’10-11 Bruins Season in Review:
Michael Ryder
Ryder/By S. Bradley
For three years in a Bruins sweater, Michael Ryder was something of an enigma.
However, with his $12 million contract now complete, we can safely say we have the answer to what makes the right winger tick.
When the stakes are the highest, he elevates his level of play to the point where he actually looks like a player worthy of the riches Boston bestowed upon him starting in the summer of 2008. And when the prize might just be two points in the standings, Ryder puts his game on cruise control.
The Bruins aren’t complaining, considering the major role he played in their run to the Cup. But his Jekyll/Hyde act might affect the Bruins’ decision to re-sign him or let him go.
Stats
Reg. season: 79 GP, 18-23-41, minus-1
Playoffs: 25 GP, 8-9-17, plus-8
Contract status: Scheduled UFA July 1
Best regular-season moment: Over the previous three weeks, Ryder had been a healthy scratch three times. On April 2, he was in the lineup against Atlanta. Just past the midway point of the third period, he got behind the Thrashers’ defense and drew a penalty on Johnny Oduya. With a roofed shot on the ensuing penalty shot, Ryder put Boston ahead, 3-2, to stay and helped the Bruins clinch the Northeast Division title.
Best playoff moment: After he scored the overtime winner as part of a two-goal night in Game 4 of the first-round series with Montreal, it was hard to think of what Ryder could do to top that. Of course, not many knew about his skill as a goaltender. Ryder’s right glove save on Tomas Plekanec’s shot attempt in the first period was one of the most crucial plays of the Bruins’ Cup run, as they went on to win that game in overtime en route to a seven-game series victory.
Worst moment: Ryder showed up for work March 15 in Columbus and heard the words he had never previously heard in his Bruins career: he was a healthy scratch. Ryder hadn’t scored in six games and had recorded just one goal in his previous 14 outings. Overall, he just wasn’t doing the things head coach Claude Julien needed him to, so he spent the night in the press box. There would be two more healthy scratches in Ryder’s future before the regular season ended.
Regular-season grade: C
Playoff grade: A-minus. Ryder’s play hit a lull in the Philadelphia series, but he turned it up again after that. He could’ve finished more on the power play.
Carnac predicts … Ryder will find himself another multi-year, multi-million-dollar deal from a team desperate for “playoff Ryder” to help them out. The Bruins will gladly let him walk and replace him with younger and cheaper players.
I agree with the post that says ‘his contribution to winning the Cup is worth the whole $12 million’. Best of luck to him whatever he does. 20 years from now I will still be able to name the full roster of this team in my sleep… KHL BRM KRPS CTP CS FB MK Hnidy TT TR
Those willing to OVERpay this clown $3Mil or more would make lousy general managers. This isn’t an NBA, NFL cap; it’s a hard cap, and paying salaries like that to an under-performer ALL season long would be kissing away the money and getting yourself into a cap problem like the Blackhawks had. Rewarding a good (NOT great) playoff performance in ONE of the 3 years on his contract is poor business. If this clown is worth 4 mil then the B’s need to talk Recchi into coming back for 5 MIL, he added more to the team on a leadership basis alone.
Abe – 4 years?! Really. He’ll end up being the plug in the forward pipeline. You tie him up for 4 and that keeps you from slotting in any of the other talent in waiting. With the line up we have, you’re looking at the spots presently held by Peverley, Kelly and Ryder for slotting some of Sauve, Spooner, Knight, Arniel and Caron and maybe KoKo (Of that group, I can only see Caron fitting with a fourth line) over the next four years.
I could imagine signing him for low money for a year, maybe 2, but no way 4!
The same things I keep saying over and over again. If he will take third line money, beautiful, but why would he?! Someone will give him more than we should, he’ll get consistent 1st or 2nd line minutes and will score 30 again (or close to it). Dude’s got finish and teams do crazy things for finish.
As for his tenure here, I guess we’re already taking the ‘Cup for granted. You win that quest and there isn’t a contract on your team that wasn’t worth it, especially from a guy who was a key contributor. All these “what if’s” are bullshit. We got it done and Ryds was key one of the many keys in that. That’s worth the whole $12mil, hands down.
27 goals and 53 pts in the first year. Worth it. Then 18 goals/season being bounced all over the line-up, ending with a ring. No hate here. Good luck to him on the market.
