Saturday, July 2, 2011

Same Story, Different Ending?

In the last 25 minutes I've re-written the lede to this post nine times as the reality of the news has sunk in. Glen Sather gave Brad Richards a nine-year, $58.5 million deal. A man raked over the coals for the folly of his big money contracts time and time again just handed another one out. Well, we knew Sather didn't care about public perception, so why would he change? You would hope that he would learn from his mistakes - and it had appeared that he was starting to - but the simple truth is that you can't teach old dogs new tricks.

Of course, growing a young team and winning multiple Stanley Cups was something Sather has done before but that was so long in the past and he is so old that he likely has forgotten that has even happened. Instead, the GM has fallen back on the modus operandi that has defined his time in New York: analyze what is wrong and throw money at the problem.

In 2007 the Rangers had a problem. Michael Nylander wanted a multi-year deal for a decent amount of money. The 35 year old had just averaged a point per game for two seasons as the pivot for the Blueshirts star sniper Jaromir Jagr but he was 35 years old. So instead Sather looked at the free agent class and signed Scott Gomez. He didn't look and realize that there was no way the two could possibly possess the puck at the same time all the time. But he wanted a center, Gomez was out there and he signed him to a ridiculous deal. It didn't work out and Sather cut ties with Jagr. Then Sather cut ties with Gomez. Hamstrung by other insane signings, Sather was forced to embark on a youth movement. Times were tough but they were moving in the right direction. Except, his star sniper needed a center.

Seeing that supposed stud Chris Kreider has no confidence in himself or would rather party in college for another year or whatever, Sather needed someone to be the first line center and Richards was the best one available.

Over the last three seasons Richards played 208 games and collected 216 points as the first line center on the Dallas Stars. He looked great and he made Loui Eriksson into an All Star but, it must be said, Dallas didn't make the playoffs any of those three seasons. As Sean Avery found out, Dallas is not New York. But, in this case, this is a good thing: the Rangers have a far better back end then the Stars and are deeper up front.

When Gomez arrived he came to a team caught between styles - some lines played north-south, others played east-west. He was expected to share the puck with Jagr and, with a shrug and that damned smirk, he didn't put the effort in to adapt his game. Marian Gaborik is more Eriksson then he is Jagr and that should allow Richards to play his own high-tempo style without making major modifications.

The contract that he received is ridiculous but, let's face it, that doesn't matter. At 31 already, Richards will not play all nine years - the length of the deal is there to lower the annual cap hit. The Rangers have shed Drury and will bury Redden again so there is room for Richards this coming season. And if the experiment goes the way of Gomez, the upcoming expiration of the CBA should allow Sather to correct the mistake before it drags the franchise down.

Now it must be said that we don't know exactly who's idea signing Brad Richards was; it might not have been Sather's. With the NBA locking out their players this week Jimmy Dolan may have pulled the Rangers back out of his toybox and decided to play with them again - rumours yesterday had him talking to Richards to further seduce him to the dark side renovated Garden. John Tortorella may have pushed very hard for Richards, given their successful history and how frustrated he was with the Slovakian slacker Gaborik last season.

No matter who made the ultimate call, the simple fact is that the Rangers threw patience and the rebuild to the wind. The timetable has been pushed up - Dolan wants a winning team to justify the prices of the renovated Garden and who knows what is happening with the Knicks. There is little room for mistakes this coming hockey season, the Rangers not only have to make the playoffs, they will be expected to win a round or two. And they surely will be expected to win the Cup within the next three years before Gabby and Hank's current contracts finish. The Ranger brass believes that Brad Richards is the man who can make that happen. Let's pray they're right.

15 comments:

drew said...

pessimistic as always, scotty. but that's what your blog is all about, i guess.

i agree that the terms are long, but the cap hit is not bad. redden is getting the same in hartford.

and most importantly, the rangers desperately needed a number one center and power play qb. now they have both and can take the next step in their development.

as long as the RFAs all get resigned, the rangers still have their young corps to supplement their allstars in hank, richards, and if he regains his form, gaborik.

plus, wolski, avery, christensen, and fedotenko contracts are up next year to allow for spots for young players like hagelin, kreider, thomas, etc.

