Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik
 

League and team details are in my signature.

I have a manager getting fed up with B.Richards and Gaborik on his team. They were two of his six keepers this offseason. He has told me that he is open to trading them because he is wanting to win this year. I'm pretty sure I can take the title this year, but I like the idea of going after these guys while their value is so low.

The offer I floated out to him was for Alfie and Carter (a starting offer). He wants more.

I need to know if these two are worth chasing and how far I should be willing to go to get them?

If the additions to the trade aren't significant then you are getting great value. If you only have to give up say Tanguay, Camalleri, or Roy as a third guy, then it's great for you.

I also think it would be worth acquiring Brad Richards and Gabby if the price is not exhorbitant.

Funny because, as a Richards owner myself, I too was frustrated last night because it seems that any time I look at the score sheet recently he has done very little. But I was surprised when I then quickly checked his stats to see that he has 9 points in 12 games. Not great and certainly a little less exciting than I was hoping for coming into the season, mind you, but not nearly as awful as I for some reason thought it was.

I think he (and Gaborick) are good buy low candidates -- the Rangers have too much talent for the offense not to start clicking on a more regular basis this year and beyond.

If I am unable to swing a deal for both of them, which one do I go after?

Close call in my opinion. But in points only, I'd target Richards over Gabby. Richards has a higher ceiling overall and I think still tends to play more PP time in a quasi-QB role (someone please correct me if the PP configuration has changed such that Richards isn't used on the point any longer).

The age difference is pretty negligible (2 years, I think), and Richards' playing style should allow him to play at a high level until a more advanced age than many players. And even though Gaborik has been good to go since two seasons ago, the slightly higher injury risk of Gaborik would make me lean towards Richards.

Like I said, I think it's a pretty close call but in the end and in your format I'd go with Richards over Gaborik if forced to choose. And it also helps in terms of acquisition price that the Richards owner in your league seems to be quite low on him right now.

Gabby is a band-aid boy and a major injury headache. I'm not touching him with a 10 foot pole in any keeper league. Buyer beware.

with neither being a keeper option for you given your roster what you are looking to give up is fine

if i had my choice of one of the two it would be gaborik