Pre-Game Talk: The 2013-2014 Training Camp/Preseason Discussion Thread

[Thirty One]

What does a good season of Richards do for this team longterm exactly?

So we're just completely ignoring this year, then?

 

[Boruto]

I'd be more inclined to ask why so many people are willing to get over things so quickly?

Richards was embarrassing? Get over it
Torts is gone? Get over it
Our GM stinks? Get over it

How are you going to learn anything if you don't analyze the past?

I think collectively, the learning has been done. No one is giving Richards a free pass. He's expected to perform to make up for last year's failure. His future with the franchise is presumably over after this year due to last year's efforts unless he becomes a 93 point center again this season. There's every bit of learning with Richards. The GM sucks thing is debatable. He's not great but I don't think he's worse than your average GM. As far as Torts, I think a lot of what's going to be different this season is different because of Torts. It's been a substantial amount of time since the recognition of various issues and starting a new camp and season, it's pretty senseless to be holding grudges and calling names. I should reiterate I suppose in that I didn't intend to imply that it should be forgotten but it shouldn't be as if we just lost the series to Boston because Richards didn't show.

 

[Thirty One]

I think we're arguing for no reason. Your initial comment was that it "is not indicative of offense or defense" but then you basically go on to say it can indirectly affect those two facets of the game. Which is my stance as well and what I was getting at with my post.

Leave my family out of this, jerk.

 

[Pizza]

I'd be more inclined to ask why so many people are willing to get over things so quickly?

Richards was embarrassing? Get over it
Torts is gone? Get over it
Our GM stinks? Get over it

How are you going to learn anything if you don't analyze the past?

....cause it's just New York Rangers hockey.

It's entertainment and I do what I can to keep it fun. If it's not fun, it's not worth my time.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

It's fine if it was just after the year ended. We're now at the start of training camp and everyone is on a new page. Richards is on a new page, his teammates are on a new page, there's a new coach, everyone has reasons to believe in him, management kept him for a reason and so on. Turn the page.

And what reason would that be?

I think the #1 reason was Sather avoiding a trip to Dolan's office to ask for tens of millions of dollars for a guy to walk away.....again.

 

[GAGLine]

What does a good season of Richards do for this team longterm exactly? Nothing.

And what does complaining about it do? Nothing.

I was as against keeping him as anyone, but what's done is done. If he plays better this year, it will help the team this year. I'm still hoping he gets bought out next year.

Every team has issues. Constantly griping about them doesn't help. At some point, you just have to accept the way it is and hope for the best until a better solution comes along.

 

[Levitate]

....cause it's just New York Rangers hockey.

It's entertainment and I do what I can to keep it fun. If it's not fun, it's not worth my time.

Word. Getting mad at sports is pointless.

 

[Boruto]

And what reason would that be?

I think the #1 reason was Sather avoiding a trip to Dolan's office to ask for tens of millions of dollars for a guy to walk away.....again.

If he's a detriment to the team, Slats wouldn't have kept him. He's capable of being an asset and he is an asset.

I'm not defending Richards with a bias. Just because I'm not on board with ******** on Richards to start the year doesn't exactly make me a part of the "look how calm and rational I am/look at you getting so angry and emotional soapbox crew."

 

[Bardof425*]

What does a good season of Richards do for this team longterm exactly? Nothing. In fact, it may be a detriment if the thought even crosses Sather's mind to keep Richards for the duration of his deal.

Anytime I ask myself about why Richards is still here, its less about building a competitive team and more about Sather punting another financial blunder down the road for another year.

If he plays like the Brad Richards that Dallas had he helps us compete for a cup. One bad season does not mean he is done. if he is then sure the long-term looks bad. He has been a top player for too long to just give up on him. Let's revisit in January.

 

[KreiMeARiver*]

....cause it's just New York Rangers hockey.

It's entertainment and I do what I can to keep it fun. If it's not fun, it's not worth my time.

I agree with this totally. I think the assumption is that just because someone calls a player a name or uses some (GULP)..punctuation (we all know how millennials are deathly afraid of punctuation) that it automatically means we are genuinely angry or bitter over it.

At the end of the day, none of this means a damn thing... we post what we are feeling that very second. Do I really still care, or harbor any sort of genuine emotion over Brad Richards having a bad season? Not one iota.

Life is just too short. I hope he has a great year.

