Sather Makes the Right Call By Not Trading For Brad Richards

Added by Gregg Snyder on February 28, 2011.

Rangers general manager Glenn Sather chose to walk away from the deal for Dallas Star center Brad Richards, and it was the right decision.

Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk was in a tough spot today.  His team currently sits in the eighth spot in the Western Conference, tied at 72 points with Chicago, Nashville, and the 7^th place Minnesota Wild.  Trading away Richards, arguably his best player (23g 39a), would have essentially meant trading away the playoffs.

Given the fact that he will likely lose him for nothing after the season, he had to either keep him for a playoff run, or trade him for way more than he is worth to make up for missing the playoffs.  Thankfully, the Rangers did not give in to his demands.

Those demands appear to have been staggering.  The last reported offer was Richards for Brandon Dubinsky, Marc Staal, and Derek Stepan.  That’s quite the asking price for a rental player.

What would be the point of that deal for the Rangers, anyway? Trading away those players would have given the Rangers even less of chance at a championship this year than they have with the current roster, and eliminate any chance at one in the near future.

This non-deal represents a major turning point for the Rangers and for their GM.  In the past, Sather would have jumped at a deal like this.  He has earned a reputation around the league as an absentee GM who does nothing to address his team’s needs all season, and then tries to make up for it by making the biggest splash on deadline day.

He has been accused of trying to buy championships rather than attempting to build teams to win them.  Well no more.  Sather stuck to his convictions that he would go with the kids from now on, and today he did exactly that.

He can always add Brad Richards in the offseason when his concussion status is a little more clear.

This team is almost there.  Almost.  Completing that trade for Richards would have set them back years.  Instead, the core stays together and continues to take steps toward a championship.

Hopefully, Sather will continue to take steps toward respectability.  Today was a big one.

The New York Rangers did make a minor trade, adding forward John Mitchell from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 7^th round pick in 2012. Mitchell is a depth player who will likely report directly to the AHL to replace the players called up due to injury.

Speaking of injuries, backup goaltender Marty Biron suffered a fractured collarbone at practice today.  He and captain Chris Drury are likely done for the season, and there is no word on Marion Gaborik’s condition.

Dante Vassallo
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