Bruins Sign Michael Ryder to Three-Year Deal

[Snipes19]

Boston, MA - Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has signed forward Michael Ryder to a multi-year contract.

The 6-0, 186 pound Newfoundland native has spent his entire four-year NHL career playing in Montreal, recording 99 goals and 108 assists in 314 games. 46 of his 99 goals have come on the power play, including a career best 18 power play strikes in 2005-2006.

Ryder had back-to-back 30 goal seasons and led Montreal in goals scored (30 apiece) for both the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, during which he finished the years with totals of 58 and 55 points, respectively. His best season points-wise came in his first year in 2003-04, where he played in 81 games and notched 25 goals and 38 assists for 63 points and was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team.

Last season, Ryder tallied 14-17-31 totals while playing in 70 games for the Canadiens. He also appeared in four playoff contests for the team during the most recent postseason.

The 28-year-old was originally drafted by the Canadiens in the 8th round (216th overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Playing for the Hull Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ryder tallied 128 goals and 129 assists in 201 games over three seasons from 1997-2000. He then spent portions of the next two years between Tallahassee and Mississippi of the ECHL and Quebec of the AHL before playing a full year in Hamilton (AHL) during the 2002-2003 campaign.

Ryder played for current Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien for six seasons in Juniors and the NHL. He played under Julien as a member of Hull (QMJHL, 1997-98, 98-99, 99-00), Hamilton (AHL, 02-03) and the Canadiens in 03-04 and 05-06.

[blackngold]

Horrible Horrible Horrible.

Awful.

Only good thing about this signing is it more than likely assures that Glen Murray will be bought out. But only to be replaced by Michael ****ing Ryder? Murray will give us the same production for more or less the same money and Murray is a better dude.

FUUUUCK

[Isles4life]

I can't believe Ryder was that expensive. His production could improve with a change of scenery, but $4 mill a year for a guy who could end up a healthy scratch? Terrible signing.

[Dontase_MeBro]

Originally Posted by blackngold

Horrible Horrible Horrible.

Awful.

Only good thing about this signing is it more than likely assures that Glen Murray will be bought out. But only to be replaced by Michael ****ing Ryder? Murray will give us the same production for more or less the same money and Murray is a better dude.

FUUUUCK

Did Michael Ryder steal your girlfriend or something?

[DaleHunter32]

I thought he was rode hard and put away wet by Guy, this guy still has a lot of talent..... people shouldn't sleep on him

[blackngold]

Originally Posted by Dontase_MeBro

Did Michael Ryder steal your girlfriend or something?

No, he's just a Habs bitch that we just gave way more money too than he deserves.
We need offense, goals. This isn't the answer.

[Isles4life]

Originally Posted by DaleHunter32

I thought he was rode hard and put away wet by Guy, this guy still has a lot of talent..... people shouldn't sleep on him

There's no question he has talent, but the way he's plummeted he shouldn't be making half of what he was signed for.

[Snipes19]

I do think that Ryder needs a change of scenary to get away from Montreal, but not at the cost of $4 million per year... now that's an overpayment because he's not THAT good. So overall - this isn't a very good signing by Boston. I guess this pretty much takes them out of the Hossa sweepstakes too.

[blackngold]

Seriously, this homo should've been offered a Wellwood-type contract, not this crap. They're both are in comparable situations. **** you Chiarelli.

[Tucker_316]

Originally Posted by blackngold

No, he's just a Habs bitch that we just gave way more money too than he deserves.
We need offense, goals. This isn't the answer.

See, you do it again. You're blinded by your bias. Ryder, under Julien, had 25/30/30 goal seasons. He had one off year, and with that off year happened to be sat due to the fact the younger guys on the Habs stepped up and made Guy go that way.

Ryder is 28...not nearly done yet. Forget about the money, thats not always the most important factor. He could notch you 30 goals and be a finisher with a great passer steup guy like Savard. A change of scenery will sometimes do good. Also, he isnt a diver or some bitch as you call him out to be. He certainly is no Marc Savard in that category...biting like a girl.

[steg1989]

I like this move actually, I think he has some potential. Plus it's a step forward but hopefully he isn't done.

[Dontase_MeBro]

They've been out of the Hossa sweepstakes long before the Ryder deal was done. I also don't think they overpaid for his services. If you consider Rolston signed for 5 mil a year, Ryder will equal or surpass Rolston in points over the next 3 years for a million a year less and eight years younger. The way I look at it they traded Glen Metropolit for Michael Ryder which improves the roster considerably.

[blackngold]

Originally Posted by Tucker_316

See, you do it again. You're blinded by your bias. Ryder, under Julien, had 25/30/30 goal seasons. He had one off year, and with that off year happened to be sat due to the fact the younger guys on the Habs stepped up and made Guy go that way.

Ryder is 28...not nearly done yet. Forget about the money, thats not always the most important factor. He could notch you 30 goals and be a finisher with a great passer steup guy like Savard. A change of scenery will sometimes do good. Also, he isnt a diver or some bitch as you call him out to be. He certainly is no Marc Savard in that category...biting like a girl.

It's a crapshoot.

Hopefully you are right and I will be forced to eat my words.

But for now, I do not agree with throwing 4 million a year at a player who managed just 30 points on a highly talented Habs team last season.

[devils29]

I at first hated this signing, but as mentioned he does still have some potential to put up the points. I can understand where the Montreal comments were coming from, their youngsters did step it up last season.

I remain cautiously reserved about this signing. It seems like a lot for him now, but if he regains past form then it could work out to be a very good signing.

[MattBurger]

I've always like Michael Ryder, even though I'm a Bruins fan and he's always been a Hab. Ryder fits in well with Claude Julien's system, and has performed very well in a Julien system before. $4 million a year for a guy who can score 30 goals isn't bad in today's NHL market.