Speculation: Rangers likely to use final buyout on Richards

[Ail]

Maybe they are trying to trade his negotiation rights before buying him out.

 

[SixGoalieSystem]

The only way there is no buyout is if Dolan says no. He got four rounds of home games out of a team led by Richards and could believe they will be a playoff team throughout the Richards contract without having to spend the extra $$$.

That said, I'm not worried. Richards is gone.

 

[JohnC]

There has been no public movement on anything; I wouldn't say hope for anything is fading. The longer it goes, the greater chance Richards stays, for an obvious reason: if he was let go sooner, it would be done. The Rangers have a lot of decisions to be made. They need to hit free agency running, need to set their targets, and need to go through the players and budgeting issues. While Richards seems like a no-brainer, it perhaps isn't because he is well-liked and thought high of throughout the organization, and that includes his coach and teammates. I'm sure some in the organization think it's a no-brainer, others weigh their thoughts on the consequences and how he's replaced, etc. However, for all we know the decision has been made, but not publicly. The have 10 more days to finalize decisions. With a draft in front of them, and perhaps with them trying to make a deal ahead of it, maybe they're a bit busy now.

I was more making fun of the people acting like it's the end of the world that we didn't buy him out immediately

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Just end this already. I'm so sick of waiting.

You poor thing

Making the finals was wonderful, but it also puts the Rangers against some pretty tight deadlines. Their last game was a week ago, the draft is coming up, teams can start to talking to free agents in 5 days. The buyout deadline is June 30th, the signing period is July 1.

Sather is painfully deliberate at times. This is not the offseason to be deliberate. Richards is, by a country mile, the easiest decision of the offseason.

 

[sfox7076]

He is likely trying to pull off another Gomez trade if he can... Not sure why Richards would agree to waive the NMC (seems to me he would stand to make more money being bought out and can choose where to go), or why the other team would agree to a trade on his awful deal when they can get him for just cash next week, but you never know. Slats needs to work all the angles.

 

[AHB*]

You poor thing

Making the finals was wonderful, but it also puts the Rangers against some pretty tight deadlines. Their last game was a week ago, the draft is coming up, teams can start to talking to free agents in 5 days. The buyout deadline is June 30th, the signing period is July 1.

Sather is painfully deliberate at times. This is not the offseason to be deliberate. Richards is, by a country mile, the easiest decision of the offseason.

It literally should not even be a thought. It should have been "Thanks, Brad. We had two good runs with you. Appreciate your leadership. You more then anyone understand this is a business. We'd love to keep you, but in a cap world, it's not realistic."

 

[Fletch]

I was more making fun of the people acting like it's the end of the world that we didn't buy him out immediately

gotcha...sometimes tough to figure those things out when reading so many different friends from so many different people.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

He is likely trying to pull off another Gomez trade if he can... Not sure why Richards would agree to waive the NMC (seems to me he would stand to make more money being bought out and can choose where to go), or why the other team would agree to a trade on his awful deal when they can get him for just cash next week, but you never know. Slats needs to work all the angles.

With cap recapture, its probably pretty stupid to even trade him.

 

[GAGLine]

He is likely trying to pull off another Gomez trade if he can... Not sure why Richards would agree to waive the NMC (seems to me he would stand to make more money being bought out and can choose where to go), or why the other team would agree to a trade on his awful deal when they can get him for just cash next week, but you never know. Slats needs to work all the angles.

The problem is that, even if we trade him now, we will still get hit with the cap recapture penalties when he retires, assuming he retires before this contract ends in 6 years. That seems highly likely since the last 3 years of the contract pay him only 1 mil per year.

If we were to trade him now and he were to retire 3 years from now, we would get hit with a cap penalty of $4,333,333 a year for 3 years starting in 2017-18.

If we trade him now and he retires 4 years from now, we would get a 6.5 mil penalty for 2 years.

If we trade him now and he retires 5 years from now, we would get a 13 mil cap penalty in 2019-20.

Keeping him for a year or two and then trading him only makes the problem worse, as his salary in each of the next 3 years is higher than his cap hit, which will mean higher penalties if he retires early.

If we keep Richards for 3 more years, then trade him and he retires in 2019, we will get a 1 year cap penalty of $16,666,667

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

The problem is that, even if we trade him now, we will still get hit with the cap recapture penalties when he retires, assuming he retires before this contract ends in 6 years. That seems highly likely since the last 3 years of the contract pay him only 1 mil per year.

