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

[Johnny Utah]

If he keeps tearing it up at this kind of pace in the AHL, he will either get another look on the Kings or be traded to another team. I would sure like to see O'Neill get a shot on the Kings. He's having a ridiculously good year.

Tearing it up? Look at Andreoff's stats in his 7 game Monarch stint. That's tearing it up and he's a rookie making league minimum.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=106790

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Lombardi pretty much banished him to the minors. There is a slim chance he ever wears a Kings jersey again and people are still making excuses and asking to try him at the wing? Guys, he is done.

If he isn't traded, he'll be back with the Kings as soon as the end of this year. Get used to the idea.

 

[YP44]

Tearing it up? Look at Andreoff's stats in his 7 game Monarch stint. That's tearing it up and he's a rookie making league minimum.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=106790

Richards has played too small of sample size but Andy's PPG = 1.43 Richards = 1.5.

not sure what point you are making there,

 

[Johnny Utah]

If he isn't traded, he'll be back with the Kings as soon as the end of this year. Get used to the idea.

And he will be gone this summer in a trade or buy-out.

There are no more chances for this player, at this salary, on this team, with these Cap restraints.

 

[Herby]

If he isn't traded, he'll be back with the Kings as soon as the end of this year. Get used to the idea.

If he plays the way he has this season and last there is no way he is in the NHL next season for a team with SC aspirations like the Kings. This demotion shows the Kings aren't going to keep handing Richards a roster spot because he was really good four or five years ago.

I personally don't feel like there is any chance will be back with the Kings, maybe just a hunch but just from the quotes from both guys I feel like each guy kind of feels like the other one wronged him. And on top of DL, I feel like Sutter finally saw enough of the awful play and threw in the towel on Richards. Lombardi will either trade him for another awful contract, they will retain $3m a year and trade him or they will use the traditional buyout which really only stings the cap badly in 2018 and 2019.

And come on guys, I certainly hope he plays well in the AHL. But "tearing it up" based on two games. One multi-point game against the Albany Devils is not going to make teams forget what their scouts saw in his last 120 games in the NHL. If he has a great finish to the season and a huge AHL playoffs as a winger maybe the Kings won't have to retain as much. But as much as it pains me to say it Johnny's example of Andreoff is correct, AHL points don't mean a ton, in fact I am more concerned with how Richards overall game looks, because if anyone is going to trade for him they are going to hope he can play a 200 foot game. No one is going to be looking at him as an offensive player, that ship has sailed.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Lots of scenarios.

 

[damacles1156]

Richards will be back with the Kings, the Kings are stuck with the Guy.

He may not be back this year, but provided Mike changes his game and is productive in the AHL; the Kings will eventually bring him back up.

The Kings are not trading him, and they are not buying him out. No one is going to do the Kings any favors.

Lombardi is not going to buyout that contract with the Cap not raising.

 

[Herby]

hell King has been given more of a chance to play with Kopitar.

The Kings are trying to win games, hard to have a guy who has very rarely played the wing and isn't much of a goal-scorer on a line with your playmaking #1 center. Kopitar also sees a lot of action against other teams top lines, do you want to have Richards out there against guys like Getzlaf and Toews? Even as winger there are still defensive responsibilities.

I am cool with Richards transitioning to wing in the AHL, it was probably a year or two overdue because he was being utterly dominated in the defensive zone as a center since 2013, but learning a new position at the NHL level would be a lot to ask, especially trying to do it on the first line.

 

[damacles1156]

No, it really can't, because there isn't a center on the Kings that lost their check with the same large frequency that Richards displayed. If you can't admit that, you really shouldn't engage in this debate.

Kopitar all year long.

Kopitar is working himself back into Herby's Green Jacket award.

Stoll as well has been behind the play all year, he just hasn't paid for it in the plus minus area.

Center play 1-4 is a reason the Kings have sucked consistently. That includes Kopitar/Carter.

I would say Lewis, is about the only guy that hasn't cost the Kings in D zone consistently this year.

 

[redcard]

Richards has played too small of sample size but Andy's PPG = 1.43 Richards = 1.5.

not sure what point you are making there,

The general point is that Richards is playing with 2 line mates who are scoring at a PPG over 40 games and Shore was scoring at a PPG before his call up. None of those 3 have done anything at the NHL level, so although its encouraging to see Richards produced in 1 of the 2 games he's played, the points really don't mean anything. He could go PPG for the rest of the season and it still wouldn't mean he's back. The defense and effort level is the only thing that's going to earn him a spot back in the NHL.

 

[damacles1156]

The general point is that Richards is playing with 2 line mates who are scoring at a PPG over 40 games and Shore was scoring at a PPG before his call up. None of those 3 have done anything at the NHL level, so although its encouraging to see Richards producing, the points really don't mean anything.

Unless Richards didn't put any up, then that would be used as "Hey look Richards is doing nothing in the AHL"...Points matter in the AHL.

