Richards Providing Rangers With Clutch Plays That Bring Teams To Next Level

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The New York Rangers have spent the past few seasons cultivating a group of young players as the core of their team to build a sustainable contending team in the NHL.  Players like Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Dan Girardi and Marc Staal went through their early development and are now key pieces to the puzzle.  Others like Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, Artem Anisimov, Michael Sauer and Michael Del Zotto are still young in their development, but having their roles advanced daily.  What they were missing was another difference maker to go with Henrik Lundqvist and a hopefully rebounding Marian Gaborik.  That is where Brad Richards came in.

The Rangers signed the star center to a nine-year, $60 million deal this summer in hopes that he was that piece to push the team away from fighting for a final playoff birth down the stretch to contending for Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference and even Stanley Cup titles.  Not all has gone to plan for Richards personally on the ice, but the team is doing exactly that with their seven game winning streak pushing them to an impressive 10-3-3, only two points out of the top spot in the league.

The most recent win was one where Richards showed his worth on the ice as he was a dominant player with the puck on his stick all night and used a slap shot from the left circle to cash in a Brandon Dubinsky pass with 4:55 left to win the game.  That is the type of goal that makes the difference not just in one point or two on that particular night, but the confidence in the locker room that the team will find a way to win that game. 

It was the kind of clutch play that the Rangers have been missing to take that next step.  Too often the Rangers have battled and scrapped their way through a game, generating chances only to come up one goal short. 

Speaking after the game last night Henrik Lundqvist told reporters that his late goal is exactly why you sign Richards to the contract the Rangers did.

"A guy like that has the tendency to step up at the right time. It's not a coincidence," Lundqvist said. "I think his focus is good when it comes down to the final minutes and you need that extra play. That's great to see."

It wasn’t the first clutch goal Richards has scored on the season either.  While it wasn’t in the final five minutes Richards late second period goal against Montreal was critical to the Rangers winning that game.  Against Anaheim Richards scored a huge late goal to salvage a point against Anaheim in the second game of the season.  

That is the type of difference the Rangers were looking for when they made the deal this summer to bring Richards to New York.  He is paying those dividends repeatedly with important goals. Only time will tell if Richards addition and the Rangers hot start makes the difference down the stretch in what they are fighting for, but three clutch goals from a player in their first 16 games with the team is certainly not a bad way to start off a nine-year contract on Broadway.

Richards Winner Gives Rangers Seventh Straight Win

The New York Rangers signed Brad Richards this summer to help take the team to the next level.  Tonight he paid dividends in that regard scoring with 4:55 left in regulation to give the Rangers their seventh consecutive win.  The goal was a beautiful slap shot past Evgeni Nabokov, but do not lose sight of the play by Brandon Dubinsky to create Richards’ opportunity.  Dubinsky gloved down Josh Bailey’s horrendous clear and found Richards with a pass in rhythm for the ripper.

While Richards is the star for the game-winner, without the incredible work of Henrik Lundqvist the Rangers are not even in a position to get the two points.  Lundqvist made 31 saves on the night, including some incredible ones during the second period, most notably on P.A. Parenteau.  While praising Lundqvist we do have to wonder what he was thinking when he slid out mid-way through the first period, but thankfully Michael Sauer bailed him out with a skate save.

Sean Avery got the Rangers on the board late in the first after an excellent shift with Boyle and Fedotenko.  Boyle took the initial shot, Avery deflected it and while Nabokov made the save he kicked the rebound right to Avery who beat him far side.  The Rangers could not sustain that as Frans Nielsen tied it at 17:06 on a shot that Lundqvist got a piece of, but couldn’t keep out.

Steve Eminger became yet another defender to get in on the goal scoring this season when he pinched in from the point and finished a Ryan Callahan pass to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead.  Matt Moulson finally made the Rangers pay for their penalties when he tied it up 6:58 into the third off a feed from John Tavares.

Richards gave the Rangers the lead and while the Islanders had chances, they could not beat Lundqvist before Ryan Callahan got the empty netter with less than one second remaining.

