Mike Richards next Goal of the Year Contest

[Reclamation Project]

Yeah but they created something with each other instantly, and for some reason Richards couldn't. It's kind of hard to believe how so many people have a hard time admitting that Richards has been pretty bad. And what about people saying Richards could elevate his linemates? The excuses just pile on. He's been pretty bad and there's nothing else behind it.

To quote myself...

Post #7 - "He'd be the first person to say it."
Post #9 - "...he hasn't been playing well as a whole lately..."

Everyone can shrug me off as a Richards homer and an excuse maker, but I believe when a player had produced at an effective pace at the beginning of the season and now isn't, there is a reason for it. And trying to find logical reasons isn't piling on excuses. Everyone **** talking is piling on.

 

[moosehead81]

Yeah but they created something with each other instantly, and for some reason Richards couldn't. It's kind of hard to believe how so many people have a hard time admitting that Richards has been pretty bad. And what about people saying Richards could elevate his linemates? The excuses just pile on. He's been pretty bad and there's nothing else behind it.

Well then, get him traded but make sure it's to the Eastern Conference cause he'll for sure come back and bite you in the ass. And, by the way, you might want to consider getting rid of Carter too; they're almost a matched pair.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

To quote myself...

Post #7 - "He'd be the first person to say it."
Post #9 - "...he hasn't been playing well as a whole lately..."

Everyone can shrug me off as a Richards homer and an excuse maker, but I believe when a player had produced at an effective pace at the beginning of the season and now isn't, there is a reason for it. And trying to find logical reasons isn't piling on excuses. Everyone **** talking is piling on.

He played phenomenal earlier, I'm not saying he's sucked the whole season, there's a reason. Just don't know what, and I'm just saying that it's hilarious that people say he hasn't been bad, we saw how he played earlier, and he's not playing close to how he was earlier. He's been bad, but he was real good earlier, I'm just saying this, because it's funny that people are blaming the wingers for him doing bad whenyyou can tell he's not even in to the game.

 

[Reclamation Project]

The physicality comments are a joke too. I'm glad he doesn't fly into corners and hit everything willy nilly anymore. I don't want him missing a ton of games with a concussion. I'm crazy like that.

 

[moosehead81]

He played phenomenal earlier, I'm not saying he's sucked the whole season, there's a reason. Just don't know what, and I'm just saying that it's hilarious that people say he hasn't been bad, we saw how he played earlier, and he's not playing close to how he was earlier. He's been bad, but he was real good earlier, I'm just saying this, because it's funny that people are blaming the wingers for him doing bad whenyyou can tell he's not even in to the game.

Put Kopitar with Toffoli and a slug on the other side, drop his minutes about 4 a game and tell me he'd be any better than Mike's been.

 

[The Butcher]

It's not like this is richie's first stretch of bad games. I wish we could debate players without constantly blaming them personally for all the games ups and downs. The only players that never go through slumps are mario lemieux, wayne gretzky, and sidney crosby. Richards is none of those people.

I really wish more of you would give our players the benefit of the doubt on occasion.

 

[go4hockey]

Im just curious, did i miss something. Rick only make 5.5 million?

That's hit cap hit but he makes more during this stretch and it goes down the back half of contract soon he will be playing for a dollar figure well under the cap hit.

 

[Reclamation Project]

He'd be the first one to tell you that.

Like I said...

http://www.nhl.com/ice/blogpost.htm?id=25024&navid=nhl:topheads

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Put Kopitar with Toffoli and a slug on the other side, drop his minutes about 4 a game and tell me he'd be any better than Mike's been.

Toffoli is not the problem, that's just a poor excuse, a veteran who "elevates everyone's play" should be making Toffoli be scoring more. Kopitar wouldn't be going down that part so that switch up to happen is impossible, because Kopitar hasn't been playing bad like Richards has to get him playing third line minutes. Stop blaming the wingers, they have a little fault, but it's fall our Richards shoulders for what's happened.

 

[MsMeow]

Oh, look, it's Herby's favourite thread. When he was almost at a point per game you were nowhere to be found, but as soon as there is an opportunity to rip the guy, you're first in line.

Give him King and Carter again like earlier on and he'll be fine. It's not happening with the likes of Lewis, Carbomb and Cliffy. Maybe Frattin, Richards and Toffoli will find some chemistry.

 

[johnjm22]

This looks like it will be the 2nd year in a row in which Richards will have the worst +/- of any regular skater on the team.

His ineffectiveness at both ends of the ice is a direct result of his skating, and not playing with Carter IMO.

I do think he'll play better eventually, but I'm not expecting much. I think it's largly a conditioning issue. He's having a hard time keeping up with the pace of the game.

 

[The Butcher]

The way I see it is if you don't like Mike Richards, then you don't like the Kings. Lombardi has gone on record as saying he "embodies all that is great about sports" or something like that. Lombardi would marry this guy if it was legal. The dude ain't going anywhere as long as we have this GM and everyone might do well to just get used to it.

 

[no name]

He had Brown and Williams on his wing and he did jack with them. It's not like they neutered him, he played himself into that position.

