You guys are rough on Richards. He was solid, 20 goals, in 2 of 3 seasons. No he didn't live up to the contract, but Sather did what he needed to do to get him here. Richards had other comparable offers 3 summers ago, we all forget that. And the team had 3 strong seasons in Richards time here. So instead of tearing him down today, how about we say thanks for the time here Brad. No you weren't great, but you had a couple of solid seasons, the team had solid success (1st ECF in 15 years/1st SCF in 20 years), and now we move on. No harm no foul. That is how I view it. Now we go out and add a # 1 C this summer, or at least a C better than Richards at this point in his career.
for the money he got to come here, and for the amount of years here, if all you can come up with is 1 or 2 highlites of his play, only word i can come up with is disappointment!!! and his play when it mattered most whether he was instrumental in getting his team there or not, personally, do not believe was, was a disappointment! guy went girly!
Richards was a contributor but nowhere near what he needed to be with the money he somehow commanded. More than time for him to leave now. Your last line with sathers list of free agent failures is why I'm hoping he can make a trade which he's better at for our new center before free agency starts. And I would like it to be kessler or oreilly
we expected a #1 center and a power play genius, that didnt happen. he was so bad and out of shape he was pulled in the playoffs. he made terrible deciaions with the puck. you want to throw roses, throw daiseys instead. team paid for a Cadillac and got a Taurus instead. nothing wrong with a reliable Taurus, but not at that price. Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Right on the button Al. I still can't believe that picture of yourself you posted in the playoffs. You look like your in your 20's LOL
Lol...thanks baby face all the way, my knees and back tell a different tale Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Richards a little bit overpaid, but nonetheless, a consummate pro with a very good NHL career. Name on the Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe winner, which very few NHL players will ever achieve. Great pro, did the logo proud. Bottom line.
Okay Al, so rip him. That is cool. Certainly your right. All I will say is two 20 goals seasons in 3 years here. Was a leader in all 3 years. Was defacto captain on a SCF team. We had the most success since the mid to late 90's with Richards on the team. That's how I view it. To me I am not sure what the point is of hating on him now. He got paid what the market called for 3 summers ago, other teams actually offered more than we did and he signed here, so it wasn't like Sather went nuts and gave him money no one would have. He got what the market called for at the time, and we won games with him here, not sure what else there is to say. If he was gone after last season when he was out of shape and had a down season, I would be with you, but he was not. He came back and had 20 goals this season. Played pretty well in the playoffs until a terrible series against the Kings. And was the defacto captain of a SCF team. If you want to compare him to prime Richards and wanted 80 + points per season, then okay kill him. But in 2 of 3 seasons he had 20 goals or more and scored 50 + points. Not studly. Not dominant. Certainly not worth what he got paid overall. Certainly underperformed his contract. All 100% true Al, and no one would argue that, but he wasn't a disaster here. He didn't score 12 goals a season here. He played to the level of player he is now IMO, 20 or so goals and 50 or so points. That is who Brad Richards is at 33/34 years old (and his first season here he went 25/66 which is real solid). So we agree Al he certainly wasn't up to the contract or the # 1 C we all hoped he would be when he came here. But he was solid. The team had success. He did score 20 goals 2 of 3 seasons. He was a leader. And now no harm no foul we move on. That's how I view it at least.
Dude lay off the al attacks. Im not hating in him im stating the dam facts. Funny how when I defend the old coaches I get bashed. What did I say that ripped him...oh that he was out of shape and horrible last year, it was a fact. Again why do you feel the need to defend him...you related or something shall I call you Chuck Richards? Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
So in other words two out of three seasons being no better than a #2 centerman means I should bow to the guy. All the nash bashing and I get questioned on why im bashing our "defacto" captain...smh Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
I have no problem with anybody who wants to bash Richards. Good guy but he was brought here to be the number 1 C and he fell flat on his face. If he played like the player we thought we were getting, Nash has a true #1 to play with and take some heat off him, and Stepan is developing nicely as a 2nd C in a supporting role. Instead, he played like a third liner and everything got thrown off balance. Locker room presence isn't everything. If it was, Callahan would be set to make 6.5m as a Ranger next year. You can wish him luck and say thanks for the memories, like I did above, but the fact is we thought we signed a #1 C and we got a playoff 4th liner.
not sure I agree with no harm no foul Chuck...if he plays like a #1, we might have seen a championship this year. The Kings' advantage at center ice was glaring.