• Getting 10 goals from the defense already is a huge bonus for the Rangers offensively.
• Dubinsky was all over the ice in the third period and critical to the final outcome
• Avery-Boyle-Fedotenko line was just as good tonight as they were together during the playoffs last year
• Gaborik could not buy a goal tonight, but that line continues to generate chances at a ridiculous rate.

Richards Failing To Pay Dividends For Rangers?

Rapid reactions to moves made over the summer are part of the way the sports world operates so it is not surprising that TSN took a look at the best and worst unrestricted free agent moves of the summer thus far.  It is also not surprising that is numbers that become the focal point of assessing impact on the team, and accordingly they viewed Brad Richards move to the Rangers as not paying off for the New York Rangers.

"The biggest free agent in the pond this summer was forward Brad Richards, who made a high profile move from Dallas to the New York Rangers. He was expected to drive their offence but the 31-year-old has given New York less than a point per game and has just four goals in 13 contests."

I was having a similar conversation to this yesterday about whether the Richards signing was truly necessary with what Derek Stepan and Artem Anisimov have shown with Marian Gaborik in the last few days.  However, that conversation was not about whether Richards has disappointed, but if the investment long-term was one the Rangers needed to make.  Personally the jury is still out on that one, but in the early going his impact has been what was to be expected, even if more off the ice than on it.

While it is true that Richards has less than a point per game, recording four goals and six assists in 13 contests, to argue that he has been a disappointment is inaccurate in terms of the Rangers needs.  The “analysis” is also superficial in arguing that point, especially goals, are the key to determining impact.  There is no arguing right now about how influential Richards has been with Stepan and Del Zotto in helping them advance their respective games early in the season.  Stepan gets to learn from and talk with a playmaking center who has been at the highest levels in this league.  Del Zotto gets the pressure taken off him to be the savior as power play quarterback and allowed to just use his offensive instincts more freely while learning how to better play that role.  Those things cannot be quantified by looking at Brad Richards statistics alone and are invaluable adds to the Rangers organization.

Rangers Lack of Effort An Indictment On Team Leadership?

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The New York Rangers 3-3-3 record to start the season leaves much to be desired.  Worse yet is that the level of play on the ice isn’t even worthy of that mediocre record.  The Rangers are lacking a lot of things on both ends of the ice to open the season, but beyond the offensive and defensive problems they seem to be lacking any sense of leadership within the group.  The lack of scoring consistency or secondary production offensively and awful turnovers are things that Rangers’ fans are used to witnessing, but the lack of desire to put forth effort for a full game is disgraceful.  To lose games because players have off nights or the other team is simply more talented is one thing, but to be outworked goes against what fans expect of the Blueshirts.  

The question for some becomes where does the responsibility for that consistently being the case reside?  Is it on the coach who is paid to get the best out of his players, on the players themselves who should have their own internal pride of performance or on the  leadership within the locker room?

There is no question that some of it is clearly on the shoulders of coach John Tortorella, but the players, especially the leadership are getting off too easy from many of the supporters in terms of "blame" for effort.  Following each game, especially the losses, you see those who are presumed to be leaders, either by being team captains or vocal presences in the locker room say the right things to the media.  They talk about how the team has to play a full game and how unacceptable different aspects of their game on that particular night were along with knowing they have to fix it.  Yet, the Rangers are now nine games into the season and have yet to put 60 minutes of hockey together even once.  No denying  the coaching staff shoulders responsibility in that, but on another level, at what point do you start looking at the “leadership group” on the club and asking when they do something about what is going on?

To listen to Brad Richards and Ryan Callahan admit following the collapse against Ottawa that they relaxed when they went up 4-1 is unacceptable.  To watch this team play lifeless period after lifeless period is deplorable.  Where is that leadership group standing up in the room and calling people out?  Where is that group doing something about it on the ice themselves instead of just giving lip service to the media after the game ends?

Callahan was named captain this season because he was said to have the respect of the room and performed well as the de-facto captain last season.  The room is not showing the same level of fire playing for him with the 'C' that they did when he had the 'A' a year ago and part of being the head guy is demanding that effort. Placing the full blame at his feet would be wrong, but it goes with the title that he should be one of the first places you look when the team consistently lacks the effort he himself has been known for throughout his career.  Even more disappointing is that he himself has had a number of games this year where he would not have met his own standards before, though to his credit he has owned up to it and is getting back to his type of hockey. Now he has to demand that of everyone else in the room.

