Speculation: Rangers likely to use final buyout on Richards

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I am in a bit of a minority, but I think Stralman struggles a bit without Staal, and especially with Moore. Just saw too many instances against top teams when Stralman had difficulties but Staal was there. Further, just thinking that Staal gets better next season. Injury free and focused after getting that close to the Cup, in a family that really knows what the Cup means having been around it a couple times. That tandem was as important, if not more important, to shutting down top lines as was Boyle and Moore. This is a tough offseason. A good GM would figure it out. At least Lundqvist will still be in nets.

Depends on what a return would look like of course, but if push comes to shove, I'd be in favor of letting Stralman walk and keeping Staal.

McDonagh - Girardi
Staal - Klein

makes me feel a lot more comfortable then

McDonagh - Girardi
Moore - Stralman

 

[Trxjw]

I doubt it, actually.

Im really worried that Staal will be dangled this off-season, perhaps in conjunction with a guy like Brassard to create a package for a big-time center.

If something like this happens, you've got your upgrade at center, but you also likely have lost some depth and have John Moore slotted for top 4 mins. Thats worse than the status quo, IMO.

Yeah I agree. I have a very hard time seeing Sather pass on the opportunity to add a Thornton or Spezza to this team, even if it might have a negative impact on the team chemistry.

If Staal is moved, Stralman absolutely has to be re-signed. I'm not 100% sold on him, but to go out and get an entirely new 2nd pair would be a very tall order. They HAVE to swing another deal for an established top-4 defender if Staal is moved. Moore isn't there. Allen isn't there.

 

[Trxjw]

This is where I have no idea, unless Sather makes a couple trades a goes even more top heavy offense, sacrifices defense, and has some rookies dispersed throughout the lineup to keep costs down. Even then I'm not sure how it works. Just hoping he doesn't do something drastic.

Yeah that's been an achilles heel for this team. They think rookies can step in and they just never seem to do it. Stepan and McDonagh surprised them. Kreider struggled. Miller is struggling. Lindberg hasn't seen NHL ice. Fast was up and down.

Some scary scenarios out there to ponder.

 

[OverTheCap]

I think you're right, BRB, but to Fletch's and your point, where's the money? How do they load up without dismantling, or at least seriously disrupting the current team? They certainly have a few issues they need to address such as size down the middle, offense from the blue line, depth at center with Richards and at least one of Boyle and Moore no longer with the team.

The irony is that the Rangers have been without a true #1C for years now, and here they are with no cap space, and few tradeable futures with several legitimate #1C's on the trade market. I have to wonder, can Sather restrain himself from pulling another Nash-esque deal to address team deficiencies?

Good point. This is where continually loading up on RWs, generally a position of strength for the Rangers the past few years, may come back to haunt us. We have a lot of money wrapped up in that position and traded substantial assets for those players.

I'm not sure if the organization can withstand another Nash-type trade without suffering a loss of depth. Nor am I sure that we have the necessary pieces that a team would be looking for when trading a 1C - we are pretty much tapped out on 1st round picks and that seems to be a requisite piece when making these trades. But knowing Sather, I'd have to imagine he'd be very much interested in acquiring Thornton or Spezza - that would be the third "over the top" piece for him in 2 years.

 

[Trxjw]

Good point. This is where continually loading up on RWs, generally a position of strength for the Rangers the past few years, may come back to haunt us. We have a lot of money wrapped up in that position and traded substantial assets for those players.

I'm not sure if the organization can withstand another Nash-type trade without suffering a loss of depth. Nor am I sure that we have the necessary pieces that a team would be looking for when trading a 1C - we are pretty much tapped out on 1st round picks and that seems to be a requisite piece when making these trades. But knowing Sather, I'd have to imagine he'd be very much interested in acquiring Thornton or Spezza - that would be the third "over the top" piece for him in 2 years.

I don't think they can. Something would give if they made a move to bring in Thornton, and I'm not sure he's the type of personality I want to add to the team.

 

[AHB*]

When is this going to be made official. I'm tired of waiting.

 

[Fletch]

When is this going to be made official. I'm tired of waiting.

It'll be official by Monday, June 30, 11:59pm. While it seems all but done, it likely wasn't all but done, and they're looking at every possible scenario, which doesn't have to do with just Richards, but the team as a whole. Either they're doing that, or giving it the appearance of doing that and they actually aren't working ahead of the draft and the start of free agency.

 

[KingWantsCup]

When is this going to be made official. I'm tired of waiting.

Yeahh I'm actually starting to get a little worried.

 

[Nash Money]

Yeahh I'm actually starting to get a little worried.

Same. Wouldn't we want to do this asap so other teams look to Richards and don't set their sights on another player that we could actually sign?

