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Should Jackets Look at adding a bought out Brad Richards |
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It's the most popular topic among those of us who don't have the playoffs to keep us occupied any longer: Should their favorite team pursue Brad Richards assuming the New York Rangers use their second compliance buyout on the veteran center this summer? My friend Jan Levine, the Rangers blogger on this site, has already made a case for buying him out now as opposed to waiting until next season. I recommend you read his post on Richards. So assuming the Rangers follow Jan's advice, should the Columbus Blue Jackets consider singing Richards as a free agent.
The first question we need to address is whether the Jackets could use a center to fill in on one of the club's top two lines. Since Richards has always been a scoring-line center it wouldn't make any sense to add him to play wing. It would make even less sense to sign him to fill a role on one of the bottom lines on the team.
The Jackets have several options at center who can play a top-six role. However none of those guys is "locked in," so to speak, in that spot. Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Ryan Johansen and Mark Letestu can all play center and all spent time on scoring lines this past season. Yet Dubi, Anisimov and Letestu can all play wing and all four players can move up and down the lineup and on any of your four lines as needed. Therefore Columbus could make room for a scoring line pivot should they find one to their liking on the open market.
Next, the Jackets won't want to sign a free agent if it takes a spot away from a top prospect. If Columbus wants to give an opportunity for one of their kids they won't want to block that young player's chances by signing a veteran player at his position. For a team like Columbus that probably won't be an upper-limit spending club to be successful they need to develop young talent and adding a veteran stopgap might not be the best idea.
The Jackets best prospect at the center ice position is Boone Jenner. The 2011 second-round pick (37th overall) will be 20 in two weeks and has just 13 games of professional experience to his name. Allowing Jenner to spend some more time at Springfield next season might be the best thing for his development. Consequently, signing a player like Richards for one or two seasons wouldn't block Jenner's progression up the ladder.
The salary cap will also be a consideration for Columbus as they entertain what players they may target this offseason. As of now the Jackets have more than $19MM in cap space with 16 players signed on for next season. But the Jackets need to extend the contracts of Sergei Bobrovsky and Anisimov, which won't be cheap, and either re-sign or replace Vinny Prospal, Blake Comeau and Adrian Aucoin. It's also conceivable 2012's top draft pick, Ryan Murray, could break camp with the Jackets and he'll account for a cap charge of nearly $3.5MM.
The Jackets might not have a lot of cap room to play with but chances are Richards won't break the bank. Under the terms of his potential buyout, Richards will still receive 2/3 of his actual salary spread out over twice the remaining term. Also serving to keep the price down is the likelihood Richards will be joined by several other quality veterans facing the specter of being bought out of their deals. Marian Hossa, Daniel Briere, Vinny Lecavalier and Martin Havlat, among others, could all conceivably join the free agent ranks should their respective clubs decide to get out from under their expensive contracts. Chances are the volume of solid players still earning paychecks from their former employers will help suppress the salaries they can command from their new clubs. If Columbus wants a guy like Richards they could make it happen.
The last thing Columbus will consider is whether Richards has anything left in the tank. The Rangers probably would have bought out Richards at some point regardless because of the cap recapture penalties they would face if Richards retires early. However, his performance this last season has made it more likely they do it now as opposed to next summer. If Richards was performing at a top level then a team that still views itself as a Cup contender would be more likely to keep him around to help in that pursuit. But Richards was not very good this season making the decision more obvious for the Rangers.
Now even in a season when many thought he was terrible, Richards scored 34 points in 46 games. That total would have led the Jackets this year and prorated over a full 82-game campaign would have equaled a 60-point season. That point-production would have placed him in the top 50 in the NHL last year which suggests Richards can still be a productive player.
The word is Richards preparation was severely effected by the lockout and that carried over into the start of the regular season. It's conceivable that his struggles led to a loss of confidence ultimately resulting in his lackluster season. Considering he was the most highly sought-after free agent just two years ago and he scored 66 points in his first year with the Rangers, is it more likely that his skill just suddenly vanished or that he had a tough season, due in part to the lockout? If I had to bet I'd say that it was simply an off year for Richards and that he will rebound next season.
Columbus nearly crashed the playoff party in the West this year and with the natural improvements of several young players already on the roster, the continued stellar play of Sergei Bobrovsky and one or two astute acquisitions this offseason, the postseason is a realistic goal for the Blue Jackets as they move to the East next season. A veteran scoring center like Richards who still should be able to produce 60 points and that can bring leadership to a relatively young club like Columbus might not be a bad pickup.
Of course this all depends on whether Richards would consider signing in Columbus. The Jackets do have some things in their favor. They can make a case that they are a playoff contender. They have a few guys that have played with Richards in the past in; Dubi, Anisimov, Prospal (if he returns), Marian Gaborik (of course) and Tim Erixon suited up with Richards at some point in their careers. There were times when Gaborik and Richards worked well together on Broadway and they might find working together in Columbus to be better. The presence of John Davidson adds credibility to the organization. Richards likes New York and might prefer to stay close when he picks a new destination. Columbus isn't that far away from the Big Apple so location shouldn't preclude the Jackets from signing Richards.
For all of the positives Columbus offers a player like Richards, it might come down simply to which team that has interest in him offers the best chance to contend for a Cup. In that kind of debate there may well be better options than Columbus.
If I was the Columbus GM, I wouldn't make Richards, assuming he does in fact come available, a high priority this summer. However I would monitor the situation and would make a call expressing interest. The Jackets have a need and would appreciate his experience. Will it ultimately happen? Probably not but I believe Kekalainen should do his due diligence and at least give it some thought.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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