It's why Shore got a call up, production at a PRO level.

 

[Herby]

Unless Richards didn't put any up, then that would be used as "Hey look Richards is doing nothing in the AHL"...Points matter in the AHL.

It's why Shore got a call up, production at a PRO level.

I agree with you, it is a bit of a damned if you do, damned if you don't type thing.

My whole point was in response to the poster talking about teams suddenly wanting to trade for MR because he put up 3 points against the Albany River Ra..err Devils, totally forgetting the 120+ games before that in the NHL.

Points are a positive thing because if MR is still an NHL player (I think he is a tweener) he should be scoring in the AHL, so that's a good thing, but I'm still more concerned about the 200 foot game and the lack of any defensive effort that Richards showed for the Kings, which was the main reason he was sent down. If anyone in the NHL takes a chance on MR it's going to be as a bottom six guy with those "intangibles" who won't be a liability out there. No one is trading for MR to be their 2nd line C.

 

[santiclaws]

Lombardi is not going to buyout that contract with the Cap not raising.

It would make a hell of a lot more sense to buy him out than to have him play in Manchester for that kind of money. The savings would be very significant three out of five years.

 

[Reclamation Project]

I want to see his play after 25+ games. I don't really care about production. He should be having multi-point games nightly.

 

[YP44]

The Kings are trying to win games, hard to have a guy who has very rarely played the wing and isn't much of a goal-scorer on a line with your playmaking #1 center. Kopitar also sees a lot of action against other teams top lines, do you want to have Richards out there against guys like Getzlaf and Toews? Even as winger there are still defensive responsibilities.

I am cool with Richards transitioning to wing in the AHL, it was probably a year or two overdue because he was being utterly dominated in the defensive zone as a center since 2013, but learning a new position at the NHL level would be a lot to ask, especially trying to do it on the first line.

Yes i would like richards out there over king alot of the time.
However you are correct with his lack of experience on the wing. Would be nice if he was seeing shifts there in the AHL.

 

[Herby]

Yes i would like richards out there over king alot of the time.
However you are correct with his lack of experience on the wing. Would be nice if he was seeing shifts there in the AHL.

Dwight King ends up on scoring lines because he does the dirty stuff on the ice that compliments skilled players. He certainly has plenty of faults but he is excellent on the forecheck and at winning board battles. Do you really think MR could effectively play that role? King has about 5 inches and 35 lbs on Richards.

Mike Richards is an extremely limited player at this stage in his career, he isn't a goal-scorer, he is terrible defensively, he really has abandoned his physical game, he isn't a very good skater. Richards is still a smart player in the offensive game who can distribute the puck a bit and he is still a very good PK'er, but the negatives far outweigh the positives and you just can't put him on a line with Kopitar at this point in his career.

 

[damacles1156]

I agree with you, it is a bit of a damned if you do, damned if you don't type thing.

My whole point was in response to the poster talking about teams suddenly wanting to trade for MR because he put up 3 points against the Albany River Ra..err Devils, totally forgetting the 120+ games before that in the NHL.

Points are a positive thing because if MR is still an NHL player (I think he is a tweener) he should be scoring in the AHL, so that's a good thing, but I'm still more concerned about the 200 foot game and the lack of any defensive effort that Richards showed for the Kings, which was the main reason he was sent down. If anyone in the NHL takes a chance on MR it's going to be as a bottom six guy with those "intangibles" who won't be a liability out there. No one is trading for MR to be their 2nd line C.

Well if he can learn to play wing at the AHL level, he may be able to save his career. The defensive side of the game is way less at Wing.

The guy is not going to be a goal scorer, people need to push that out of their mind. Richards still posses good vision in the Offensive zone, he can still pass at the NHL level.

But no one should be surprised, if Sutter sticks him with Clifford,Lewis,Stoll,Nolan or any of the Kings crappy bottom six. Then wonder why Richards is not Justin williams, and producing.

Let's be honest, the bottom six needs an entire revamp, and resigning Clifford (Lombardi rumored) is a terrible start to that.

 

[damacles1156]

It would make a hell of a lot more sense to buy him out than to have him play in Manchester for that kind of money. The savings would be very significant three out of five years.

The Cap hit is Ten years....TEN YEARS. You people understand that right ?

Year Four and Five is over 4.0 million in dead cap space.. It's 1.8 million yearly.

Lombardi is saving about 980k right now(they have called no one up). .

Buyout's are not designed to help teams in this CBA, they are designed to PUNISH GM's/teams that use them.

Wouldn't you as a GM rather try and see if Richards can somehow reshape himself into a productive NHL player ?

If Richards can get back to 10-15 goals and 30-35A a team may take a chance on him, in a year or two.

That's way better than buying out his albatross of a Contract.

Plus you have to go to your Boss and say "I need 20 million dollars to make this guy go away, Also it's going to handcuff me cap wise for TEN YEARS".

