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Mike Richards III (Cleared waivers 1/27/15)

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Herby said:
Why on Earth would you put two of your most talented wingers who played a key role as 2nd liners on a SC winning team in a reduced role on the fourth line with an offensive black hole?

Sutter who has won 2 of the last 3 cups is failing to get the most out of his roster because Mike Richards career fell apart before our eyes?

Do you blame any of this on Richards or is it all someones else's fault?

Are you still excited and happy about having the Richards contract not bought out like you said a couple of weeks ago?
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Offensive black hole? Are we talking about Lewis or Richards?

Sutter has a team that finished last year with the 26th ranked offense.... in the playoffs the same year they scored the highest goals/game and played the most games.... Then you look at decisions like Toffoli/Pearson playing with Lewis.... Clifford on the first line... Then you ask... "is there a link here?" Not getting the most out of the team..... which is currently out of a playoff spot and what 2 points from dropping to what 3rd from the bottom in the conference?

Richards fault.... what I see is Sutter wants Richards to play like Stoll (defensive with straight ahead hockey no creativity or passing)... that is not what made Richards, Richards and he seems to be struggling adapting to that role.... Also it's stupid to pay someone what Richards is making and ask them to play that style... just go out and sign Steve Ott.... Richards has been busting his ass and has not be put in a situation to succeed... now is he as good as he used to be... probably not... but this isn't the first time Sutter has struggled understanding what it takes to generate offense at the NHL level... didn't he get fired for that in San Jose? Just look at where his teams finish in the offensive standings....

I absolutely love that Richards wasn't' bought out... and that he cleared waivers... 1 because of this thread... which won't go away if he's traded... and 2 because this is how I see the forwards right now....

Gaborik/Kopitar/?????
Brown/Stoll/Williams
Pearson/Carter/Toffoli

Of course Pearson maybe be King because of the injury.... and Brown/Williams aren't cutting it on the first line.... so the Kings need a first line wing... large physical.... kinda like a Brown that knows passing is part of hockey.... But the Kings will be unable to trade for that player with Richards contract on the books.... So what I love is that Sutter doesn't get an easy get out of jail card on this one.... and may be forced to do the best with what he has because of the cap....

Richards has played with Pearson/Toffoli... this was tried in a preseason game and maybe one other time.... it lasted for a game or less.... now in order for skill players to get the hang of where the other guys are going to be it could take a little time to develop.. It doesn't always go like Pearson/Carter/Toffoli.... There was more then enough time to try that out because Pearson/Toffoli were on a line with Lewis for what a month? Was it only 2 weeks and felt like a month? Alas... this will not be tried because Sutter is too busy making sure every line has a grinder on it to keep the skill players from getting too creative...
 
Brad Doty said:
This is my nightmare :laugh:

We buy Richards out and he goes and plays for another team. Mike Richards XVI is still alive and kicking in 2019.
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This doesn't worry me in the least... as I recently decided to learn how to make a great cinnamon role in my spare time.... which means I'll probably die of a heart attack before that! :laugh:
 
Trolfoli said:
. Richards has been busting his ass and has not be put in a situation to succeed...
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we talked about his before as a chicken-and-egg thing with Richards' play and calling it sabotage by Sutter is wrong. He's been given opportunity over the years to play his way out of the doghouse and he just hasn't to the tune of the highest GA/60 on the team by a SIGNIFICANT margin (almost a full goal IIRC). I get the feeling that even if he weren't producing that Sutter wouldn't have a problem playing him if he were in a checking mood as Darryl would say. Instead, he played himself off the roster.

Keep in mind I've defended richards every step of the way but I'm calling it as I see it. Do I think he could have been utilized more and better on special teams? I'll put a resounding YES there--that's the place I think he's been shortchanged in his time here. But at 5V5--which this team puts HEAVY emphasis on--he's been getting weaker defensively. That's a problem.

I'm hoping he does find his game in Manchester and that doesn't necessarily mean flat out point production.
 
Trevor Lewis has 6 goals and 5 assists. Mike Richards' had only 4 more points. I think that says it all right there. Lewis plays only 3rd or 4th line minutes even strength and some penalty kill...barely.
 
Johnny Utah said:
Trevor Lewis has 6 goals and 5 assists. Mike Richards' had only 4 more points. I think that says it all right there. Lewis plays only 3rd or 4th line minutes even strength and some penalty kill...barely.
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so my question is if you are not going to save Richards salary why demote him to the AHL considering he is out playing (even if only by 4 points) other roster players?
I understand putting him on waivers to see if any team would take the full amount of his salary, but once he is not claimed what good is he playing in the AHL.
 
