Mike Richards VI (UGH): The Armageddon Edition (MOD NOTE POST #1)

[Chain]

If he possibly got serious jail time, then yes it sure would, but that is highly unlikely. Richards is now going to have his own skyscraper of legal representation behind him. Unless there was a dead body in the back, there's no way this gets that far. A small charge deal would be struck, kind of like Stoll's case. Their DA's aren't going to mess with this, their precedents aren't on the line.

There are obviously parts to this we don't know yet, but I'd think crossing the border with contraband would probably add a significant element that didn't exist in the Stoll case that would make it harder for Richards to plea bargain.

 

[Atas2000]

I'm not a medical professional for the time being, but that does strike me odd. How could it have a medical use in one country but not the other?

Quite easily actually. Every country has different prosedures to make those lists. A lot of stuff considered medicine in one country can be considered illegal/dangerous and so on in another.

 

[Face Wash]

Can you imagine how pissed Dean was when we found out Richards had been arrested days earlier but neither Richards nor his agent told Dean until draft day? I'd be furious.

Are you really surprised that their relationship had deteriorated to that point? Sure it's unprofessional to handle it that way and it will no doubt be part of any hearing but it really shouldn't be a surprise at this point.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

I'm not a medical professional for the time being, but that does strike me odd. How could it have a medical use in one country but not the other?

Because canada's version of the FDA isn't run by the pharmaceutical industry

 

[Captain Mittens*]

My video player's not working, could you tell me what was said?

No.
1-You are a Duck fan
2- you are a big boy who can figure it or for himself
3- that incorrect use of the apostrophe is making me want to take oxycodone

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Perhaps Lombardi DIDN'T think this through. Perhaps, trade talks in the works, he heard about Richards situation, which he didn't tell the team about, and became livid. Perhaps such anger, after the Voynov and Stoll situations, provoked him to just say **** it, we're terminating the contract.

I'd have to think Richards materially breached in some other way, however. Perhaps by not informing the team, perhaps it was a third strike situation relevant to an addendum on his SPC, or a private agreement signed between player and club (if that's even possible).

 

[yankeeking]

I'm not a medical professional for the time being, but that does strike me odd. How could it have a medical use in one country but not the other?

norco's are on that list also, i have a prescription here in calif. but they are sold on the black market here for 4 or 5 bucks a pill and you can buy them in ensenada while visiting "la bufordora" at a sidewalk stand with no prescription

 

[Scottkmlps]

Can you imagine how pissed Dean was when we found out Richards had been arrested days earlier but neither Richards nor his agent told Dean until draft day? I'd be furious.

I wonder if that has something to do with the termination. An arrest without informing your employer would be grounds for termination, would it not?

 

[Fishhead]

There are obviously parts to this we don't know yet, but I'd think crossing the border with contraband would probably add a significant element that didn't exist in the Stoll case that would make it harder for Richards to plea bargain.

Yes. And on top of this, Homeland can bar entry to any foreigner that has committed any drug offense, charges or not. Even if charges are completely dropped, homeland security can still say "nope".

 

[yankeeking]

Because canada's version of the FDA isn't run by the pharmaceutical industry

this times 10

 

[TonySCV]

Are you really surprised that their relationship had deteriorated to that point? Sure it's unprofessional to handle it that way and it will no doubt be part of any hearing but it really shouldn't be a surprise at this point.

Richards relationship aside, there's ethics questions for his agent, who I would think had to know about this. If he'd kept it quiet for a few more days, the Kings would have paid Richards a crapton of money he now may not get.

Lot of money involved here given the timing. So close to a buyout (and now so far). That's what I would be pissed about if I were Dean - the appearance of trying to keep it quiet so Richards would get a buyout.

 

[AKAY47]

Assuming the Oxy rumors are true, I don't see it being enough to terminate his contract. Richards has endured an extreme amount of physical abuse over his career, it shouldn't be surprising if we assume he was taking or addicted to pain killers. Yes it is serious, but even still, this would not be something he would be terminated for, even if he was driving a Mack Truck filled with them through the border. If there isn't anything more to the story, I don't see them having a leg to stand on when the NHLPA inevitably appeals.

Yeah. This is basically what I'm trying to say.

 

[Martyros]

I see.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Perhaps Lombardi DIDN'T think this through.

I going to stop you right there. Lombardi over thinks beeakfast.

 

[Telos]

There are obviously parts to this we don't know yet, but I'd think crossing the border with contraband would probably add a significant element that didn't exist in the Stoll case that would make it harder for Richards to plea bargain.

I don't know if it would. If we assume that all the facts have been revealed and this is it, then there is already precedent for this case. There have been athletes caught at the border or at airports with drugs before and as far as I can tell, none of them have had their contracts terminated. Eric Macramella said last night as one of his examples that a baseball player had been caught with drugs at the Mexican border, had his team move to terminate his contract, and the ruling fell in favor of the player to keep his money.

While these crimes are serious in nature, it has to be a very special case to warrant contract termination. As I said, unless a body was found or something, I don't see how this holds up against appeals. Unfortunately for the Kings they have recent and fresh shining examples that the NHLPA can throw back in their faces. Voynov is going to be a pretty well-cited example thrown around should this make it anywhere.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Thing about the Voynov excuse is that termination is completely optional. DL doesn't have to justify not terming Voynov's contract. At all.