I bet Lombardi is dying to have that conversation with AEG.

 

[Herby]

The Cap hit is Ten years....TEN YEARS. You people understand that right ?

Year Four and Five is over 4.0 million in dead cap space.. It's 1.8 million yearly.

Lombardi is saving about 980k right now(they have called no one up). .

I know, it's disgusting to think about and simply mind-blogging that Dean didn't use the compliance buyout.

But, other than years 4 and 5 it may not be so bad. Even if the Kings pay 2m for a fourth line center (which is on the high end) they would still be saving 2m in cap space by having that guy and MR's buyout hit than keeping MR.

But ya, those years four and five are what could be killer. But I still don't see anyway the Kings keep him for five more years, they will either retain money or if all else fails use the buyout. You just can't have almost 6m a year on the books for five more years.

 

[redcard]

Unless Richards didn't put any up, then that would be used as "Hey look Richards is doing nothing in the AHL"...Points matter in the AHL.

It's why Shore got a call up, production at a PRO level.

Yes, because scoring well in the AHL should be expected of Richards, he should have no problems producing at least as well as the rookies fighting for a call up. If he can't outproduce the guys who are stuck waiting for a shot with the big club, he's done.

Scoring isn't going to be enough for Richards, he didn't get sent down because he wasn't scoring. Plenty of guys on the team aren't scoring, he's down there because the effort level decreased significantly, and fixing that is the only way he's coming back up.

 

[KINGS17]

Kopitar all year long.

Kopitar is working himself back into Herby's Green Jacket award.

Stoll as well has been behind the play all year, he just hasn't paid for it in the plus minus area.

Center play 1-4 is a reason the Kings have sucked consistently. That includes Kopitar/Carter.

I would say Lewis, is about the only guy that hasn't cost the Kings in D zone consistently this year.

I never said that the other centers have had seasons to be proud of, I simply said Richards has been the worst of the bunch in his own zone.

To me, that is rather obvious.

 

[damacles1156]

I never said that the other centers have had seasons to be proud of, I simply said Richards has been the worst of the bunch in his own zone.

To me, that is rather obvious.

Doesn't matter know cause Richards is in the AHL. He can no longer be used as an excuse for the Kings Center play to continue to sink the Kings season.

 

[KINGS17]

I know, it's disgusting to think about and simply mind-blogging that Dean didn't use the compliance buyout.

But, other than years 4 and 5 it may not be so bad. Even if the Kings pay 2m for a fourth line center (which is on the high end) they would still be saving 2m in cap space by having that guy and MR's buyout hit than keeping MR.

But ya, those years four and five are what could be killer. But I still don't see anyway the Kings keep him for five more years, they will either retain money or if all else fails use the buyout. You just can't have almost 6m a year on the books for five more years.

I agree, unless Dean wants to trade him and retain a significant amount of his salary, a buy out is the way to go.

 

[KINGS17]

Doesn't matter know cause Richards is in the AHL. He can no longer be used as an excuse for the Kings Center play to continue to sink the Kings season.

His play wasn't an excuse to the rest of the centers. There is no excusing them with me. It's just plain and simple that Richards was the worst center on the roster and the Kings have a less expensive guy in Shore that deserved a shot.

Shore is going to have growing pains, no doubt. No doubt also that if Richards doesn't improve his play dramatically, that Shore is the guy you want on the NHL roster over Richards.

Please don't try to twist what I am saying. Kopitar and Carter have absolutely not gotten their jobs done this season. They are also more talented and better players than Richards is night in and night out. Hell I'm riding Kopitar's ass regarding his next contract in another thread. I really don't see how Kopitar not playing up to par has anything to do with Richards play being so poor that he is in the AHL.

 

[damacles1156]

His play wasn't an excuse to the rest of the centers. There is no excusing them with me. It's just plain and simple that Richards was the worst center on the roster and the Kings have a less expensive guy in Shore that deserved a shot.

Shore is going to have growing pains, no doubt. No doubt also that if Richards doesn't improve his play dramatically, that Shore is the guy you want on the NHL roster over Richards.

Please don't try to twist what I am saying. Kopitar and Carter have absolutely not gotten their jobs done this season. They are also more talented and better players than Richards is night in and night out.

You are rehashing what everyone in this thread already knows. How is it relevant at all , now that Richards is not even on an NHL roster anymore ?

He was sent down because of poor play, Everyone knows that. Why is this being discussed over, over, over, over.

This thread, should now focus on, how is Richards going to change his game and try to rebuild his career.

I don't understand why people have to come in this thread now and carpet bomb it with Richards sucks....Yeah we know that, it's why he is in the AHL.

People posted he played a decent/good game in the AHL, was that incorrect ?

Then you got folks coming in saying "Ahh that doesn't mean anything " he sucks "

I mean it's ridiculous.

I will give Herby some props with, he is at least open to the idea that Richards can play different, and maybe reinvent himself.