Yesterday, the New York Rangers decided to keep a player who struggled mightily both in the regular season and postseason this year – after mulling it over once the postseason ended, the Blueshirts decided not to use their buyout on Brad Richards.
While many Rangers’ fans believe that this was not a good idea because of the way Richards performed this season, these same fans should keep an open mind. This non-move may turn out to be a blessing for both Richards and the Rangers’ organization.
For starters, there is a new coach in town. With Alain Vigneault as the new Rangers’ bench boss, there will be more of an emphasis placed on offence, which will give Richards an opportunity to be creative, generate more scoring chances and more importantly, produce on a consistent basis.
With a new coach, also comes a new power play. Prior to joining the Rangers, Richards was lethal on the man advantage with both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars. He could score and make plays with the best of them with the man advantage.
That has not been the case with the Rangers. Too often this season, the team’s power play was stagnant and showed no offensive instincts or flow. A new coach and a new system might just change that for the team’s woeful power play.
Secondly, this is a player that deserves a second chance. Richards has won at every level he has played and has shown that he can produce, play in all situations, come through in the clutch and be someone that the team can rely on.
In his two seasons on Broadway, Richards has not been terrible. In his first season, Richards had 66 points (25 goals and 41 assists) and also came through with nine game-winning goals.
In the postseason of that year, Richards led the club in scoring with 15 points (six goals and nine assists) in 20 games. The Rangers and their fans will remember him in that postseason as the player who scored the huge tying goal against the Washington Capitals in Game 5 with 6.6 seconds to go in the third period.
With a new coach and a new system in store for the team next season, it is time to wipe the slate clean and give Richards a chance to show that he is worth all the money the team is paying him.
Lastly, there is not a more dangerous player than one who has something to prove. Richards definitely has something to prove going into next season and with a new coach, a new system in place and a second chance, he might end up proving to the Rangers and their fans that he can live up to his contract and be an offensive force for the club for several years to come.