Now if he had attempted to term the contract on Voynov and the NHL said no, then it becomes relevant in that they could simply say that Voynov's situation could be considered more serious and they said no in his case, but no termination was sought, so there's no reference.

 

[santiclaws]

Assuming the Oxy rumors are true, I don't see it being enough to terminate his contract. Richards has endured an extreme amount of physical abuse over his career, it shouldn't be surprising if we assume he was taking or addicted to pain killers. Yes it is serious, but even still, this would not be something he would be terminated for, even if he was driving a Mack Truck filled with them through the border. If there isn't anything more to the story, I don't see them having a leg to stand on when the NHLPA inevitably appeals.

Uh, a Mack Truck full of Oxy would land him in a federal prison - for decades. "Not serious enough for a termination"????? You understand that in the eyes of the law, oxy without a prescription is an illegal Schedule II drug? And smuggling illegal drugs across the border, even for personal consumption, is an EXTREMELY serious offense? As in, a felony? You understand that he will not be able to travel to the U.S. (and therefore unable to do his job) if he is convicted of a drug offense?

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Could not letting the team know about the arrest be grounds for termination?

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I going to stop you right there. Lombardi over thinks beeakfast.

Lol, I know, just thinking out loud here. I'd imagine the last year is enough to break any man, force him to start making decisions with his emotions. Just a thought.

 

[TonySCV]

I wonder if that has something to do with the termination. An arrest without informing your employer would be grounds for termination, would it not?

Given how subjectively worded that part of the CBA is, hell yes.

Try to keep it quiet until pay day? Yeah, I'd say that is grounds for a termination.

 

[moosehead81]

I wonder if that has something to do with the termination. An arrest without informing your employer would be grounds for termination, would it not?

Mike Richards was not arrested. He was detained at the Canadian customs crossing at Emerson, Manitoba (opposite North Dakota), probably heading back to Canada from LA, for 4 hours and is currently under investigation by the RCMP and CCS for something pertaining to oxycontin. I've seen people detained at that crossing for at least 4 hours while their vehicles are being searched, so that length of detention is not unusual. He was not arrested.

 

[niomosy]

Lol, I know, just thinking out loud here. I'd imagine the last year is enough to break any man, force him to start making decisions with his emotions. Just a thought.

I've been on a similar line of thinking with Lombardi as a possibility as well. It seems out of place for Dean but people have done stranger things when they feel people have back-stabbed them.

 

[TonySCV]

Sure seems like the Kings move (with NHL support mind you) to void the contract has everything to do with the ethics portion of the CBA where the player and agent have a responsibility to disclose arrests when they occur.

The timing is what is REALLY odorous. Richards was literally days away from a $14M payday if Dean had gone through with the buyout, and GOOD LUCK voiding that or getting cap relief once the buyout decision was made. Not saying something almost screwed the Kings out of a ton of money.

Everyone is fixated on the drugs but that is probably secondary to the primary sin of not promptly informing the Kings, potentially because of a huge monetary conflict of interest.

Follow the money! Never fails.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Mike Richards was not arrested. He was detained at the Canadian customs crossing at Emerson, Manitoba (opposite North Dakota), probably heading back to Canada from LA, for 4 hours and is currently under investigation by the RCMP and CCS for something pertaining to oxycontin. I've seen people detained at that crossing for at least 4 hours while their vehicles are being searched, so that length of detention is not unusual. He was not arrested.

https://twitter.com/friesensunmedia/status/616043261631660032?lang=en

 

[Telos]

Thing about the Voynov excuse is that termination is completely optional. DL doesn't have to justify not terming Voynov's contract. At all.

Now if he had attempted to term the contract on Voynov and the NHL said no, then it becomes relevant in that they could simply say that Voynov's situation could be considered more serious and they said no in his case, but no termination was sought, so there's no reference.

Dean Lombardi absolutely has to justify it. The NHLPA exists to conserve player's rights against their employers. These rights are assumed to be equal for any and all players within the association. If Voynov is allowed to screw up with the law and take a whole season off sitting around in court room and get every one of his paychecks despite allegedly hurting another human being, then that same right absolutely must apply to Richards getting potentially caught with some pain killers at the border which involves only himself. This is a two way street option. The team has the right to file for termination, but the NHLPA has the right to appeal and Dean absolutely must prove why such a harsh punishment must be applied to Richards over any other player in the NHL or else it sets a precedent that can be followed by any other team. The proof has to be incredibly substantial.

Uh, a Mack Truck full of Oxy would land him in a federal prison - for decades. "Not serious enough for a termination"????? You understand that in the eyes of the law, oxy without a prescription is an illegal Schedule II drug? And smuggling illegal drugs across the border, even for personal consumption, is an EXTREMELY serious offense? As in, a felony? You understand that he will not be able to travel to the U.S. (and therefore unable to do his job) if he is convicted of a drug offense?

There is already precedent of athletes trafficking drugs though. LaMarr Hoyt was arrested for trying to bring cocaine into the US through the Mexican border, his team filed to terminate his contract and the arbitrator ordered him to be re-instated and the contract termination failed. The reasons to justify contract termination are slim. Unless something else comes to light, Richards isn't going to be serving 10 years in jail, there isn't much here to force a contract termination.