Brad Richards ironically notes that he indirectly helped facilitate his own buyout
The buyout of New York Rangers center Brad Richards was unique.
In June, the Rangers used a compliance buyout on Richards' bloated nine-year, $60-million contract. They sort of had to. Though Richards remains a reasonably productive secondary center, his two-way game has fallen off in recent years.
If Richards' two-way game is no longer sufficient to move the river at the age of 34, what would it have looked like when his contract expired following his age-39 campaign? The Rangers were never prepared to take that risk, and Richards understood it.
Still, it was clear from the way the club announced the buyout that they were upset to see the veteran forward leave - particularly on the heels of him leading the club to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
On Saturday, Richards - who signed with the Chicago Blackhawks this summer - was back in the vicinity of New York, preparing to face the New York Islanders. Asked by New York Post reporter Brett Cyrgalis to revisit his buyout, Richards provided an enormously interesting quote:
Brad Richards on #NYR (1/2): "I was in the lockout trying to get it solved and I was probably solving my own fate with the Rangers....
— Brett Cyrgalis (@BrettCyrgalis) December 13, 2014
Richards (2/2): "There's no bitterness. I knew (the buyout) was coming....We fell a little short. That's the only thing I'm bitter about."
— Brett Cyrgalis (@BrettCyrgalis) December 13, 2014
Richards was part of the NHLPA's negotiating committee, so you can understand why he feels like he had a hand in crafting Article 50.9(i) of the 2013 NHL/NHLPA CBA, which was ultimately used by the Rangers to remove Richards from their books.
The buyout cost Richards a bit less than $6.5 million in total salary, according to information found at capgeek.com.