Perro said:
so my question is if you are not going to save Richards salary why demote him to the AHL considering he is out playing (even if only by 4 points) other roster players?
I understand putting him on waivers to see if any team would take the full amount of his salary, but once he is not claimed what good is he playing in the AHL.
Click to expand...

To get his confidence back. Mike needs to party like it's 1999
 
Trolfoli said:
Offensive black hole? Are we talking about Lewis or Richards?

Sutter has a team that finished last year with the 26th ranked offense.... in the playoffs the same year they scored the highest goals/game and played the most games.... Then you look at decisions like Toffoli/Pearson playing with Lewis.... Clifford on the first line... Then you ask... "is there a link here?" Not getting the most out of the team..... which is currently out of a playoff spot and what 2 points from dropping to what 3rd from the bottom in the conference?

Richards fault.... what I see is Sutter wants Richards to play like Stoll (defensive with straight ahead hockey no creativity or passing)... that is not what made Richards, Richards and he seems to be struggling adapting to that role.... Also it's stupid to pay someone what Richards is making and ask them to play that style... just go out and sign Steve Ott.... Richards has been busting his ass and has not be put in a situation to succeed... now is he as good as he used to be... probably not... but this isn't the first time Sutter has struggled understanding what it takes to generate offense at the NHL level... didn't he get fired for that in San Jose? Just look at where his teams finish in the offensive standings....

I absolutely love that Richards wasn't' bought out... and that he cleared waivers... 1 because of this thread... which won't go away if he's traded... and 2 because this is how I see the forwards right now....

Gaborik/Kopitar/?????
Brown/Stoll/Williams
Pearson/Carter/Toffoli

Of course Pearson maybe be King because of the injury.... and Brown/Williams aren't cutting it on the first line.... so the Kings need a first line wing... large physical.... kinda like a Brown that knows passing is part of hockey.... But the Kings will be unable to trade for that player with Richards contract on the books.... So what I love is that Sutter doesn't get an easy get out of jail card on this one.... and may be forced to do the best with what he has because of the cap....

Richards has played with Pearson/Toffoli... this was tried in a preseason game and maybe one other time.... it lasted for a game or less.... now in order for skill players to get the hang of where the other guys are going to be it could take a little time to develop.. It doesn't always go like Pearson/Carter/Toffoli.... There was more then enough time to try that out because Pearson/Toffoli were on a line with Lewis for what a month? Was it only 2 weeks and felt like a month? Alas... this will not be tried because Sutter is too busy making sure every line has a grinder on it to keep the skill players from getting too creative...
Click to expand...

In last season's playoffs was Richards a better option as a top six forward than any of the following:

Kopitar
Carter

Nope he isn't beating them out at the center position. Is he a better top six winger than any of the following:

Gaborik
Brown
Williams
Toffoli
Pearson

The answer is a resounding NO!!!

That is why Sutter doesn't put Richards in what you would call a position to succeed. There are better players ahead of him. If Richards cannot adjust to filling a different role, then I guess he is no longer a fit on this team.
 
Mike Richards cannot play hockey at the NHL level anymore, I'm shocked that everybody isn't in agreement since we all watch the same team play. His hand/eye coordination is shot. The guy constantly fumbles the puck, flubs shots, his feet and his hands look like they are on different wave lengths. I don't care how much money he makes or what Sutter's system is-Mike Richards earned the right to be sent down with very poor play ON THE ICE. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes as far as concussions, alcohol, not training, his body fat as of today-he's not playing good hockey, bottom line.
 
The Tikkanen said:
Mike Richards cannot play hockey at the NHL level anymore, I'm shocked that everybody isn't in agreement since we all watch the same team play. His hand/eye coordination is shot. The guy constantly fumbles the puck, flubs shots, his feet and his hands look like they are on different wave lengths. I don't care how much money he makes or what Sutter's system is-Mike Richards earned the right to be sent down with very poor play ON THE ICE. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes as far as concussions, alcohol, not training, his body fat as of today-he's not playing good hockey, bottom line.
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So contract and systems aside you truly believe he is the worse roster player on the kings team?
Worse than Nolan, shore, stoll, Lewis, Andy A....
Cause they play at the NHL level and i think Richards is still better than four of the guys I just mentioned.
 
