Dosen't sound like he had too much input into the BR decision, which is a shame. Hopefully he's involved in any FA decisions. http://blueshirtsunited.com/videos/...&utm_content=facebook_1373046593#.UdcSqSpsI3k
During a meeting with the media today, Alain Vigneault spoke about how the Rangers approach to free agency is adding depth throughout the lineup. Vigneault said that after he spoke with scouts and other members of Rangers management he has gotten the sense that the team is high on some of their young players and want to allow them a chance to compete for roster spots and go through the process during training camp. He added that he thinks the young forwards could be the ones who replace Carl Hagelin and Ryan Callahan while they recover from their shoulder surgeries. Vigneault said that it is his understanding that depth on defense is the focus for the Rangers and that they are looking to add more. The Rangers have already added Justin Falk and Danny Syvret as players who could add depth on defense.
They still don't have a shooter on D, something that could be attained for 2-3m. Babchuk, Zidlicky still out there. Falk and Syvret are AHL guys for the most part to me. They don't have any offense to their game.
This is code for having no cap space. We are short a top 6 winger without taking into account Hags/Cally injuries. Not good but its still fixable and we don't have the cap space to really fix it thru free agency
That's why keeping Richards was shortsighted, hoping he'll improve is a crapshoot. They could've gone after a 3rd C for a year and had an extra 4-5m to work with. Then go after a #1C in FA next year. But NOOOO!!
LOL SC Cutting Richards loose doesn't save that much money because you have to replace him. Who are you suggesting you sign at 3c and have $5m left
We need to think outside the box. Maybe package an MDZ and Miller for a scoring winger. We can get rid of/bury a lot of money for Pyatt, Asham, and Powe. We could bury 2.775 in the minors for those 3 guys. Then add in money for MDZ and we can afford a 5 mill winger. But truth be told we are real tight. We'd still have to add Falk to play for MDZ. I think we see that and say depth since we cannot get the big guys. Just have 4 real solid lines. 6 really solid dmen. And hope that with Hank in goal, all that solid depth can get us where we want to go. Depth over high end talent. That is why they look at D. Moore. Solid 4th line C. And why they want to add another depth dman. Guys like Asham and Powe should be in the minors saving us 1.85 mill. Same with Pyatt IMO. Saving us another 925 K. But at least it looks like Powe and Asham will be down. I would like Zidlicky, but we simply cannot afford him.
Briere went for 4 mill. Vinny went for 4.5 per. Who would we add if we got rid of Richards? And we would have been 1 of 10 teams for Vinny. And had no real shot at Briere who wanted Canada/Montreal. With that said I said last week it was a tossup on Richards, and I would lean slightly to getting rid of him, but to me it was close, and I am not sure who we would have added that would have been that much better and much cheaper. It was a risk either way.
