Mike Richards next Goal of the Year Contest
- Thread starter Peter James Bond
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Reclamation Project
Cut It All Right In Two
- Jul 6, 2011
- 34,135
- 3,783
go4hockey
Registered User
Reclamation Project
Cut It All Right In Two
- Jul 6, 2011
- 34,135
- 3,783
No, it's all about stats. I wish we could give up our defensive game (which gets us no where) and play a run and gun style. Must have all ze goals!!!111!1
etherialone
dialed in your mom
SAT JAN 11, 2014 RED WINGS. 3rd Period. ES.
I like the game and you do make a solid point PJB.
I still love MR but he does have to start scoring a goal here and there.
I like the game and you do make a solid point PJB.
I still love MR but he does have to start scoring a goal here and there.
Herby
How could Blake have known?
I love replies like this.
What else is he currently providing? Please I would love to hear this, rather than just throwing out the old "intangibles" line.
On pace for single digit goals, 2 assists in his past 12, 1 goal in 29, that tells you it's not offense.
On the ice for the most goals against of any Kings forward, last game Sutter played him 18 seconds total SH. His defensive game has been bad all season.
Physical play? Well his 16 PIM's say otherwise. Even the fans who support the Kings because of Richards have said he is not playing physical and is just waiting to "flip the switch" for the playoffs. This is a player who in his prime years was a 60-80 PIM player and this year he may not crack 30.
Faceoffs? Well he is at 54% so something to celebrate I guess, but he isn't ever going to be the Kings go-to faceoff guy, it's always going to be 11 or 28 depending on which side of the ice the draw is on.
Richards has not been good this year, if the Kings want to contend he will have to pick up his play in all three zones.
Reclamation Project
Cut It All Right In Two
- Jul 6, 2011
- 34,135
- 3,783
Herby
How could Blake have known?
Then why make replies like the one you did, essentially saying the people calling out MR awful season are only doing it based on stats.
And that is the most disappointing thing, that a player is playing so poorly defensively on a team that stresses defensive responsibility.
Reclamation Project
Cut It All Right In Two
- Jul 6, 2011
- 34,135
- 3,783
It was actually a reference to the fantasy players who always come in and ask why X player hasn't had a point in Y games or which goalie will start tonight.
And my second post was referring to how he would be the first one to say his game has fallen off since earlier in the season. Because he's a responsible player that is his biggest critic.
If the Kings were garbage defensively I'd be much more critical of his play, but they aren't aren't. In fact they're the complete opposite. I'm not defending him because he hasn't been playing well as a whole lately, but he certainly isn't some garbage fourth line player like many insinuate round these parts.
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The Butcher
Mammoth Mooseknuckles Hockey
Oh god, we do this every year. Richards goes through a patch of injuries or gets quiet for a few games and the usual suspects eventually start calling him out.
He's only barely reached the 30 goal mark twice in his career and it was in Philly. It's not what Lombardi brought him here to do.
I can't wait until april /may and we get to see everyone take their foot out of their mouth. Mike Richards is a stud and if you can't see it then we will have to agree to disagree.
He's only barely reached the 30 goal mark twice in his career and it was in Philly. It's not what Lombardi brought him here to do.
I can't wait until april /may and we get to see everyone take their foot out of their mouth. Mike Richards is a stud and if you can't see it then we will have to agree to disagree.
Ziggy Stardust
Master Debater
He's not exactly playing with any offensive dynamos of late as Toffoli has hit a cold streak and Frattin hasn't exactly shown he has a scoring touch as a member of the Kings. He's the leader of his line and of late his line actually has been very responsible defensively and hasn't been caught taking long shifts or trapped inside their own end. Let's not forget that his wingers are two guys known for being savvy two-way forwards, so give Richards credit for that.
Aside from the top line, the entire team has gone through an offensive funk, from forwards to defensemen who are expected to produce. Despite his inconsistent production of late, he's still tied with Kopitar for the team lead in assists and 2nd on the team with 29 points, which is only six points behind Kopitar's team leading 35 points.
His only stable linemate was Carter, and the way the top line is producing, I don't expect Richards to be reunited with him any time soon. He's had a rotating cast of wingers, Toffoli is still learning to play at this level, and he has probably had every forward on the roster try to play LW with him.
I'm not as worried with Richards and his lack of production as I was with Brown. Brown was ineffective and becoming a liability. Richards is pivotal on the PK, he's still generating scoring chances and eventually you hope that him and his linemates will start to bury on those chances.
Aside from the top line, the entire team has gone through an offensive funk, from forwards to defensemen who are expected to produce. Despite his inconsistent production of late, he's still tied with Kopitar for the team lead in assists and 2nd on the team with 29 points, which is only six points behind Kopitar's team leading 35 points.
His only stable linemate was Carter, and the way the top line is producing, I don't expect Richards to be reunited with him any time soon. He's had a rotating cast of wingers, Toffoli is still learning to play at this level, and he has probably had every forward on the roster try to play LW with him.
I'm not as worried with Richards and his lack of production as I was with Brown. Brown was ineffective and becoming a liability. Richards is pivotal on the PK, he's still generating scoring chances and eventually you hope that him and his linemates will start to bury on those chances.
