Speculation: Rangers likely to use final buyout on Richards

[Clown Fiesta]

I know Richie isnt nearly as good as he was in Tampa or Dallas, and we could use that cap space to give our FA's some deserved raises, but how do we replace him.
Yea he ran out of gas in the final 2 series, but he was still a big part of this team.

I'm not advocating keeping him by any means, cap recapture, declining play so on and so forth, I'm just saying we might end up missing him a bit. That being said, he probably needs to be bought out

He's been replaced by Stepan and Brassard, literally zero chance he plays above them moving forward.

 

[silverfish]

I know Richie isnt nearly as good as he was in Tampa or Dallas, and we could use that cap space to give our FA's some deserved raises, but how do we replace him.
Yea he ran out of gas in the final 2 series, but he was still a big part of this team.

I'm not advocating keeping him by any means, cap recapture, declining play so on and so forth, I'm just saying we might end up missing him a bit. That being said, he probably needs to be bought out

It leaves a large hole, that's for sure. One that keeps the thought in my head that next year's Rangers team won't be nearly as good on paper as this one.

I have faith in Sather to get creative to fill the hole at center left by the Richards buyout.

 

[TheTakedown]

Richards and Boyle on their way out is like half of our locker room voices... that's bad news....

good news is MSL and McDonough can step up into those roles. I'd hope Zucc retains the lead by example play as well.

 

[Clown Fiesta]

I feel a little bad for Boyle, going the Prust route.

 

[Fletch]

Brooklyn...

here's the source; excerpt from a radio interview today:

http://snyrangersblog.com/2013-14/2...rangers-have-not-disclosed-what-they-will-do/

 

[Hockey Team]

Richards is signed for 6 more years @ 4.5 million / year on average

I don't see richards waiving his NMC though.

 

[Crease]

Richards is signed for 6 more years @ 4.5 million / year on average

I don't see richards waiving his NMC though.

Even if Richards is traded, when he retires early the Rangers will still be liable for the artificially low cap hit they enjoyed during the past three years. Only way to avoid it is if Richards can guarantee he will play through the end of his deal, or to amnesty him.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

Richards is signed for 6 more years @ 4.5 million / year on average

I don't see richards waiving his NMC though.

His cap hit is still the $6.7 mill. In order for us to trade him we'd probably have to take some of that cap hit. It would just be easier to buyout

 

[Xref]

It makes no sense to trade him. If he retires, his recapture penalty hits us, not the team he's traded to.

 

[Crease]

It makes no sense to trade him. If he retires, his recapture penalty hits us, not the team he's traded to.

Both teams, apportioned based on the cap benefits enjoyed by each team. I think you meant that though.

 

[Tawnos]

Both teams, based on any cap benefits accrued during his time on each team.

This is true. We'd get the worst of it, though.

 

[Trxjw]

It makes no sense to trade him. If he retires, his recapture penalty hits us, not the team he's traded to.

Not that I'm advocating for it, but the Rangers could possibly feel that they'd rather cross that bridge when the time comes than buy him out now. If Richards plays 3 more seasons, who knows what the cap will be at that point? $80M? More? Plus, who knows what the team will look like? If the Rangers say, "We can manage a $XX cap penalty for 2 or 3 years at that point" then they could certainly trade him.

Also, I believe the team that trades for him can also incur a bit of a penalty if he retires early.

 

[broadwayblue]

Not that I'm advocating for it, but the Rangers could possibly feel that they'd rather cross that bridge when the time comes than buy him out now. If Richards plays 3 more seasons, who knows what the cap will be at that point? $80M? More? Plus, who knows what the team will look like? If the Rangers say, "We can manage a $XX cap penalty for 2 or 3 years at that point" then they could certainly trade him.

Also, I believe the team that trades for him can also incur a bit of a penalty if he retires early.

They could be thinking that way...but can they really expect him to provide anywhere near 6.7M in value for even the next year or two?

 

[Fletch]

Not that I'm advocating for it, but the Rangers could possibly feel that they'd rather cross that bridge when the time comes than buy him out now. If Richards plays 3 more seasons, who knows what the cap will be at that point? $80M? More? Plus, who knows what the team will look like? If the Rangers say, "We can manage a $XX cap penalty for 2 or 3 years at that point" then they could certainly trade him.

