The Chicago Blackhawks are not looking for miracles from Brad Richards in 2014-15.
When they signed the former New York Rangers center at the start of free agency, Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville did not assume that they had brought in an all-star to play between Patrick Kane and Brandon Saad on the Blackhawks' No. 2 line.
Instead, they projected that the aging Richards, 34, would have at least one decent season left in which he could show off his offensive skills in a way that benefits Kane and Saad. Two seasons might be nice, but one season is all that is required.
But what if Richards does not work out? He was benched by former Rangers head coach John Tortorella in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs because of his ineffective play, and he was demoted during last year's postseason by Alain Vigneault.
When two coaches decide to bench or limit a player's time in back-to-back postseasons, it's reasonable to conclude that there is a deficiency to their all-around play.
The big difficulty seemed to be with his defensive play. He appeared to be a step or more behind the action in both of the Rangers' last t ...
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Article written by Steve Silverman
What Are the Chicago Blackhawks’ Options If Brad Richards Does Not Work Out?
September 2nd, 2014 by Steve Silverman Leave a reply »
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