Anonymous said...

Rags suck. and their fans are idiots (except for Scotty Hockey).
Love,
Jerome

Luzz said...

Although the contract is long, what's most important is judging how richards either gains or does not gain chemistry with gaborik and fellow blueshirts. As Scotty implied the main goal is getting this team to be Stanley Cup contenders within the next 2 to 3 years. If richards maintains his points production seasons along with allowing the young guys to gain experience and get better while providing leadership as he is an all-star when it comes down to comparing him to others players in the league and having the experience of winning a cup then it is a win-win. I think thats most pertinent at this point. The best news that Rangers fans received this summer thus far is that Drury has been bought out and now it will allow a more capable young stud to "don" the "C." If the "C" goes to either Callahan or Staal then it will allow either one of these kids to take on the responsibility that comes with the "C" while still having the best years of improvement in front of them. So let's not bash Scotty over his thoughts on the richards deal because when it comes down to it, we just all want the Rangers to be a team in which they improve year by year and that Torts puts the right men on the ice at the right time so everyone is able to contribute this season including richards similar to the way he gave the chance to Boyle to gain confidence and put the puck where it needs to be...in the back of the net. Let's just hope that Del Zotto gets another chance because as I will not praise the kid as the next Leetch who put up great numbers during his tenure as a Ranger (although he is a terrible analyst as he often seems confused what to say next to that geek Pidto) the kid still has talent when it comes down to it and I hardly doubt Redden gave him great tips while being down at the Thrashers...oh im sorry, I mean the Whale. So give the kid some time, put Richards on the point during the power play for the time being until Del Zotto gains confidence and lets get past the first round of the playoffs this year. Let's take small steps towards the worlds ultimate championship trophy, Lords Stanley.
-Luzz

Anonymous said...

Hey Luzz,
Get a life and a real name (Putz?). 1940 forever.
Love,
Jerome

Anonymous said...

jerome swallows

Anonymous said...

jerome prob likes big black donkey dick in his asshole

Scotty Hockey said...

Children, stop, or I'll pull this blog over and moderate all comments.

Anonymous said...

Luzz's comment was all over the place. How the hell does it end with ripping leetch and pidto? what does that have anything to do with the topic at hand? i think leetch has some pretty good things to add drawing from his experience with the game. harsh words calling one of the greatest rangers ever "terrible".

regardless, that post was a pretty good example of "flight of ideas"

http://bipolar.about.com/od/maniahypomani1/g/gl_flightofidea.htm

Luzz said...

your not even worth my time Jerome. Your not even a ranger fan so go shove it man, seriously. And since you want to rag on names...a name like Jerome?? are you sure your not a basketball fan?? ha ha your pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Luzz, I agree with you about the Richards signing, however, I think you are wrong about DelZotto. Speaking about DZ and Leech in the same sentence is like speaking about John Lennon and John "Rotten" Lydon in the same sentence. DelZotto will NEVER be half the player Leech was. He just doesn't have that level of talent. And he is slow. And doesn't have a strong slap shot. Do I really need to go on? I just hope DelZotto turns out better than Redden, but I don't have high hopes for him.

Scotty Hockey said...

Wait a sec, did someone just bash Johnny Rotten for that hippie pacifist loser Lennon? Insanity.

Anonymous said...

Anarchy is not the answer. Except for ticket prices at MSG.

Anonymous said...

Johnny Rotten and John Lennon were performers, except that Lennon played music and Rotten had zero talent. Don't embarrass yourself by comparing them.

Anonymous said...

why do these posts make me want to eat fried asparagus so bad

NYR34 said...

Wow, great comments guys. I'm now on the lookout for Bubba Banjo.