I guess we really are bored right now, and are looking for something to discuss, because anyone who logically thinks about what it would cost to get Brad Richards realizes that any deal for him would create more holes than it fills. Sure, the Rangers don’t have a bonafide pivot to play alongside Gaborik, but is it really necessary to grab a big name just for that role? I see we have very short memories, as Dubinsky played very well as the pivot for one Jaromir Jagr.

But let’s look at the cost of attaining Brad Richards, who has a $7.8 million cap hit. The conversation begins with Dubinsky (roughly $2 million), one of Del Zotto/Sanguinetti/McDonagh, and some salary, so Michal Rozsival ($5 million) is likely to go the other way, as there is no way Dallas is taking Redden. For a team already looking to put two rookies on as the third pairing, dealing Rozsival would just create another hole on a top-four pairing, and the Rangers wouldn’t have anyone in the system to fill that role for this season, nor do they have the money to go out and get one (like a Brian Campbell, who is definitely available in Chicago).

The key to success, for teams that didn’t finish in the cellar for years in a row (cough, Pittsburgh, cough), is to draft well and build the core from within, and using free agents/trades to fill in holes. Not the other way around. Dubinsky is part of the core, you do not trade the core to fill in holes, you just leave yourself worse off than before.

With the new pledge by Sather to build from within, dealing Dubinsky for Richards would be a gigantic step backwards. Give the kid a shot to play with Gaborik, let’s see how he responds. The training wheels have to come off sooner or later.

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