Should Tampa sign Brad Richards?

What if Ashton and Connolly tear it up! They become legitimate top line players… And then we have no money to resign them? I think Richards CAN fit but I’m not sure if its smart move from a long-term standpoint.

I really hope we do not see Ashton or Connolly in TB’s line-up for at least another season. Ashton or Panik may just earn a spot in training camp (Ashton strikes me as likelier but Panik had a great camp last year), but even if one does, I’d expect he’d have to earn his ice time. That means a grinder’s role. I just can’t envision either being thrust into a top-6 role, even if Purcell doesn’t return. So, naturally, you have to ask yourself: what’s better for their development, bottom-6 minutes in Tampa or top-6 minutes on the farm?

Also, I don’t get your hangup on Roloson’s age. It certainly didn’t preclude him from backstopping this club to the ECF did it? It’s not like he’s sitting around eating donuts all summer; the dude’s a physical specimen for his age, much like Roberts was/is. There’s no reason to think he’s got nothing left in the tank. The fact is, if you’re going to bring in Richards, you’re going to have make sacrifices somewhere on your roster. For this club, those sacrifices will have to come on defense and in goal, unless Vokoun can be convinced to take a hefty pay-cut (think 50%) to play here in Tampa.

Oh, and pray tell why Vancouver should ship off their bargain-priced phenom of a backup a year before his ELC expires and LA should break up it’s uber-affordable goaltending tandem a year before they have to make a decision between Quick or Bernier? Then tell me which assets you’d be willing to part with that you think will actually intrigue Gillis and Lombardi.

…with Gagne now off the books, the Lightning do have a need in their top-6. If Yzerman signs Richards, it will be as Gagne’s replacement. One of Lecavalier, Richards or Stamkos would technically be converted to ‘wing’ although you have to keep in mind that in Boucher’s system, beyond face-offs, the forward roles aren’t traditionally defined. Boucher refers to F1, F2 and F3 as opposed to C, LW and RW. Also, you could argue that with the frequency with which ‘centers’ are booted from draws these days, Richards gives you an extra weapon in the face-off circle, although this is probably a very minor strategic advantage.

Now, do the Lightning NEED Brad Richards? No, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t use him. If the last few seasons are any indication, he’s going to give you somewhere near 25-45 more points than Gagne or other more affordable options are likely to produce in the regular season and Richards has no history of disappearing in the playoffs. Also, Richards would relieve Marty from the point on the PP and eliminate the need to sign a specialist (i.e. M.A. Bergeron).

That said, would signing him impact other roster decisions? Absolutely. Maybe Yzerman can sweet-talk Purcell (who’s eligible for arbitration) and Bergenheim (unsure about his arbitration rights) into very cap-friendly and short-term deals, but one or both might become casualties. And Brewer would probably need to see a longer-term deal to stay south of $4 million. I’d like to see Brewer re-signed too, but if the decision to came down to Richards or Brewer, I’m taking Richards 100% of the time. It’s not like Yzerman gave up a king’s ransom for him and it wasn’t the “thin” defense that was failing the organization for the first half of last season—that was the goaltending, folks.

Thus, if you return Roloson and sign a capable backup (dare I suggest Mike Smith) on very affordable deals, there’s no reason to think Ohlund, Kubina, Hedman, Clark, Lundin and a couple of bargain-priced free agents (think of Yzerman’s signing of Randy Jones late last summer) can’t hold the fort until the trade deadline begins approaching next season. It’s a calculated risk as you enter the season not knowing for certain who will be available but when you’re up against the cap or you want to reign in your spending, letting another organization pay and accumulate 2/3 of the salary and cap hit of a guy you would otherwise like to have signed or traded for in the off-season is a huge win. Especially when you’re a GM that has already demonstrated an ability to a) identify undervalued talent and b) convince other GMs to less-than-vital assets.

There is a way to fit both Richards and Brewer, and again, ideally you’d keep both, but that probably necessitates trading or not re-signing somebody unless money and cap space is no issue to Vinik or Yzerman respectively. I just don’t see Yzerman emulating Paul Holmgren’s cap management anytime soon.

Whether we see Richards in the new Lightning sweater next season depends on where Yzerman sees the team’s priorities AND when he thinks they can be accomplished. There’s pros and cons to both his return and to taking a pass. I won’t be surprised, or disappointed, whatever comes to pass. Really.

But what he did in the playoffs, was a lot more surprising than his season stats. The kid has nowhere to go but up in my books, I know the numbers will always vary I was just estimating. But yeah now that I look at it 3.5 is a little hefty, he hasn’t proven himself yet.

2-2.5 would be a great contract for a few years!

LOL, where doe sthe money come from with all that? Vokoun? You know how many teams will be after him? And Richards. And Bergenheim. All signed/ re-signed.

It doesn’t work. You want Vokoun? You sacrifice most other free agent signings — RFA and UFA. Youw ant Richards? You sacrifice both Gagne and Bergenheim.

I hate to break it to everyone, but we can’t have our cake and eat it too.

1. Thompson is making $900k next season.
2. I would expect Yzerman to sign Blair Jones, Adam Hall or a vet free agent for around $600k and play on the 4th line before Ashton (whose cap hit is $1,070,000)
3. Again, I really don’t think Yzerman is going to pull a Holmgren here and leave the team with little to no breathing room against the league salary cap (which, unless I’m mistaken, has not officially been announced. It may not even end up being as high as $63.5 million).
4. You might as well forget about Desjardins. He’s got a shoulder injury that’s going to keep him out of action until well after training camp. I think it’s a long-shot he even gets re-signed and even if he does, I doubt it’s to serve as the NHL backup.

Bergenheim raised his profile substantially during the playoffs. I’m going to tell you what I tell others privately: Sean WILL get offered Top-line minutes and top-line money this off-season. If he’s willing to take less to stay in Tampa, that’s amazing. But I don’t expect him to take that much less. He’s an NHL veteran who finally showed the league he does in fact have a scoring touch.

Odds are, he’s gone. I wish him nothing but the best. Tampa’s not going to get into a bidding war to retain him for the 3rd line. Not when they can get Adam Hall and Blair Jones back to play the agitator/pest/checking role.at likely less than it would take to get Isberg under contract.

i considered moving malone too but hes making 4.5 mill…… and vokoun knows he wont get 6 mill from a cup contender. 4 is a good number for him if he wants to win. otherwise he can just resign with florida…. take your pick…4 mill to come to tampa or 6 to stay in sunrise?

But I see that his cap hit is only $150,000 less than Kubina’s, so never mind.

so I can assume you will vote now?? ;)