The Brad Richards Disaster

Brad Richards has been non-existant in the playoffs this year. Is this a sign of things to come? (Credits: Debby Wong/USA Today Sports)

Playing in New York is not for the weak-hearted. It's not for those that strive for greatness through the back door (cough...cough...LeBron). The media are critical, intense and overwhelming. Press conferences are like walking into a buzzsaws. Losing is absolutely unacceptable and the fans' booing is random, uncontrollable and relentless. Playing in New York is not for the weak-hearted.

Brad Richards came to New York in 2011 on a fat, "franchise changing" deal. He was a 31-year-old play-maker smacked dab in the middle of his prime. There was $58.5 million and nine years to be given out to the star, but it was worth it. Or at least that's what GM Glen Sather told us. The offensively challenged Rangers were in for a facelift, right?

Well not exactly. Richards tallied 66 points in his inaugural blueshirt campaign, which isn't bad, but also isn't great. The team actually scored seven less goals than the year before and it's not like he's that much of a two-way center; he finished a meager -1. So while the star was far from a bust, he still wasn't living up to his billing. But the playoffs were different for him. He stepped us his play, tallying 15 points in 20 games and helping the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the Great One led New York to that point in '97. Things didn't work out as the blueshirts fell to their cross town rival Devils in six games. But it was an extremely successful step forward for the franchise in terms of getting to the promised land. They overachieved in the playoffs, which in New York, means that expectations will rise; that they did.

Then the summer came and the Rangers made another offensive-centric addition by acquiring the oft-criticized, but extremely talented goal poacher Rick Nash. Expectations sky-rocketed, not only did the Rangers acquire Nash but they did so without giving up that much. This team was ready to repeat the epic '94 run. And then the lockout happened. New Yorkers were worried that in the one season they were supposed to be true Stanley Cup contenders, there was a lockout. Classic. But the campaign was saved at the last minute as the NHL slapped together with ducktape and staples a 48-game season.

Obviously the lockout derailed any plans of Nash, Richards and the entire team truly gelling. One week of preseason and the teams were thrusted into a wild year. The Rangers fell right out of the gates and didn't regain that "championship contender" feeling until April when they put together a 10-3-1 finish to the season to jump into the six spot. A matchup with the Capitals was in order for the first round, a per usual thing these days.

While the Rangers fell down 2-0, rallied back, fell down 3-2 and again rallied back to win the series, Brad Richards was nowhere to be found. He talled one meager goal, was a -1 for the series and pretty much was along for the ride. It didn't (or it did) help that Rick Nash was also equally unimpressive scoring one point, but either way the Rangers were onto the next round. Against the Capitals it was fine that these two didn't perform, but against the Bruins? The well-rounded Bruins? No, no there was no "not showing up" allowed. It was time for these to earn their combined $15 mil.

Yet here we are deep into this series with the Rangers down 3-0, a scary thought when the Bruins fourth line is producing at a thousand times better rate than the Rangers big guns. Nash tallied his first goal of the playoffs in Game 2 and while that isn't great at least he's shown a pulse. Richards has looked absolutely non-existant out there. His confidence is shot. He looks confused. He's lost. John Tortorella has slowly shaved off his minutes by sending him to the fourth line before completely ousting him for most of Game 3. It was announced early Thursday that Richards is a healthy scratch.

Now think about that. A guy who has 78 points in 93 career playoff games. A guy who has a Stanley Cup ring and a Conn Smythe. A guy who gets paid $6.6 million a year is a HEALTHY SCRATCH in the most meaningful game of his team's season? Riddle me that. I cannot fathom what happened to this guy. What has gone wrong in his mind. Has he completely lost it? Is he done at 33? He can't be, right? There's no way. But Brad Richards has become a complete afterthought. The team is supposed to being win because of him and yet now their winning (or were winning) in spite of him. It's a stunning turn of events and it's looking like a serious problem for a team that has to pay this guy for six more years.

It could just be a postseason issue, there's no telling that this brutal postseason could derail Richards' career. But we've seen this before with the Islanders, shelling out lots of money over lots of years is truly toeing the line. Then again if the Rangers could somehow pull this out with Richards as a healthy scratch who knows how badly his career may spiral out of control.

Now without him the Rangers face an uphill climb, would you have thought this two years ago when they signed him? Absolutely not.