He played with Williams for a combined 9 games and Brown for a combined 3 games after he was split up with Carter. Williams has been miserable since leaving Kopitar with the exception of a handful of games. He's scored at a .44 PPG clip since leaving the top line. That includes the 3 points yesterday. Brown has been worse with the exception of the last 3 games.

 

[TheSentinel]

The way I see it is if you don't like Mike Richards, then you don't like the Kings. Lombardi has gone on record as saying he "embodies all that is great about sports" or something like that. Lombardi would marry this guy if it was legal. The dude ain't going anywhere as long as we have this GM and everyone might do well to just get used to it.

You've got it all wrong, if you don't like Quick, you don't like the Kings. I mean, If you don't like Brown, you don't like the Kings. Or is it Kopitar, no, no , It's Carter. Oh i know it's Lewis.

 

[no name]

Peoples math on this board is terrible. The on pace for goal totals that people keep pulling out of their ***** are hilarious.

 

[no name]

This looks like a very kind way of saying that his wingers are not doing jack **** so he has to do it himself.

"""It's been frustrating," Richards said. "But I'm not a natural goal scorer as Jeff would be. I have to kind of earn what I get. I have to stop looking for the pass-first mentality that I usually come with and try to get pucks to the net more. I don't use it very often, but I have a decent shot, so I think I have to get back to trying to shoot more instead of trying to pick your targets."""

 

[johnjm22]

Not having good wingers will hurt your production, but it doesn't make you a bad player.

Richards himself has been flat out bad. He's slow as molasses. Always behind the play, his hitting has dropped even more from last year, he's not good one on one defensivly anymore.

Nearly every game he squanders a would be scoring chance because a defender catches him from behind.

 

[etherialone]

I can't believe we are actually arguing about Richards lack of goal scoring. I mean this is clutch Rick right? What the heck. It's one thing to poke at a player for dropping their goal scoring but another to bash his entire game.

MR is MR and I can't imagine where we would be without or if I could I wouldn't want to for very long.

He was THE key piece to our winning the cup.

 

[The Butcher]

I can't believe we are actually arguing about Richards lack of goal scoring. I mean this is clutch Rick right? What the heck. It's one thing to poke at a player for dropping their goal scoring but another to bash his entire game.

MR is MR and I can't imagine where we would be without or if I could I wouldn't want to for very long.

He was THE key piece to our winning the cup.

 

[Herby]

I can't believe we are actually arguing about Richards lack of goal scoring. I mean this is clutch Rick right? What the heck. It's one thing to poke at a player for dropping their goal scoring but another to bash his entire game.

MR is MR and I can't imagine where we would be without or if I could I wouldn't want to for very long.

He was THE key piece to our winning the cup.

People are bashing his all around game because he has not been poor defensively this season. Do you disagree with that assessment?

As for the key piece, please tell me where the Kings stood in the standings the day they traded for Jeff Carter.

 

[Herby]

Oh, look, it's Herby's favourite thread. When he was almost at a point per game you were nowhere to be found, but as soon as there is an opportunity to rip the guy, you're first in line.

Give him King and Carter again like earlier on and he'll be fine. It's not happening with the likes of Lewis, Carbomb and Cliffy. Maybe Frattin, Richards and Toffoli will find some chemistry.

So he needs Carter to be an effective offensive player, happy to see you agree with me. Now can you explain why he is so awful defensively?

I just hope he isn't traded anytime soon, would hate to see so many of these new posters have to cheer for a third different team.

 

[Reclamation Project]

 

[gtwyc]

I can't believe we are actually arguing about Richards lack of goal scoring. I mean this is clutch Rick right? What the heck. It's one thing to poke at a player for dropping their goal scoring but another to bash his entire game.

MR is MR and I can't imagine where we would be without or if I could I wouldn't want to for very long.

He was THE key piece to our winning the cup.

i love richards but one thing that bugs me on this board is that people defend him when hes playing bad with statements like the bolded above or by saying he canon!

its okay for people to be critical on a player who is playing like garbage...

hes looked better of late and obviously will pick it up eventually

 

[Herby]

I know stats mean nothing compared to intangibles, but just for fun and discussion

Here are the # of even-strength goals against for the Kings top 6 forwards this season (based on average TOI)

Mike Richards - 27
Jeff Carter - 22
Justin Williams - 16
Jarret Stoll - 15
Dustin Brown - 12
Anze Kopitar - 12

Other than keeping the Kings two best forwards together on line one, this is likely another reason that certain players no longer play together. Although in fairness to Carter, the amount of times he has been on the ice for GA has gone down since he started playing with Kopitar.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

i love richards but one thing that bugs me on this board is that people defend him when hes playing bad with statements like the bolded above or by saying he canon!

its okay for people to be critical on a player who is playing like garbage...

hes looked better of late and obviously will pick it up eventually

Yeah, it's pretty irritating, Mr is Mr kind of crap, he's like golden boy around here, if he's not playing good, it's HES cannon though, the piece. Like he can do no wrong around here.