If we were to trade him now and he were to retire 3 years from now, we would get hit with a cap penalty of $4,333,333 a year for 3 years starting in 2017-18.

If we trade him now and he retires 4 years from now, we would get a 6.5 mil penalty for 2 years.

If we trade him now and he retires 5 years from now, we would get a 13 mil cap penalty in 2019-20.

Keeping him for a year or two and then trading him only makes the problem worse, as his salary in each of the next 3 years is higher than his cap hit, which will mean higher penalties if he retires early.

If we keep Richards for 3 more years, then trade him and he retires in 2019, we will get a 1 year cap penalty of $16,666,667

Exactly. Thanks for mapping it out.

Does Brad Richards look like a guy that has 6 years left in the tank? LOL

 

[RangerBoy]

Sather always drags these things out. Holik wasn't bought out until the final day in 2005. Drury was bought out on June 29. He had a no movement and rejected waivers. June 25 is the first day of the interview period.

 

[TeamStewie]

I honestly think most people here expected and hoped for Sather to be waiting at the end of the tunnel after game 5 ready to serve Richards his release papers like a subpoena.

 

[RangerBoy]

Two days ago Sather was up in Albany receiving an award from Sheldon Silver for the Rangers playoff performance. Sather, Schoenfeld, Stepan, Dominic Moore and St. Louis represented the Rangers. Silver is a big Rangers fan and the second most powerful Democrat in NY state. They declared it Rangers day in the state. Sather can't be that busy if he went to Albany.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Two days ago Sather was up in Albany receiving an award from Sheldon Silver for the Rangers playoff performance. Sather, Schoenfeld, Stepan, Dominic Moore and St. Louis represented the Rangers. Silver is a big Rangers fan and the second most powerful Democrat in NY state. They declared it Rangers day in the state. Sather can't be that busy if he went to Albany.

Gorton is locked in an MSG basement doing the grunt work.

 

[Richter Scale]

Two days ago Sather was up in Albany receiving an award from Sheldon Silver for the Rangers playoff performance. Sather, Schoenfeld, Stepan, Dominic Moore and St. Louis represented the Rangers. Silver is a big Rangers fan and the second most powerful Democrat in NY state. They declared it Rangers day in the state. Sather can't be that busy if he went to Albany.

No one finds it interesting that Richards - pretty universally accepted as the de facto captain during the playoffs - wasn't one of the three players joining Sather for this?

Could be very telling (and reassuring), considering the three guys that did join Sather. Step, a new vet, and a UFA. Of course, could also just be nothing - maybe Brad had a scheduling conflict. And the other 'A's weren't there either, so meh.

--

Couple other points:

- What does Sather gain from buying Brad out early? Seriously, other than giving us - the fans - peace of mind that he hasn't lost his mind and is planning on sticking with Richie, I'm not seeing much to gain from doing it early.

- On the flip side, by waiting and creating some doubt about whether he is buying Brad out, then dumping him on the FA market last minute, he could mess with the value of some of the other "desirable" FAs out there and/or distract other teams at the last minute. If Sather is thinking about pursuing any FAs, even if it's a long shot that there is any benefit to such a move, is it not worth it for the small possibility of an advantage? Don't tip your hand until you have to.

- And of course there is the stuff that's already been mentioned in this thread about using this period to negotiate trades -- and not allowing other teams to feel that they have Sather over a barrel because he just bought out Richie and is feeling desperate for a replacement.

I'm not worried yet. If June 30th comes and goes and Richie is still on the team, that's when I'll mash that panic button.

 

[Oak]

Gorton is locked in an MSG basement doing the grunt work.

Life is good.

 

[RangerBoy]

Richards is gone

 

[Made Dan]

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun 46s
Brad Richards has been bought out by the New York Rangers, source says


See ya, Brad

 

[Ail]

The waiting is over. Lock 'er up. The future is here.

 

[GraveyTrain9]

the waiting is over! [EDIT: got beaten to it lol]

 

[Son of Steinbrenner]

Two days ago Sather was up in Albany receiving an award from Sheldon Silver for the Rangers playoff performance. Sather, Schoenfeld, Stepan, Dominic Moore and St. Louis represented the Rangers. Silver is a big Rangers fan and the second most powerful Democrat in NY state. They declared it Rangers day in the state. Sather can't be that busy if he went to Albany.

Not to defend Sather but they have these things, I think they call them cell phones that Sather can use to stay in contact with whoever.

 

[Sayba]

Had to be done!

 

[aufheben]

Richards bought out. http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1693089