I suspect Ryder walks. Somebody is going to pay a veteran with a ring more money than we want to.
I have said all year that he is the one player I hope they let walk, although I would be upset if he resigned for less. I just think somebody is probably going to bewilling to give him more.
I can’t believe people would give him 3 million per season. That is a lot of money in the salary cap age. They can find someone better for that. I would rather have the flexibility at the deadline than Ryder for all the games leading up to the deadline.
I’d try to get a hang-over discount and give him 4 years at 2.75-3 mil/year. The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
He was a massive part of the cup run. No doubt. Trade for him at the deadline then. He is dead weight in the regular season. Guy could be an All Star if he tried at all during the regular season.
I think he’ll sign with a team that needs to reach the cap floor. He was a big part of this cup run and I thank him for his contributions. I’ve always liked guys that show up when the stakes are higher.
Good riddance. Thanks for the memories.
Agreed he will probably test the FA market, as it is rare for players with the potential to make more than they should to refuse the opportunity.
That said, if you can sign him for 2.5 mill maximum per season than you have to resign him for sure. He was clutch and he played well in every playoff year, not just this one. He has the ability to score when at any time with his shot, which can come when you need it most and his playmaking ability is underrated.
I think Ryder was good in the first year of his contract. The last two not so much. He certainly comes through in the playoffs when big plays are most needed. I will always remember the big OT goal against the Habs and the street hockey save. That said, I do not believe the Bruins will pay him what he wants in terms of dollars or years for what he provides from Oct. through May/June.
Everybody’s happy he was here and helped bring the Cup back. All that sentimental crap aside, however, he was not worth his contract. In fact, a lot of the time during the regular season he wasn’t even worth Danny Paille’s contract!
Ryder will always be remembered as part of this now-legendary squad, but that is it. He’s going to test the FA waters, as he should, and there is no way the Bruins are going to match what other clubs are going to offer him. Thanks again for the memories, best of luck elsewhere.
I wasn’t a big fan of Ryder during the regular season but we all got to see his great playoff performance and he was very good defensively which was the big surprise. Hope he resigns in the $3.5 mil range. Good deal for both
This will be a tough call for PC…Ryder is the type of player playoff contending teams look for at the trade deadline.
Considering only 4 B’s forwards scored 20 goals or more, he still has value and 25 goal potential at 31. He’ll test the FA market for sure.
Ryds played a phenom role and should come back. Never injured and very flexible – can play any forward position. Re sign him! He is what you expect of a third liner. Plus, you know what you are getting with him. When the chips are down – he excels.
So this may also invite retribution….
If we sign him to a 1 year deal this year when we have cap space, and not necessarily a whole lot to do with it, we could resign him at his going rate from last year. It wouldn’t constrict us in the future and we may be able to get another good run out of him before all is said and done.
Daveinjersey, agreed…. I don’t think the entire contract was worth it. I just think he earned that final year of it.
Of course before last season everyone figured he’d play well in his contract year… I just don’t think many people figured he’d wait until the last possible moment to get around to it–or do so in such dramatic fashion.
Despite his greatness in round 1, if Horton didn’t score GM7 OT goal and B’s lost that series, Ryder’s achievements there would be quickly forgotten and Bruins Nation would collectively breathe a sigh of relief that his albatross contract was over. I was certainly glad to have him, and look forward to him staying if his salary is cut in half, but I think it’s too much to say his 3 year/ 12 million contract was worth it because of one great playoff game.
I know I am inviting backlash, but….
Ryder v. the Habs made him worth every penny of that 4 million he earned this year, in my opinion. Without him the Bs would never have reached the 2nd round, let alone won the Cup. That is worth it, to me.
The first goal that Ryder scored against Montrael — the one he roofed top shelf — was the biggest goal he scored in a Bruins uniform. Even bigger, in my opinion, that the OT winner that he would score a couple of periods later.
Before that goal, the Bruins were looking beat. They were down in the game, and it seemed like Price was in their head. Then Ryder scored with that great shot, and it was like the whole team started to believe again.
Good call on the cap floor needing to be reached by many teams. He’ll probably get at least a 3 year $12 mil offer from someone. Don’t see the Bruins matching that.
“….he just wasn’t [doing] the thing head….”
farewell, hab killer. claude loves you, but too many teams need to get to the cap floor and i think we haven’t seen the last of savvy.