Reclamation Project
Cut It All Right In Two
- Jul 6, 2011
- 34,135
- 3,783
It's not that he only produces when Carter's next to him, but rather that's the only time he's had established talent next to him.
Toffoli is still a kid in the NHL. I'll give him a pass.
Frattin is an enigma. He's looked great the last couple games, but every time he has a scoring chance gift-wrapped for him he whiffs.
Toffoli is still a kid in the NHL. I'll give him a pass.
Frattin is an enigma. He's looked great the last couple games, but every time he has a scoring chance gift-wrapped for him he whiffs.
Ziggy Stardust
Master Debater
Agreed on Frattin. He gets at least one to two good looks at the net and ends up shooting high or wide. Toffoli is always going to shoot so Frattin should have the mindset of crashing hard to the net. Richards is always looking to set those two up and the past couple of games they have looked strong in the offensive zone, they just have no goals to show for it.
Herby
How could Blake have known?
A few quiet games? A few quiet games? You really think this poor (or excuse me quiet) play is a few games?
Again, it's a lot more than lack of offense, it's poor defensive play and a lack of physical play. No one was expecting him to be a 30 goal scorer, but on pace for single digits, while being on the ice for a ton of goals against and providing little physical play while making close to $8 million? I think it's more than fair to be critical.
I guess we will find out in the playoffs if he indeed is just going to flip a switch, but as of right now he is playing the worst hockey of his career and that is why his icetime is down a lot lately. Stoll has simply outplayed him in all facets of the game and that is why Stoll is the 2nd line center right now.
jml87
Registered User
- Jun 27, 2011
- 2,912
- 1
So I'm wondering who is going to set Mike up for a goal? Frattin isn't really doing anything outside just being the plug of the day and Toffoli should be shooting every chance he gets and is still learning. So he's going to pass the puck 9 times out of 10. He was scoring before because King was setting him up like he does now for Kopi and Carter. So he's going to spend most the game passing it to his linemates, so the way his line is set up now, he's not going to get a lot of goals.
And he may cost 7.6 mil this year but his cap hit is 5.75 and that's all that really matters. He obviously needs to score more than six but setting the bar at 30 is kind of strange when no one besides Carter is even on track for that.
And he may cost 7.6 mil this year but his cap hit is 5.75 and that's all that really matters. He obviously needs to score more than six but setting the bar at 30 is kind of strange when no one besides Carter is even on track for that.
King'sPawn
Enjoy the chaos
- Jul 1, 2003
- 23,230
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Richards hasn't performed well, but the premise of this thread is silly. He is a quality player who brings a lot to the game.
He will bounce back, just like the other good players on the team who have underachieved.
He will bounce back, just like the other good players on the team who have underachieved.
KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
- Apr 6, 2006
- 32,593
- 11,785
Mike Richards is the type of center that I expect to be able to break kids into the NHL. It's part of his job. His line is seeing lesser competition as the opposition matches up their top defensive pairs against the Kopitar and Stoll lines. There really is no excuse for Richards and Toffoli to be so unproductive in the roles that they have at this time.
Kopitar certainly doesn't deserve a pass when he goes on an extended dry spell (BTW Anze, yes you do need to shoot more), and neither should Richards. There are rumors out there that Mike doesn't exactly work that hard in the off season. When you see him without his equipment he doesn't look like a gym rat. I think he is going to have to become one if he wants to extend his career.
MON JAN 13, 2014 CANUCKS (2nd period, ES)
SAT JAN 18, 2014 RED WINGS (3rd period, PP)
Kopitar certainly doesn't deserve a pass when he goes on an extended dry spell (BTW Anze, yes you do need to shoot more), and neither should Richards. There are rumors out there that Mike doesn't exactly work that hard in the off season. When you see him without his equipment he doesn't look like a gym rat. I think he is going to have to become one if he wants to extend his career.
MON JAN 13, 2014 CANUCKS (2nd period, ES)
SAT JAN 18, 2014 RED WINGS (3rd period, PP)
kingsfan
President of the Todd McLellan fan club by default
We get it, you don't like the guy. But let's look at your facts from the other side shall we?
Yes, goals production downright brutal, but why slap out the points as well? You mention two assists in 12 games, but ignore the 27 points in 33 games before that. If he had maintained that pace all season, he'd have finished with 67 points. Pretty good for a 2nd line centre. Lately he's been off offenseively, but 2/3rds of the year he's been actually quite productive.
Last game Sutter played Richards for 18 seconds on the PK. And? He's averaged 1:47 a game on the PK the entire seasson. He must be doing something right since that's 4th amongst all Kings forwards and the Kings PK is top 10 in the league.
So PIM's = physicality? A low PIM total doesn't mean a lack of physical play. Robyn Regehr has just seven more penalty minutes all season than Richards, and he plays more minutes a game. Is Regehr not physical now either? You can play your game without taking PIM's.
I'm not going to say he's been terrific, but he's better than you imply. Not that that's shocking though, you always rag on this guy.
go4hockey
Registered User
For all the haters the trade for him made us from an also ran to a contender. I have watched almost 40 years of trash and now we have a great team and all most fan wanna do is ***** and moan about our team. Do those people ever enjoy anything ? Anyone that has watched this team for decades we have little to ***** about so take a min and enjoy the success this group and our best GM ever are having.
