Mike Richards, what happened?

[MsMeow]

This "party" reputation is based on a couple of photos and some hearsay from his time in Philadelphia. There's nothing to indicate he's been some kind of party animal in LA, or anything else to suggest he's partied more than any other young athlete his age.

He has, however, admitted he'd been lax about his off-season conditioning in the past, has received two notable concussions since he got here, and has always played in a style that's going to be tough on his small frame.

Someone upthread said he had a bad attitude. If that were the case, he would be sulking in Manchester but he's playing a ton and has a lot of points. I hope someone can pick him up or that the Kings will recall him for the playoffs...assuming they make it.

 

[Mikeshane]

He has been going downhill for awhile. He was never as good on LA as he was on Phily, even in the first cup run. So it's not like his play just dropped off a cliff this year.

 

[Church of Toews*]

neat little fact from his cup run with the flyers to last years PO Mike Richards has played 95 games thats an entire season of hockey right there i think the milage is a major part in his sharp decline he has not had a decently lengthed offseason since 2011 and even then he went to the second round. Add in the concussions he got in 2012 and 2013 his play is greatly affected by it

 

[Baemon Severson*]

The Richards trade has to go down as one of the worst in recent history for LA. Just brutal

 

[damacles1156]

The Richards trade has to go down as one of the worst in recent history for LA. Just brutal

Not even close, the Kings don't win the first cup in 45 years with Jarret Stoll as their second line Center.

Carter may not be a King without Richards (who knows).

Lombardi makes that Richards trade, 10 out of 10 times.

The screw up, was not buying him out when he had the chance to rid the team of his cap hit.

Not the actual trade.

 

[ScaredStreit]

Richards was always overrated. Granted he was always a legit NHLer, but still.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Does anyone have any links talking about his partying off ice?

email the idiot Flyers beat writers. I am sure they would love to dig up ******** on Richards for you.

 

[Voight]

Richards was always overrated. Granted he was always a legit NHLer, but still.

I disagree, he was pretty solid in Philly including his 75 and 70 point seasons. You could expect 60-70 points from him consistently.

This is probably the one thing that i think o when hearing or seeing his name -


Even if he is lax in the off season Kessel is pretty lax too and seems to be doing just fine. Mileage and concussions has more to do with his decline than his off season activity.

 

[tucker3434]

Is he not even a 3rd liner anymore? Seems he's still contributing at least some points. Is it really to a point where the team is worse when he's in the lineup?

 

[Osprey]

Now he's in the AHL? He's only 30. What happened? Injuries? Lack of confidence? Cannot find his place on the team?

How can this guy be an AHL'er?

Is he not even a 3rd liner anymore? Seems he's still contributing at least some points. Is it really to a point where the team is worse when he's in the lineup?

He's in the AHL purely because of his contract. His numbers in LA this year were actually 3rd-line numbers, despite him playing on the 4th line. He's most definitely still an NHLer and he'd still be in LA right now if his cap hit were lower. Once the deadline passes, if he's still in the organization and the Kings have the cap space for him, they'll surely bring him back up.

 

[tucker3434]

He's in the AHL purely because of his contract. His numbers in LA this year were actually 3rd-line numbers, despite him playing on the 4th line. He's most definitely still an NHLer and he'd still be in LA right now if his cap hit were lower. Once the deadline passes, if he's still in the organization and the Kings have the cap space for him, they'll surely bring him back up.

But they're only saving $900k by keeping him in the NHL. Are they that tight against the cap?

 

[Telos]

Yeah, Richards isn't in the NHL right now mainly because of money. If he cost less then the Kings would still have him in the lineup. He's certainly not done playing in the NHL, that's for sure.

 

[Herby]

He is not in the AHL because of his contract, that is an excuse for people who don't want to admit how bad it got. The Kings are paying more in actual dollars and the same amount of cap space to have Richards in the AHL and his replacement Shore in the NHL as they would with just Richards in the NHL.

Richards is in the AHL because he doesn't score enough to play a top six role, he isn't physical enough to play a gritty fourth line role and he is absolutely terrible defensively so he can't play that role. It's easy to look at the offensive numbers being terrible, and MR was on pace for 26 points, but the more alarming thing was just how bad he was defensively, if Richards had been able to be even competent defensively he could have slid into a checking role and this thread would never exist, but it was the whole package with this collapse, offense, defense and physicality all basically ceased to exist.

People always look for some kind of reason why the collapse happened, concussions, wear and tear, shoulder, ankle, partying, viral infections but no one really knows. The only thing for sure is that his play over his last 125 or so games in the NHL did not warrant a spot on the Kings so he was sent to the Monarchs. I am in the minority of my fellow Kings fans on Richards (have been for over a year now) but I don't see him back in the NHL again, I think the Kings buy him out and he heads to Europe or stays in the AHL if he doesn't want to move. I don't think fans who are usually asleep when the Kings are on realized just how bad it got, teams just don't send guys making $6m a year to the minors unless they have lost all hope, which I think the Kings have done with Richards.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

heads to Europe

He can't skate, he'll be just as useless anywhere in Europe.