In talking about the new locker rooms at Madison Square Garden, Captain Ryan Callahan said that the shape of the room was important because it allows all the players to look each other in the eye and breads more accountability.  That level of accountability to one another does not seem apparent thus far this season.  Last year this team had the feel of a team that fought for one another and did whatever it took to win a hockey game.  This team has the feel of a club that is willing to do as little as possible to get the result they want. 

You do not win in this league without hard work for a full 60 minutes and this team has not been willing to make that kind of effort once this season.  They have three wins on the year, but there is not one of those games where the team played for 60 minutes or you could argue, outside of the goaltending, they outplayed their opponent for the majority of the contest.  That itself should be seen as an indictment on the leadership of a club.

The thing that made last season’s club enjoyable to watch and gave such hope for what was to come was the level of intensity they played with each night.  They certainly had lousy periods, mainly opening periods, but they fought and achieved despite being the less talented team on many nights.  You cannot blame the start this season on talent as the Rangers went out and spent the money on the biggest fish in the free agent market, Brad Richards, and both he and Marian Gaborik have produced while Lundqvist has been Lundqvist in net, minus some soft goals against Toronto. 

The loss of Marc Staal has certainly hurt, but the Rangers issues on the ice are based more on compete level and desire than talent.  The idea that Sean Avery needs to be called up to give the team life and a spark is both a statement on Avery and a negative reflection on everyone else in the locker room.  Some will argue that the Rangers are playing lifeless because Tortorella has lost the team, which could be true, but if they believe in their leaders they will run through the wall for them regardless of feelings on the coach.  The Rangers are not doing that right now and instead are being consistently outworked by the opposition game in and game out.  The time for placing the entire blame on Tortorella’s shoulders needs to come to an end and players like Callahan, Richards and now Girardi need to take control of the leadership of this team, demand better and accept nothing less. They cannot control the results and performance of each player, but they can require the effort.

Rangers To Announce Captaincy Today: Final Predictions of What They Will Do

The New York Rangers announced last night via twitter that the team will announce the captains for the 2011-12 season today.  The decision to announce the captains now is interesting considering when the season ended coach John Tortorella was insistent that the captaincy would not be decided until training camp.  Part of me takes the change in the timing to mean that it could be something that might not be popular with the fans, but that could just be reading too much into what is to come later today.

My final predictions on who will be named the captains.

Captain: Ryan Callahan

Ryan Callahan is the epitome of the identity that coach John Tortorella has been trying to build with the team over the past few seasons.  A tough, hard-nosed player that does everything to help his team win and added offense to his package last season is a worthy candidate.  Add to that the fact that he was already the de-facto captain last season with the absence of Chris Drury.  Also working in Callahan’s favor is the fact that he gives many of the cliché responses interviews, which appears to be what Tortorella likes in his captains in dealing with the media.  The biggest thing working against Callahan is his injuries and whether they want someone who is more likely to be on the ice for the full season.

Alternate: Marc Staal 

Marc Staal could be a darkhorse to get the ‘C,’ and I personally would give it to him, but it feels like a longshot to happen.  Staal should be guaranteed an “A” this season as he is an incumbent letter holder who earned it last season.  He is the leader of the defense corps, and outside of Henrik Lundqvist arguably the most irreplaceable player and his value to the Rangers is something they will recognize. 

Alternate: Brad Richards

Brad Richards history with coach John Tortorella, experience as a letter wearer with multiple teams and Stanley Cup all work for him.  The only thing really working against Richards is the fact that he was not on the team last year and how the organization has talked up the younger home grown players becoming the leaders of the team. 

The decision on what the Rangers do with the second will be very telling of what they see as the direction of the team.   They can go with Richards who has the credentials to warrant the position if not the outright captaincy or they could go with another homegrown player like Brandon Dubinsky or Dan Girardi who typify what the Rangers have been striving to make the team all about.  I still believe that Richards will get the nod for at least an ‘A’ and it will leave players who would be deserving of a letter  without one on their sweater.

Is Brad Richards Tortorella's First Choice For Rangers Captain?

