Tiebreaker- TOTD 4th line Center

[Fitzy]

The results at 4C are really close with many third party votes (And the turnout was only at about 50% of previous polls) so we are in for a tiebreaker.

Below are the NYR player stats for the decade... (Note, the second half of the 09-10 season is not included in these stats, unfortunately)

Hayes- 361 GP, 87G, 219 P. Playoffs- 34GP, 2G, 10P
Richards- 210 GP, 56G, 151 P. Playoffs- 55GP, 12G, 28P

Player Season Finder | Hockey-Reference.com

Team of the Decade

Forward
Kreider-Stepan-Gaborik
Dubinsky-Zibanejad-Zuccarello
Hagelin-Brassard-Nash
____-_____-Callahan

Extra Forwards ______-_____

Defense
McDonagh-Girardi
Staal-Stralman
Yandle-Klein

7th defenseman -_____

Goalies

Lundqvist
Talbot

Head Coach- John Tortorella

Click to read more...

 

[Fitzy]

They were both underperformers in the postseason, but Hayes's playoff record was embarrassing. Brian Boyle scored at a higher rate for us in the second season.

 

[kovazub94]

Toughest choice to make for me. In the end had to switch because of 2 goals in 34 playoff games for Hayes. Going with Richards.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Going with Hayes.

We got to see Richards on his downfall, while we got to see Hayes develop into a solid 2nd line NHL center

 

[The Crypto Guy]

They were both underperformers in the postseason, but Hayes's playoff record was embarrassing. Brian Boyle scored at a higher rate for us in the second season.

Why leave out Richards embarrassing 2nd postseason where he scored 1 point in 10 games?

 

[nyr2k2]

Hayes

 

[ZiGOODejad]

I’d be interested to know what both players FO% was in their tenure here.

 

[Fitzy]

I’d be interested to know what both players FO% was in their tenure here.

This search taught me that Pirri had our single best faceoff season of the decade at 57%

Over three seasons Richards averaged 51%

Hayes averaged only about 43% including two dreadful seasons in 14-15 and 15-16 where he floated around 35%. Those were the two worst faceoff seasons of any NYR player to take 200 or more draws of the decade. The next closest was JT Miller all the way up at 44%

In short, Hayes started his career as arguably the worst faceoff taking center in the entire NHL.

 

[ZiGOODejad]

This search taught me that Pirri had our single best faceoff season of the decade at 57%

Over three seasons Richards averaged 51%

Hayes averaged only about 43% including two dreadful seasons in 14-15 and 15-16 where he floated around 35%. Those were the two worst faceoff seasons of any NYR player to take 200 or more draws of the decade. The next closest was JT Miller all the way up at 44%

In short, Hayes started his career as arguably the worst faceoff taking center in the entire NHL.

Thanks for the stats. I always knew Hayes wasn’t the best face off guy but jeez that’s nuts

 

[The Crypto Guy]

This search taught me that Pirri had our single best faceoff season of the decade at 57%

Over three seasons Richards averaged 51%

Hayes averaged only about 43% including two dreadful seasons in 14-15 and 15-16 where he floated around 35%. Those were the two worst faceoff seasons of any NYR player to take 200 or more draws of the decade. The next closest was JT Miller all the way up at 44%

In short, Hayes started his career as arguably the worst faceoff taking center in the entire NHL.

Most centers start their careers out not good at face offs. Not really anything groundbreaking here.

 

[Machinehead]

Hard call.

I went with Richards because of his performance in the 2012 playoffs, but put Hayes on the 2014 team instead of Richards and that SCF might go differently.

 

[Fitzy]

Most centers start their careers out not good at face offs. Not really anything groundbreaking here.

I mean I agree with you, but he was uniquely bad at them.

Faceoffs don't matter an overwhelming amount though. The Rangers had faceoff competent wingers take a number of draws for Hayes, Anisimov, Chytil, ect over the years.

 

[Doctyl]

Wow this is a hard one. Went Richards over Hayes. Beaves just came up clutch too many times for us and gave me the best playoff memories Of any ranger in my lifetime (along with a couple MSL goals in 2014). Loved Hayes, but it’s crazy to see that we played more playoff games with Richards than with Hayes despite his tenure being longer.

 

[Rempe73]

I just really liked Hayes, and there was a period of about 4-5 years from ages 13-17/18 where I didn’t follow hockey all that much (around 2010 - around 2014) besides the playoffs, so I either don’t remember Richards too well or I didn’t care enough to.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

IF Richards was better we win several series earlier than we did and we prob win a cup. Overpaid is generous. Kudos to him for the 6.6 second goal and his locker room leadership but he was a barely functional shell on the 4th line just a few years in and didn't even have the dignity to retire for us. He got old and injured and flat out sucked