Brad Richards ended months of speculation this morning by deciding to sign a nine year deal with the New York Rangers that TSN is reporting to be worth $58.5 million. Until it's signed and registered with the NHL registry, the actual numbers in terms of total amont and amount per season won't be known.

But suffice to say, even if the Stars had new ownership in place and it had been Dallas where he re-signed for a similar deal, I think Joe Nieuwendyk would be raked over the coals in some quarters, including mine. And it makes his signings yesterday for depth make that much more sense when you consider the Stars weren't going to be Cup contenders for next spring any way.

As it is, Glen Sather's rolling the dice in the hopes that this deal with Richards doesn't turn into a bust like similar deals for Bobby Holik, Scott Gomez, and Chris Drury did. And with any free agent signing, including the one's Nieuwendyk engineered yesterday on the first day of free agency, time will be the ultimate decider.

If the Rangers go on to win the Cup, then this signing, like the signing of Marian Hossa by Chicago two summers ago, will be worth it.

If they don't, Sather gets pilloried, again.