I like the new firery Al.... I guess this board has that kind of affect on people. Good stuff. Here is my bottom line on Richards. CLEARLY the guy did not play up to the level we expected or Sather/the organization expected when he signed here, there is simply no way to debate that fact at all. So I think we all agree a lot more than some of these posts would indicate. BUT where I differ a little is the guy was not a disaster here. He scored 20 goals in 2 of 3 seasons. He had 50 + points in 2 of 3 seasons here. He had a very solid 25/66 season in his first season here at the age of 31/32. Yes he was bad his second season here at 32/33, but he bounced back with a pretty solid 20/51 season in his third and final season here at 33/34. He was pretty solid in the playoffs, until the SCF, and was a leader all 3 seasons, and defacto captain of the team during this playoff run. To me that is worth something. That's the fact of it really. He did NOT live up to the contract, no one can argue it. He did NOT live up to expectations, no one can argue it. BUT we were successful as a team in his 3 seasons here, and he played a role in that for sure. The move to buy him out HAD to happen, it was 100% the right move. He is past his prime no doubt about it. He is a lower # 2 C at this point, maybe even a high # 3 at this point at age 34, but he is gone now. His contract has ZERO affect on us now or moving forward. We had success with him on the team for 3 years, and now we move on. I just don't see the point of ripping a guy who was 31-33 here and isn't vintage Richards anymore. And in his first season here at 31 he did go 25/66 which is really solid. Now if he played like a stud # 1 C would we have won a cup in 12 or 14, maybe we would have Prod, certainly possible, but Richards is not that player anymore. In seasons 1 and 3 I think he played the best he could at the ages of 31 and 33, and he is what he is now. I can't kill somebody for being solid but not great when they are past the point of being great as a player and have lost a step. And I won't rip Sather either. Richards had many other offers 3 summers ago. Bigger offers actually. It was the right move at the time. A move that I claim worked out considering 1st ECF in 15 years and 1st SCF in 20 years during his 3 years here. That plus the fact that his contract now does us zero harm is why I say no harm no foul. He gave us 2 of 3 solid seasons here, clearly not worth the contract or # 1 C seasons, but solid seasons, and now we move on. I don't think we need to look deeper than that. But again that is just my opinion. Someone clearly can differ. All good there.
And one other quick comment, no one is saying he was great here. No one is saying bow to him because he was so good, how can we ever knock him or question his play, no way. Like I said it was time and he needed to be gone for sure, and he clearly didn't live up to his contract. All I am saying is he wasn't a disaster here, and had two solid/pretty solid seasons here out of three, and the team had success during his time here with an ECF run and an SCF run. Not bad. It was time to move on, Richards is past his prime at 34 now, he is what he is...a lower # 2 C who will score 15-18 goals going forward, but I don't see the need to take shots at him and act as if he was a disaster here and killed us. Just one man's opinion though.
Chuck, if this is your idea of a quick comment I'd be afraid if I asked you what time it was you would tell me how to build a clock. Ha ha ha
I would rather AV work with Sather, and get a Center who best fits his system. Sather throwing BIG money at the biggest name available doesn't always work out in New York. For the most part, MSG has turned into the place where goal scorers come to die.
I am not going to hate on Richards either. Overall he wasn't what I thought he would be, I expected 25/70 good leadership and huge goals in the playoffs. He fell short of that. But despite his struggles he was really bought out because of the decline that is coming in the next few years and the brutal cap recapture when he retires at 37 then for his performance the past 3 years. His performance this year in regular season and playoffs was that of about a $4.5-5m player. Not special but decent.....Definitely not a #1 center but he really hasn't been that in years and will never be that again. If you want to pass blame on why this team didn't go further in the playoffs you start with Rick Nash who makes 2M more than Richards and played worse in the playoffs. Richards will be a great signing for an Eastern Conf team (likely a Met team) for 3.5m a year
Agree 100% Dis. That's the way I view it. I expect 15 or so goals and 40 or so points for Richards next season. A player worth a cap hit in the mid/upper 3's somewhere going forward. And let's also remember he did go 25/66 in his first season here, so he was pretty close to your 25/70 comment Dis. So at 31 he was that guy. At 32 he was lazy and wasn't ready during the lockout shortened season, and that is 100% on him and where I can totally see fans getting on him. And at 33 he was ready, but was 33 and was a 20/50 guy at that point in his career. I expect next year with a lesser role and not as much PP time, he will settle into a 15 or so/low 40's player. That's what I expect now from Richards. And I agree with you also mel. That is why I don't love going crazy for Stastny. He will get 6 or 7 years and a cap hit close to 7, or in the 7's, I see no way around that, and I don't see that as a smart deal. That is why I much rather deal for Kesler, and am torn on whether I rather deal for Thornton or sign Stastny for that much money. I think it would come down to what we'd have to deal away to get Thornton. But dealing for Kesler, assuming the Canucks want some picks and kids, is my clear # 1 choice to add a big C.
