The Unnoticed Perk Of Brad Richards: Powerplay QB

When the Rangers inked Brad Richards to that tremendous contract on July 2, we all know we were getting the big time center for Marian Gaborik.  At even strength Richards will be paired with Gaborik and what will likely be a rotation of left wings.  This combination gives the Rangers a legitimate top line, something they haven’t had since the days of Jagr-Nylander-Straka (Dubinsky-Prospal-Gaborik is a distant second).  But what is often overlooked is the second positive trait that Richards brings, and that is his ability to be the powerplay quarterback on a team in desperate need of one.

Last season, the Rangers scored just 49 of their 224 goals on the powerplay.  Their 16.9% conversion rate on the powerplay was good for 18th in the league.  There are many games that fans can point to and say “If we only had scored a powerplay goal here…”.  Most of the inefficiencies on the powerplay were due to a lack of a true puck moving player at the point.  Michael Del Zotto had an awful year, Matt Gilroy didn’t fit the bill, and for some unknown reason Marc Staal was one of the more effective players at the point.

Meanwhile in Dallas, Richards was putting up All Star numbers while leading the Dallas Stars powerplay (55 goals, 18.2% conversion).  Richards scored 7 goals and 22 assists on the powerplay last year, which put him tied for 14th in the league in powerplay production.  This puts him ahead of such vaunted powerplay QBs as Tobias Enstrom, Christian Ehrhoff, Jack Johnson, Dan Boyle, and Keith Yandle.  Richards also averaged about 5:20 in powerplay time, time that used to belong to any combination of Del Zotto, Gilroy, Staal, or Bryan McCabe.

Powerplay stability is the under appreciated perk of the Brad Richards signing, and it is only because of the possible lethal combination of Richards and Gaborik.  At even strength, Richards is going to do his thing, and hopefully the Rangers will have their legitimate top line to take pressure off the secondary scorers.  The real difference we will see is on the powerplay.

My boldest prediction: Brandon Dubinsky will be the biggest beneficiary of Brad Richards with the man advantage. Expect to see him in front of the net collecting those garbage goals.