When it comes to player buyouts, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers and forget the human side of the transaction. Brad Richards was cooperative with the New York Rangers as they exercised their compliance buyout on him today, but that doesn’t mean it was easy for him.
“Tough last few days ... I loved being a Ranger and living in New York and playing at MSG in front of great fans,” Richards said. “I’ve met many new friends, excellent teammates and staff and I have memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.”
It’s clear that the 34-year-old forward feels wistful about his involuntary exit from the Big Apple, but it sounds like he at least went out on a high note, as he told the New York Post after a stunning double-overtime loss to end the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
“It’s definitely worth it — worth every second of these two months,” Richards said on June 14.
When you look at things from a cold, calculated cap sense, it seemed simple to state that the Rangers needed to part ways with a player whose effectiveness simply hasn’t matched his cap hit in the last season or two. Most glaringly, Richards only managed two assists in his last 10 playoff games with the Rangers. Considering his largely offense-only role and costly contract, it’s a no-brainer on paper.
GM Glen Sather was the one who had to pull the trigger, however, and it didn’t sound like a pleasant decision.
“This was an extremely difficult decision to make because of how much respect I have for him.” Sather said. " ... Brad’s leadership and guidance for our young players was invaluable to the organization.”
Would the Rangers have been more willing to stomach his $6.667 million cap hit if his contract expired in a season or two instead of after the 2019-20 season? One can only speculate, yet the very long-term, risky deal that lured Richards to New York ended up being the main reason he only lasted through a third of the pact.
For more on the cap implications and specifics of the buyout, click here.