 

[Thirty One]

http://m.espn.go.com/general/story?storyId=9665618&city=newyork&src=desktop&wjb

As of now, Sather said Stepan seems open to the team's standard two-year "bridge deal" but that the sides remain "too far apart" on dollars to make a deal.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

So we're just completely ignoring this year, then?

I have a hard time putting any sort of stock into Richards' season knowing he likely won't be here next season. Hes not a building block. Hes just an expensive piece that got a stay of execution due to senior management politics.

If the Rangers win the cup this season and he plays a key role, I'll stand correct. But Im not holding my breath one that one.

 

[Tawnos]

What does a good season of Richards do for this team longterm exactly? Nothing. In fact, it may be a detriment if the thought even crosses Sather's mind to keep Richards for the duration of his deal.

Anytime I ask myself about why Richards is still here, its less about building a competitive team and more about Sather punting another financial blunder down the road for another year.

*entering patronizing mode*

Let me help you then. Richards is still here because he was a better option to keep on than any of his potential replacements out there. There's a lot going on there, but in the end, it was about the team on the ice, rather than the team on the balance sheet.

 

[Boruto]

That's good. However, a "waste of life" doesn't correspond with a lack of genuine emotions.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

http://m.espn.go.com/general/story?storyId=9665618&city=newyork&src=desktop&wjb

....and my ire now lies directly with Sather. I hope his depth bonanza and retaining Brad Richards was worth this.

 

[Thirty One]

....and my ire now lies directly with Sather. I hope his depth bonanza and retaining Brad Richards was worth this.

Please. That implies your ire was ever anywhere else, ever.

 

[KreiMeARiver*]

That's good. However, a "waste of life" doesn't correspond with a lack of genuine emotions.

who cares dude

some things just don't come across as intended. if I were to say it in front of you I'd be smiling and laughing.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

*entering patronizing mode*

Let me help you then. Richards is still here because he was a better option to keep on than any of his potential replacements out there. There's a lot going on there, but in the end, it was about the team on the ice, rather than the team on the balance sheet.

You're really toeing the company line here. Right down to the hasty thought that Richards would immediately need to be replaced.

 

[Tawnos]

....and my ire now lies directly with Sather. I hope his depth bonanza and retaining Brad Richards was worth this.

Neither of which affect Sather's ability to sign Stepan. You want to talk about long-term? How about not giving an RFA a two-year deal for $4.5m (which we have the cap space to do)? If you did, then in two years, when he's arbitration eligible, you're going to have to give him a raise.

Cap management.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Please. That implies your ire was ever anywhere else, ever.

You can go back just recently and find my thoughts on the situation. That blame would be on Stepan and his agent if they were still fishing for a longer term deal. Now its quite clear the sticking point are likely dollars that Stepan deserves but won't get because the GM has zero clue how to manage a cap.

 

[Thirty One]

who cares dude

some things just don't come across as intended. if I were to say it in front of you I'd be smiling and laughing.

Hey now, play nice. He's sensitive about his looks.

 

[Hire Sather]

if its gunna take 3.5, it might be smarter to just offer something long term at a figure of 4.5-4.7

 

[Thirty One]

You can go back just recently and find my thoughts on the situation. That blame would be on Stepan and his agent if they were still fishing for a longer term deal. Now its quite clear the sticking point are likely dollars that Stepan deserves but won't get because the GM has zero clue how to manage a cap.

You can say this based on a report that features no dollar figures?

 

[Tawnos]

You're really toeing the company line here. Right down to the hasty thought that Richards would immediately need to be replaced.

I don't work for the Rangers. There isn't a line to toe.

The job of every GM during the offseason is to look at improving his roster. Brad Richards would need to be replaced, since he was on the roster for basically the whole season, although you might not need to go outside of the organization to do it. I wasn't talking about UFAs.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Neither of which affect Sather's ability to sign Stepan. You want to talk about long-term? How about not giving an RFA a two-year deal for $4.5m (which we have the cap space to do)? If you did, then in two years, when he's arbitration eligible, you're going to have to give him a raise.

Cap management.

Sather's entire roster are free agents next season. But yea, Im sure hes fretting over what Derek Stepan will be making in 2015-2016.

Hes going to get what hes worth in arbitration regardless - it'll likely be north of $4.5M anyway in 2 years, then again thats a # you've simply pulled out of your ass.