 

[Doctor King Schultz]

Same. Wouldn't we want to do this asap so other teams look to Richards and don't set their sights on another player that we could actually sign?

That is what I don't understand. Rangers could miss out.

 

[Fletch]

Same. Wouldn't we want to do this asap so other teams look to Richards and don't set their sights on another player that we could actually sign?

I don't know if there's a real benefit to letting him go sooner rather than later except to ease the minds of the public who want him gone. Nobody would make a decision on signing Richards until July 1 in any event. The longer they wait, yes, the more likely it is he will stay. They've gone past the grace period one would expect. To the other end, there has not been any rumblings that he will be kept, either.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

If anything I would guess it has to do with attempting to solicit a last second trade offer.

I don't even think they should entertain any trade. But there is no risk to waiting.

 

[Kocur Dill]

Maybe they have not officially done it yet because having Richards still technically on the roster doesn't let a trading partner bend us over a table.

1) Even if just a little bit of leverage, it still is better than going into negotiations with no "number #1 center (loosely termed I know)".
2) It takes away the other teams option of persuing Richards on the cheap if they did consumate a deal with us.

That is the angle I'd take if Sather is contemplating Thornton or Spezza.

Then again.

If I were running the team. We go after Stastny. No assests to give, just cash. As stated before, we can't keep raiding the cupboard and creating new holes just to fill existing holes.

But I'm not. Sather is. And he has to have options. Even if he doesn't persure them. Word spreads. It drives up the price for other teams and maybe keeps us off the radar on Stastny to where we show up on his door step at 12am the 1st day of FA to find no-one else waiting.

 

[haveandare]

I think you're right, BRB, but to Fletch's and your point, where's the money? How do they load up without dismantling, or at least seriously disrupting the current team? They certainly have a few issues they need to address such as size down the middle, offense from the blue line, depth at center with Richards and at least one of Boyle and Moore no longer with the team.

The irony is that the Rangers have been without a true #1C for years now, and here they are with no cap space, and few tradeable futures with several legitimate #1C's on the trade market. I have to wonder, can Sather restrain himself from pulling another Nash-esque deal to address team deficiencies?

I don't want any of those 1Cs though. I mean honestly, look at who were talking about. Older players on huge, huge deals. Stastny is the only one attractive to me at all, and he'll be the most expensive in terms of dollars in all likelihood.

This team got really far with Step at 1C and a huge money hole I'm Richards at 2C. Would playing Miller and using that capspace to retain key players really be a huge downgrade? And again, why do we have this player is he's not going to get a solid chance now, when he's maxed out at the ahl level, and there's a vacancy at his natural position, and the team is in a cap crunch?

 

[*Bob Richards*]

New day, new hope.

Richards Buyout 2014.

LOL.

Just end it, Slats.

 

[Trxjw]

I don't want any of those 1Cs though. I mean honestly, look at who were talking about. Older players on huge, huge deals. Stastny is the only one attractive to me at all, and he'll be the most expensive in terms of dollars in all likelihood.

This team got really far with Step at 1C and a huge money hole I'm Richards at 2C. Would playing Miller and using that capspace to retain key players really be a huge downgrade? And again, why do we have this player is he's not going to get a solid chance now, when he's maxed out at the ahl level, and there's a vacancy at his natural position, and the team is in a cap crunch?

I'm not sure I'd be happy with a few of them, but Spezza is on the last year of his deal, and only makes $4M in actual salary. That's manageable. However, I think it's a foregone conclusion he goes to St. Louis.

Thornton is old, but he's still one of the top centers in the league. However, I'd hate to bring in another guy who goes MIA in big games.

Richards still put up 50-ish points. That's a lot to hope for out of Miller considering he couldn't even crack the lineup on a regular basis this year. Now, that difference can be made up with other players improving as well, but if Miller show's he's not ready once again, this team is in a tough spot.

 

[haveandare]

I'm not sure I'd be happy with a few of them, but Spezza is on the last year of his deal, and only makes $4M in actual salary. That's manageable. However, I think it's a foregone conclusion he goes to St. Louis.

Thornton is old, but he's still one of the top centers in the league. However, I'd hate to bring in another guy who goes MIA in big games.

Richards still put up 50-ish points. That's a lot to hope for out of Miller considering he couldn't even crack the lineup on a regular basis this year. Now, that difference can be made up with other players improving as well, but if Miller show's he's not ready once again, this team is in a tough spot.

50 points is too much to expect right now, but everyone starts somewhere. Keeping him in the a isn't going to get him better. Treating him like Boyle isn't going to get him scoring.

Sure, him falling short would be a problem, but it might be worth the risk IMO. Imagine even if he ends up being a 40 point 2/3c on a cheap contract. That's not a huge stretch, and that would be so huge for this team.

