from Steve Zipay of Blue Notes at Newsday,

If Torts was still in New York, he might have fought to keep Broadway Brad for another year, arguing that training camp and a fresh start would revitalize him. In fact, I’m not sure that he and Sather didn’t go toe-to-toe on this.

But is a presumed third-line center worth $6.7 million a season for the coming years? And an injured player cannot be bought out, so the risk, (key word, risk) in waiting until next summer is enormous…Can No. 19 survive an 82-game season when he was shaky in just 48-plus?

Plus, the Rangers do need the dough, not just to pay their RFAs now and later, but to fund Lundqvist’s extension and other players in 2014-15, even though the cap may be a eventually be little higher.

With Richards’ cap space, the Blueshirts could add free agents or execute a trade…perhaps a defenseman and a forward. Maybe a center, who is being bought out as well, will sign for far cheaper. Vinny Lecavalier, anyone? I don't know, someone like Shawn Horcoff for a year?

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