Confirmed with Link: Rangers sign UDFA Justin Richards

[RangersFan1994]

Justin Richards at eliteprospects.com

Click to read more...

 

[Vitto79]

4th line faceoff man option ?

 

[aufheben]

The New York Rangers signed free-agent forward Justin Richards to an entry-level contract beginning in 2020-21, the team announced Thursday.

The 22-year-old played three seasons for the University of Minnesota Duluth, winning two national championships and earning the honor of Best Defensive Forward in the conference in 2019-20.
In 120 collegiate games, Richards notched 26 goals and 40 assists.

 

[bobbop]

From Last Word on Hockey
Justin Richards, C, Minnesota-Duluth, 5’11” 190 lbs, Junior

Richards was named an alternate captain prior to his junior season and put up 14 goals and 25 points in 34 games for the Bulldogs. He was part of the back-to-back National Championship teams in his first two seasons, graduating into a big role in his sophomore campaign when he scored 32 points in 42 games. Richards plays a 200-foot game. He is responsible in the defensive end, plays the penalty kill and matches up against the other team’s top lines. Over the last two years, he’s also shown that he can use his strong skating, good vision and high-end hockey IQ to create points. He gets to open areas without the puck and makes smart passes with the puck.

Son of former NHL coach Todd Richards

 

[Thirty One]

HOCKEY!

 

[RangersFan1994]

hopefully he will be better than Boo Nieves who is awful

 

[Fugazy]

 

[UnSandvich]

Richards was named the NCHC's Best Defensive Forward in each of the last two seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20)

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

4th line faceoff man option ?

So we can trade him for a first rounder ala Paul Gaustad?

 

[Fitzy]

I have to imagine 4C is what management sees as the potential.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

They've finally replaced Jeff Halpern...

 

[JCProdigy]

Obvious move signifying to Lias Andersson he is not wanted in the org is obvious.

 

[cwede]

local paper re Richards
College men's hockey: Bulldogs' Richards makes jump to NHL, signs with New York Rangers | Duluth News Tribune
"The reigning two-time NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year and member of UMD’s back-to-back national championship teams in 2018 and 2019, the Bulldogs assistant captain put up 14 goals and 11 assists during the coronavirus-shortened 2019-20 season, scoring three shorthanded goals and assisting on another."

he was a Junior, and is son of veteran coach Todd

found this:
UMD's Justin Richards earns second straight defensive forward award

excerpt:"Since joining the Bulldog program in 2017-18, Richards has skated in all 120 games and has 66 points (26 goals and 40 assists) and a +40 plus-minus rating..."

 

[nyr2k2]

Nice signing. He has a legitimate chance to make it as a bottom six guy. The Rangers are really trying hard to build a bottom six in-house, which would be great so they don't have to spend $$$ on a decent one.

 

[bobbop]

I don’t know anything specific about the player but I like the thought process behind the signing.

 

[Crease]

What are his COVID-19 antibody stats?

 

[will1066]

You had me at high end hockey IQ. We need more of that.

 

[B17 Apricots]

Obvious move signifying to Lias Andersson he is not wanted in the org is obvious.

Obviously

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Another Hartford signing. Of all the guys they brought on board, only Khodorenko has NHL upside

 

[eco's bones]

The thing about Duluth is a lot of their players don't put up big numbers but that team wins. Scott Sandelin is a hell of a coach. Maybe Richards never makes it but I wouldn't count a player coming off this team out. In last year's NCAA championship UMD just tore UMassAmherst with Makar on board apart. The team with arguably the best offense in all of college hockey were never even in the game.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Another Hartford signing. Of all the guys they brought on board, only Khodorenko has NHL upside

What makes you say that? I'm not familiar with either of them.

 

[RangersFan1994]

 

[nyr2k2]

Another Hartford signing. Of all the guys they brought on board, only Khodorenko has NHL upside

That's highly debatable. And since when are you any kind of expert on NCAA hockey? I've never even heard you discuss it, really.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

What makes you say that? I'm not familiar with either of them.

The type of player they are, how dominant they were at college level. It's very rare that UDFAs from college become even serviceable players in the NHL, especially when they spend all 4 years in college. Even Khodorenko's chances are slim, but I think he has the best odds out of the 3. Obviously, it's just anyone's guess.

 

[cwede]

My failing memory seems to overrate Adam Oates and Marty St Louis