 

[AHB*]

I'm not sure I'd be happy with a few of them, but Spezza is on the last year of his deal, and only makes $4M in actual salary. That's manageable. However, I think it's a foregone conclusion he goes to St. Louis.

Thornton is old, but he's still one of the top centers in the league. However, I'd hate to bring in another guy who goes MIA in big games.

Richards still put up 50-ish points. That's a lot to hope for out of Miller considering he couldn't even crack the lineup on a regular basis this year. Now, that difference can be made up with other players improving as well, but if Miller show's he's not ready once again, this team is in a tough spot.

Don't take this as a Thornton endorsement, but he certainly "shows up" in the playoffs. Hockey is a team sport and he's always done his job.

 

[Ail]

LOL.

Just end it, Slats.

Seriously. Not sure why this has to drag.

 

[eco's bones]

Depends on what a return would look like of course, but if push comes to shove, I'd be in favor of letting Stralman walk and keeping Staal.

McDonagh - Girardi
Staal - Klein

makes me feel a lot more comfortable then

McDonagh - Girardi
Moore - Stralman

I'm with you on this. Take away both our 2nd pair d-men and we're going to have a major hole in our defense and of the two I prefer keeping Staal.

The Rangers do have the issue of what they're going to do if they buy out Richards. Hopefully it does get done though. Over the course of this season Richards IMO dropped to our 3rd best center. He outpointed Brassard but he got a lot more pwp time. Richards had two good playoff rounds and then wilted against Montreal and Los Angeles. I don't care for Richards point play on the pwp and I don't care for his subpar defensive play. To be honest I'd go with Stepan-Nash-Kreider. Brassard-Zuccarello and maybe Pouliot again if he re-signs. Hagelin and St. Louis could try to get Miller up to speed. I think there's a decent possibility that a point a game player in the AHL in only his second year could put up 40 points playing on a line with St. Louis. So Miller replacing Richards. If JT can step up the Rangers will be better for it.

 

[Trxjw]

50 points is too much to expect right now, but everyone starts somewhere. Keeping him in the a isn't going to get him better. Treating him like Boyle isn't going to get him scoring.

Sure, him falling short would be a problem, but it might be worth the risk IMO. Imagine even if he ends up being a 40 point 2/3c on a cheap contract. That's not a huge stretch, and that would be so huge for this team.

It really depends on how the Rangers want to play it. Do they want MSL centered by a kid who is trying to figure it out in the midst of another cup-push? We already handicapped MSL with Richards for 30-ish games. I can't imagine they want to do the same with Miller for a whole year.

Few, if any, kids have ever had their development torpedoed by playing one extra year in the AHL. If he can earn a spot, that's fine. However, I think going through the summer expecting that he'll earn a spot is the wrong move. There has to be a backup plan.

 

[JohnC]

It's been two days guys

 

[haveandare]

It really depends on how the Rangers want to play it. Do they want MSL centered by a kid who is trying to figure it out in the midst of another cup-push? We already handicapped MSL with Richards for 30-ish games. I can't imagine they want to do the same with Miller for a whole year.

Few, if any, kids have ever had their development torpedoed by playing one extra year in the AHL. If he can earn a spot, that's fine. However, I think going through the summer expecting that he'll earn a spot is the wrong move. There has to be a backup plan.

You can think of it as handicapping MSL or as giving a kid who is important to the future of the team a spot next to a great veteran.

To me, that's why you have vets to a large degree.

I'm not saying force him if he's obviously not ready, but I think inserting him in lieu of trading for someone would be great if he's near ready.

 

[Trxjw]

You can think of it as handicapping MSL or as giving a kid who is important to the future of the team a spot next to a great veteran.

To me, that's why you have vets to a large degree.

I'm not saying force him if he's obviously not ready, but I think inserting him in lieu of trading for someone would be great if he's near ready.

I think it's important to make kids earn a spot on the team, rather than forcing an opportunity for them. If a kid is ready, the team will find a spot for him somehow. Injuries always happen and I have no doubt he'd be the first call-up.

 

[bathgate]

It really depends on how the Rangers want to play it. Do they want MSL centered by a kid who is trying to figure it out in the midst of another cup-push? We already handicapped MSL with Richards for 30-ish games. I can't imagine they want to do the same with Miller for a whole year.

Few, if any, kids have ever had their development torpedoed by playing one extra year in the AHL. If he can earn a spot, that's fine. However, I think going through the summer expecting that he'll earn a spot is the wrong move. There has to be a backup plan.

Miller should get the opportunity if his head is in the right place. While in Tampa, MSL played with the kids and the kids thrived! MSL enjoyed playing with youngsters and stated so in some interviews. We need to get bigger and stronger. Miller is a start