 

[Voight]

But they're only saving $900k by keeping him in the NHL. Are they that tight against the cap?

Pretty much. Voynov's salary is still on the books despite not playing since October. They were tight to begin with but his situation made it worse.

Its why we had to retool after our 2010 run. We were way too tight against the cap and had to start integrating younger players into the lineup who costed less than the Ladd's and Byfuglien's of the team.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

...or, seeing as how his current form and role had no significant impact on the Kings most nights the way things were becoming, you send him down to get more ice time and work on his problems. To try to get him to prove to himself and others that he can still contribute at the NHL level, for LA or somebody else. Which he seems to be doing.

 

[Herby]

He can't skate, he'll be just as useless anywhere in Europe.

Mike Richards would still be an effective player in any European league and a star in quite a few of them. He clearly wasn't an effective NHL'er for the last 15 months, but the NHL is still worlds better than those leagues.

Richards career is pretty similar to Mike York's, basically overnight at age 29 the wheels came off and he went from a very good NHL'er to an AHL'er. Once York realized the NHL career was over he went to Europe and has had a nice career over there and is making significantly more than he would have in the AHL. I see the same for Richards, and no shame in that, they were both excellent players in their 20's. Some guys bodies just give out sooner than others.

 

[damacles1156]

...or, seeing as how his current form and role had no significant impact on the Kings most nights the way things were becoming, you send him down to get more ice time and work on his problems. To try to get him to prove to himself and others that he can still contribute at the NHL level, for LA or somebody else. Which he seems to be doing.

Bingo.

Lombardi has already stated he expected no team to claim Richards. Richards is almost playing 20 minutes a night in Manchester.

That wasn't going to happen on the Kings, even if Richards had played (average).

 

[Fripp]

Concussions.

 

[KINGS17]

He is not in the AHL because of his contract, that is an excuse for people who don't want to admit how bad it got. The Kings are paying more in actual dollars and the same amount of cap space to have Richards in the AHL and his replacement Shore in the NHL as they would with just Richards in the NHL.

Richards is in the AHL because he doesn't score enough to play a top six role, he isn't physical enough to play a gritty fourth line role and he is absolutely terrible defensively so he can't play that role. It's easy to look at the offensive numbers being terrible, and MR was on pace for 26 points, but the more alarming thing was just how bad he was defensively, if Richards had been able to be even competent defensively he could have slid into a checking role and this thread would never exist, but it was the whole package with this collapse, offense, defense and physicality all basically ceased to exist.

People always look for some kind of reason why the collapse happened, concussions, wear and tear, shoulder, ankle, partying, viral infections but no one really knows. The only thing for sure is that his play over his last 125 or so games in the NHL did not warrant a spot on the Kings so he was sent to the Monarchs. I am in the minority of my fellow Kings fans on Richards (have been for over a year now) but I don't see him back in the NHL again, I think the Kings buy him out and he heads to Europe or stays in the AHL if he doesn't want to move. I don't think fans who are usually asleep when the Kings are on realized just how bad it got, teams just don't send guys making $6m a year to the minors unless they have lost all hope, which I think the Kings have done with Richards.

This is all true in terms of Richards' performance over the last season and a half. Richards has been most noticeable when he loses his check in front of his own net. Yes, he was that bad defensively.

He may be able to re-invent himself as a LW, but I think it will only happen if the Kings buy out his contract and he can be signed to a less expensive contract by another NHL team.

 

[BB1133]

He can't skate, that's what happened.

 

[Jester9881]

Style of play, to go along with playing 95 postseason games the last 5 years. That will make you age quickly.

 

[Svechnikov*]

He used to be one of the best top-line centers in the league. Great defensively, leader and hard-worker. Was also pretty damn good at scoring points.

Now he's in the AHL? He's only 30. What happened? Injuries? Lack of confidence? Cannot find his place on the team?

How can this guy be an AHL'er?

The Shift

Paul Holmgren wrote his contract. Tis what happened

 

[Jester9881]

Mike Richards would still be an effective player in any European league and a star in quite a few of them. He clearly wasn't an effective NHL'er for the last 15 months, but the NHL is still worlds better than those leagues.

Richards career is pretty similar to Mike York's, basically overnight at age 29 the wheels came off and he went from a very good NHL'er to an AHL'er. Once York realized the NHL career was over he went to Europe and has had a nice career over there and is making significantly more than he would have in the AHL. I see the same for Richards, and no shame in that, they were both excellent players in their 20's. Some guys bodies just give out sooner than others.

Mike York was never good at hockey lol

 

[Islanderfan17]

Concussions.

Came here to say this. People don't realize just how much of an effect concussions can have on some people, and not all of them are super disciplined like Sidney Crosby is to be able to make a very successful comeback from it.