Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Vigneault praises Richards’ overall season, as buyout speculation continues

Brad Richards

Brad Richards

AP

Brad Richards currently has six years remaining on his current nine-year, $60 million contract, however he may soon find himself a headliner in the compliance buyout season.

Speculation that Richards could be bought out is running rampant right now, especially given his salary - a cap hit of $6,666,667 per year - and the fact he struggled mightily toward the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

In the final series against the L.A. Kings, the eventual champions, Richards registered just one point - an assist in Game 5, which the Rangers lost, giving L.A. its second title in the last three years.

Go back even further. Richards had only one goal in his last 11 playoff games, dating back to the start of the Eastern Conference final. So, it’s not hard to see what’s fueling this talk.

Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault gave the 34-year-old Richards a glowing review of his entire season, which included 20 goals and 51 points in the regular season. But the bench boss didn’t offer anything definitive on whether the skilled forward would escape the buyout season.

“If you look at Brad’s overall season, he had a real good year,” said Vigneault, as per NHL.com.

“In the Final series I don’t know if it was a combination of some other guys might have been playing better than he was, but we had some decisions to make in Game 4 and Game 5. But his overall play, 5-on-5 and on the power play, during the year was very good.

“I’m very happy with what he brought to the table; a veteran player that from Day 1 was a real good extension of the coaching staff in that dressing room. I think he should walk away from this season very pleased in how he played and how he contributed to our team.

“As everybody knows there are decisions to be made. We haven’t made those yet. We’re going to talk and figure it out.”

Follow @CamTucker_Metro