength, the personality. Jaromir Jagr at 41 years old is a better player than Richards at 33. We saw signs of real regression last year--he will regress again as he gets older. We might get one-two more good seasons out of him and then have a salary cap handicap of a salary until it peters out.
Richards has played okay this year--not great. Rosen and Micheletti can praise him all they like. It feeds the propaganda machine. The player though that the Rangers signed and expected to get was close to a point a game player. 38 points in 54 games is not close to a point a game player. He is putting in the effort this year and that is what he can produce now. That production is not likely to get better in the future--it's much more likely to get worse. People here talking about the Rangers not being legit contenders--needing to cut bait on Callahan and maybe Girardi--take a step back to take two step forwards and they want to hold on to Richards? Nonsensical. Both Callahan and Girardi are better players than Richards.
Richards has played okay this year--not great. Rosen and Micheletti can praise him all they like. It feeds the propaganda machine. The player though that the Rangers signed and expected to get was close to a point a game player. 38 points in 54 games is not close to a point a game player. He is putting in the effort this year and that is what he can produce now. That production is not likely to get better in the future--it's much more likely to get worse. People here talking about the Rangers not being legit contenders--needing to cut bait on Callahan and maybe Girardi--take a step back to take two step forwards and they want to hold on to Richards? Nonsensical. Both Callahan and Girardi are better players than Richards.
Brassard is a consistently mediocre forward. He won't be given an extended role, so they need Richards as the second line Center.
eco's bones
Registered User
SKjEi o2
Registered User
- Nov 13, 2013
- 187
- 0
My exact thought. Use Callahan to fill the biggest hole in our roster. The problem is finding a contender willing to give up a young center, which won't be easy.
Richards will turn 34 during this year's playoffs. He has six more years after this season at a huge cap hit. He's having an ok (not great but ok) bounce back season after last season's disaster, bringing himself out of Redden territory but in no way justifying his salary.
Keeping him for next year means keeping him six more years, which would be an absolute disaster. At some point this organization (meaning Sather because he is the organization) has to look past the next year and make smart decisions.
The fact that the salary cap is going up is irrelevant - regardless what the cap ceiling is, the cap space can be put to better use. The fact that Sather is too stupid to find better use for the cap space is an entirely different discussion.
Keeping him for next year means keeping him six more years, which would be an absolute disaster. At some point this organization (meaning Sather because he is the organization) has to look past the next year and make smart decisions.
The fact that the salary cap is going up is irrelevant - regardless what the cap ceiling is, the cap space can be put to better use. The fact that Sather is too stupid to find better use for the cap space is an entirely different discussion.
pld459666
Registered User
Here's how I am looking at this (Richards, Callahan and Girardi)
This is an opportunity to clean house and completely make this Alain's team.
Cap increases by 7 million.
Trade Brassard at the draft - 3.7
Brad's buyout of 6.66 million
Callahan out at 4.275
Girardi out at 3.325
leaving the Rangers with a core of
McD, Hank, Kreider, Stepan, Nash, Staal Zuccs, Hagelin, Klein, Miller, J. Moore, Talbot.
resign D. Moore and Carcillo for the bottom 6 and Stralman for the 2nd/3rd pairing on D
bring up Oscar Lindberg and Connor Allen
See what McIlrath, Fast and Kristo have to offer.
Invest some time in Duclair to see if this kid has grown any from his draft year. I expect that he will be playing at about 6ft and 200-205 lbs
with the core that we have, we can add an offensive forward that will produce as much as Richards but will not be 34 to start the 2014-15 season. Add in some players that can skate (an absolute need for AV's syste) and are aggressive like Winnik and or Downie
We are going to have upwards of 20 million to spend and while I am not convinved that the current regime are the right guys to make those choices, we have an opportunity to remake the roster in the way the coach needs to play his system.
Hagelin - Stepan - Nash
Kreider - Stastny - Zuccs
Winnik - Miller - Downie
Moore - Lindberg - Carcillo
If we are trading both Cally and Girardi, I expect 1st rounders+ back for each.
that would give us 3 first round picks and Brassard to tinker with at the draft
Take Brassard and a 1st to move into the top 10 (I believe that is doable)
I see an opportunity to re-shape the team long term.