There has been much speculation about who the New York Rangers will choose as the 27th captain in the history of the franchise.  Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record discussed how Ryan Callahan, Marc Staal and Brad Richards are the main candidates for the job.  The difference in the assessment Gross makes to the assumption that most have is that he believes Richards may have the inside track to wearing the ‘C’ instead of Callahan.

Gross believes that Callahan’s deal being shorter than both the ones Staal and Richards signed hurts him in the running for the captaincy.  There is also some reading between the lines based on what coach John Tortorella said about the position right before free agency began.

Tortorella was asked June 30 — two days before the team signed Richards — about his selection process for the new captain. "I think those decisions will come about come camp," Tortorella said. "We'll have our talks, we'll see. Maybe our team changes even more this summer, along the way."

That last sentence could be interpreted as a vote in Richards' favor.

This could be a case where Gross is reading too much into things, or he could be right on the money with where Tortorella is thinking about going with the decision.  It is not a stretch to think that Tortorella would give the leadership of this club to a player who wore an ‘A’ for him in Tampa Bay and helped win him a Stanley Cup with a Conn Smythe performance.  That doesn’t mean it would be the right move for Richards or the team.

Giving Richards the captaincy could send the wrong message to the young core that has been so talked about by Tortorella and the coaching staff as being foundational to the organization in the future.  This would be a scenario where a player who has come up through the organization and done everything that has been asked of him is ready to assume the leadership of the team and is passed over for someone yet to wear the ‘C’ in his career or the Rangers sweater. 

The level of scrutiny that comes with the captaincy would be yet another level of pressure for Richards to live up to and would clearly put the burden of the how the team fares on his shoulders, as if it wasn’t already.  I still believe Callahan will get it, not simply because it is what the fans want, but because he epitomizes what Tortorella says he wants this team to be, but discounting Richards in the race for the captaincy would be a mistake.

Richards Using Pressure Of New York As Motivation To Play Harder For Rangers

New York Rangers center Brad Richards sat down with Steve Serby of the New York Post for in-depth interview that talked about issues both and off the ice.  The overall interview is excellent and gives a real feel for Richards as a person beyond just the dollar figures and hockey skill that has been the focus since he signed with the Rangers.  Aside from his age where the length of contract and money has been talked about, the most discussed issue with Richards has been whether he could perform in the pressure of New York.

Q: The pressure being in the New York market.

A: It’s gonna be a different animal, I’m not gonna lie to you. It’s not the same as playing in Tampa or Dallas. But I’ve been through playoff runs. If you’re getting into a Game 7, it’s as much pressure as you can handle no matter where you’re playing, ’cause we all have pride and we want to win. I think the experience of playing on home soil for Team Canada, playing for the Olympics, that’s a lot of pressure that people don’t realize if you’re a Canadian playing on those teams. There’s no option, you have to win. . . . I think that’s something that will make me better, it will drive me, it’ll push me more. Can’t have those nights where you don’t feel like playing hard, you have to play hard in front of these fans, they’ll let you know.

There is nothing more you can ask of a player than to play hard.  Player’s will have off nights and some will even have off years, but if they are giving legitimate effort the complaints about them will be much different than those who just appear to be going through the motions. The fans of this organization have always gravitated to those who break their backs to help the team win, even above those who were more skilled.  Obviously they will expect numbers and wins from Richards in his tenure as well, but giving the right effort will take him a long way to winning over the Garden faithful.

The fact that Richards sees the pressure of New York and the knowledge of Rangers’ fans as a motivational force sets the stage for him to be just fine here and will only make this team better.  When your best players are also your hardest workers it becomes contagious throughout the lineup and with the number of young players the Rangers have in the fold, those are the kinds of lessons you want filtering through your roster and organization.

For many he will be judged on whether he brings a title back to Broadway, and that is part of the pressure that comes with signing for big dollars in New York, but Richards accepts that challenge and is hungry for it.  These are the types of things, while just words at this point, make you believe that Richards can succeed where other big names have failed in spotlight of New York. 

The more you hear and read about Richards the more you like the man that will be manning the middle for the Rangers for many years to come.  This city is lucky to have #19 as a Blueshirt.