KINGS17 said:
In last season's playoffs was Richards a better option as a top six forward than any of the following:

Kopitar
Carter

Nope he isn't beating them out at the center position. Is he a better top six winger than any of the following:

Gaborik
Brown
Williams
Toffoli
Pearson

The answer is a resounding NO!!!

That is why Sutter doesn't put Richards in what you would call a position to succeed. There are better players ahead of him. If Richards cannot adjust to filling a different role, then I guess he is no longer a fit on this team.
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I would rather have him in a bottom 6 role than some of the guys we currently do. To Ricahrds credit never once (that I have read) has he publicly complained about his role on the team and/or his ice time. To me that means he was accepting his new role.
 
Perro said:
I would rather have him in a bottom 6 role than some of the guys we currently do. To Ricahrds credit never once (that I have read) has he publicly complained about his role on the team and/or his ice time. To me that means he was accepting his new role.
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He has the (latent) talent to be better than almost every offensive player on our team and to his credit he at least accepted his role publicly, but his defensive play on those bottom lines doesn't suggest bottom-sixer, either. That's kind of the issue.

I think i said above I almost don't care if he doesn't find an extreme offensive game as long as he retains his defensive awareness. He's a smart enough guy to at least reinvent himself as a shutdown center and I bet if he did that he'd find offense again too.
 
Perro said:
So contract and systems aside you truly believe he is the worse roster player on the kings team?
Worse than Nolan, shore, stoll, Lewis, Andy A....Cause they play at the NHL level and i think Richards is still better than four of the guys I just mentioned.
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He has played worse than both Lewis and Stoll. Richards doesn't bring the speed and energy that Lewis does nor the physical play of Stoll.

Nick Shore's time to learn at the NHL level is now in light of Richards' horrific play and Stoll's possible exit as an UFA. Sending Andreoff down instead of Richards does nothing except expose a guy that probably gets claimed by another team. Richards is not able to provide the toughness and physicality that Nolan brings. Nolan has played like 2012 Nolan the last couple of games which is more than what Richards brings at this point.

Regardless of all this, you can't look at Richards in a vaccuum and exclude systems and contracts...well, you can actually exclue systems because that is not the problem. Richards and his contract are one in the same: you can't separate one from the other.
 
Agreed, every bottom six player seems to be doing his job this year. Clifford and Nolan are playing physical and each have a few goals, Stoll has been good in face-offs, played physical and chipped in with 14 points (same as Richards', but makes more than 2 million less), Lewis has matched his career total in goals. Andreoff has only played 11 games.

Richards' was not contributing in any way really. Not playing physical, not passing, not shooting, not skating fast or winning face-offs cleanly or consistently. Why play him at that amount of money to do nothing when you can play other guys who have a strength that are utilizing?

Did you see how physical Nolan and Clifford were against Chicago. Lewis was flying too. Those guys used their strength's against a tough team.
 
Perro said:
so my question is if you are not going to save Richards salary why demote him to the AHL considering he is out playing (even if only by 4 points) other roster players?
I understand putting him on waivers to see if any team would take the full amount of his salary, but once he is not claimed what good is he playing in the AHL.
Click to expand...

There are two sides to a hockey rink.

Trevor Lewis is worlds better defensively than Mike Richards. I don't know why people are bringing up points, MR is not in the AHL only because his offense dried up, he has been by far the worst defensive player at ES on the Kings the last three seasons and it's not even close.

Mike Richards this season is a sub 30 point forward who can't play a lick of defense and has no physical game, and people (MR included) are surprised he is in Manchester?
 
Flour Child said:
To get his confidence back. Mike needs to party like it's 1999
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this, this, and this (minus the partying).
Mike has looked like a shell of his former self, not only in his play but in his confidence. you can see how he handles the puck, how indecisive and anxious he is whenever its on his stick. i think spending some time schooling the youngins in the AHL is exactly what he needs to find his mojo.
 
Johnny Utah said:
Trevor Lewis has 6 goals and 5 assists. Mike Richards' had only 4 more points. I think that says it all right there. Lewis plays only 3rd or 4th line minutes even strength and some penalty kill...barely.
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Another successful avoidance of several questions sent your way. Kudos. And you wonder why no one takes you seriously. :handclap:
 
Which is also incorrect because that means there are more than one Richards. :sarcasm:

English sucks
 
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