Also, I believe the team that trades for him can also incur a bit of a penalty if he retires early.

my first thoughts were he wasn't getting bought out. My thought process was MSL was brought here in part to salvage the Richards investment, and MSL is here until at least next season. That was the hockey person in me. The business person says that it's really tough to keep this contract and it'll be tough mortgaging the future and burdening them with dead cap space. No news likely means they're going through the financial aspects of the team now, the future, who's out there, etc. We will know within 14 days...

 

[NewLife]

Trade Brad? Lol like that's even possible

 

[Fugazy]

I highly doubt anyone would even want Richards at this point. Just buy him out and move on.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

original post deleted: Fletch was kind enough to post the source.

Interesting read too--think the agent is doing a little spinning about what "Glen" had to say, but that's his job.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

I highly doubt anyone would even want Richards at this point. Just buy him out and move on.

Why give up assets when Richards will be a free agent come July 1st?

 

[jerseyjinx94]

Just. Buy. Him. Out.

 

[GregSirico]

The way I feel about Richards ... LOVE THE HEART OF THE PLAYER ... UPSET AT THE DECLINE ... HATE THE CONTRACT ... move on

 

[Trxjw]

They could be thinking that way...but can they really expect him to provide anywhere near 6.7M in value for even the next year or two?

Well that would be a question for the team getting him in said trade. I think there could potentially be a market for him, but I'm sure we'd have to take someone unappealing back in a deal.

 

[Trxjw]

my first thoughts were he wasn't getting bought out. My thought process was MSL was brought here in part to salvage the Richards investment, and MSL is here until at least next season. That was the hockey person in me. The business person says that it's really tough to keep this contract and it'll be tough mortgaging the future and burdening them with dead cap space. No news likely means they're going through the financial aspects of the team now, the future, who's out there, etc. We will know within 14 days...

Yeah I can't see a way to field a team equal to, or better than this one with Richards still on the roster. They'd have to move some other bodies, or have a lot of kids step up and fill roles right away. Best case I think you're looking at ~$4M to resign, or replace Pouliot, and add another defender to replace Stralman because there wouldn't be enough to sign him. Plus you'd need a spare F and spare D, as well as ~$1M to operate the team day to day. And that's if we have a $71M upper limit.

I'm sure the team is just doing their homework to see what's feasible, maybe see if a team would swap bad contracts and if the recapture could be worked out. In the end, however, I think he'll be bought out. Still, that leaves a vacancy on the #1PP unit and 3C that has to be addressed somehow.

 

[TurgePurge*]

Stop with the Richards love fest. "He gave it his all". REALLY??? Any time he had to defend on the PP he would play matador defense which would often result in prime scoring chances. Not having to see that anymore is reason enough to rejoice at his departure. I can't take that agita anymore.

 

[Ail]

New day, new hope.

Richards Buyout 2014.

 

[Fletch]

Yeah I can't see a way to field a team equal to, or better than this one with Richards still on the roster. They'd have to move some other bodies, or have a lot of kids step up and fill roles right away. Best case I think you're looking at ~$4M to resign, or replace Pouliot, and add another defender to replace Stralman because there wouldn't be enough to sign him. Plus you'd need a spare F and spare D, as well as ~$1M to operate the team day to day. And that's if we have a $71M upper limit.

I'm sure the team is just doing their homework to see what's feasible, maybe see if a team would swap bad contracts and if the recapture could be worked out. In the end, however, I think he'll be bought out. Still, that leaves a vacancy on the #1PP unit and 3C that has to be addressed somehow.

That's the key. They're evaluating each player on the roster and in the system. They know what the market for their players are, but now have to prioritize who they want back and place a number next to what they can afford and go forward on that basis. I haven't gone through the machinations yet, but I think losing Richards could create a hole, and keeping Richards could create a hole. I do think Staal improves year over year. I think McDonagh continues to improve. I think Stepan and Kreider can improve. I don't know if Nash improves or regresses. Add that to who leaves (Boyle and Richards, or Pouliot and Stralman) and who comes up, and I don't know if this team is better on paper compared to the team that just played in the finals. There are more variables I am not considering, including improving the powerplay, and all kidding aside, it doesn't automatically improve if Richards departs, but Sather will need to find a way to be creative this Summer in order to ice a playoff hockey team.