Brad Richards makes a lot of money. Two years ago Brad Richards was on every teams wish list. And now, after 10 playoff games with the New York Rangers this season, #19 will be a healthy scratch. It’s worth noting the Rangers face elimination tonight on home ice. Let’s let that sink in for a second.
Richards has only managed one goal (and zero assists) through the playoffs and is a -3.
Seriously though…what’s wrong with Brad Richards? (Age, maybe probably.)
When Richards was using other teams as leverage for a beefy contract with the Rangers, I was shouting on rooftops “DO NOT SIGN BRAD RICHARDS!” but everyone yelled back “YOU’RE DUMB, HE’S AWESOME!” with so much vigor it would require more exclamation marks than I am comfortably able to use.
I never wanted a long-term, front-loaded contract on the Leafs, or any other team I liked, and I certainly didn’t think a 31-year-old player was worth it. Because let’s face it, we all know things start to decline at this point. You don’t need #fancystats to prove it, either. Now 33, and only in his second year of a 9 year contract worth $60M, he has slowed the fuck down to almost a screeching halt. His production has nearly dried up.
Can you say “Compliance Buyout”?
In the regular season, he managed a paltry 34 points, which isn’t terrible, but it’s not exactly what you expect from a guy making $12M (plus an $8M bonus) either. The playoffs however, demand the big guns back up their contracts and win games for the team. Brad Richards has not been this guy for the Rangers. He hasn’t been anything, really, which brings us to today. One more time, because it’s fun to type: the Rangers face the Bruins in a potential elimination game and their star player is scratched.
This should end well for the Rangers.
The Attacking Zone 
I hadn’t paid attention to the Rangers this year and while I knew Richards hadn’t really been up to snuff, I had no clue it was this bad. Yet another case of Burke being right.
I see you changed templates (or the header, at least). It looks good. I’ve monkeyed with the various themes and never found another one that worked for me.
Yeah he has been pretty invisible this season and non-existent in the playoffs. He looked like he was going to cry in the scrum today. I honestly didn’t think it could get worse than being demoted to the fourth line, but here he is watching from the press box.
And thanks. I’d like a different layout but I also can’t seem to find one that’s perfect.