Speculation: Will Richards Be A King Come Next Season?
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deeshamrock
Registered User
Spezza- Zero chance of that for a lot of reasons, aside from the fact Lombardi isn't buying out or trading MR next year.
Murray's asking price for Spezza is too steep, top player, prospect and high draft pick, 1st round preferred. Ducks and Blues are the leading candidates, Ducks have top young forwards (which Murray wants) and 2 1st round picks. Blues know they are never going to get to the SCF without a legit #1Center. Preds and Stars also in the mix.
Spezza has a 7 M cap hit next year and is looking for a LTC north of that going forward. Murray has already stated they will not assume any of the contract.
Dreger- the part about Richards not being bought out was based on fact , the rest was his editoral for his column, him thinking out loud, expressing an opinion and he worded it that way, it wasn't based on fact.
xavi4life
Mr. Irreverent
Reclamation Project
Cut It All Right In Two
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kingsfan
President of the Todd McLellan fan club by default
Doubt he'd get a raise north of $8 million, so at most likely a $1.2 million increase, easily absorbed by the cap going up so much in the next two years (by the projected looks of things).
No interest in that. Spezza is more of a me first guy, always has been since junior. He's not a terrible guy or something, but it's about Spezza first sometimes with him and I question how well he'd fit in, especially when going the other way is such a popular player and guy in that locker room.
Reclamation Project
Cut It All Right In Two
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ZJames
Registered User
Im surprised that this thread is still going so strong. I would be utterly shocked if Richards was not a part of this team next year. Like people have said, he is a Dean Lombardi type of player.
He did have a down year, but he has been better in the playoffs. Not great (as far as scoring goes), but better. He is a leader on this team, and I feel that he deserves another season to show us that he can get back to some semblance of the player that he used to be. With the salary cap going up, and with one of (if not both) Green and Mitchell coming off the books, they probably have enough wiggle room with the salary cap to make things work. The following few years though is when things might get interesting.
But even beyond the numbers, would this team be the same without him? How invaluable is his leadership? We have witnessed first-hand in these playoffs what happens to teams with weak leadership (SJ, ANA, etc). Before MR arrived here, we had 1 WCF appearance and 1 Stanley Cup appearance, and since then, we have had 2 Stanley Cup appearances (winning one, and 1 game away from winning a 2nd), and 3 WCF appearances. And all in 3 consecutive years.
He did have a down year, but he has been better in the playoffs. Not great (as far as scoring goes), but better. He is a leader on this team, and I feel that he deserves another season to show us that he can get back to some semblance of the player that he used to be. With the salary cap going up, and with one of (if not both) Green and Mitchell coming off the books, they probably have enough wiggle room with the salary cap to make things work. The following few years though is when things might get interesting.
But even beyond the numbers, would this team be the same without him? How invaluable is his leadership? We have witnessed first-hand in these playoffs what happens to teams with weak leadership (SJ, ANA, etc). Before MR arrived here, we had 1 WCF appearance and 1 Stanley Cup appearance, and since then, we have had 2 Stanley Cup appearances (winning one, and 1 game away from winning a 2nd), and 3 WCF appearances. And all in 3 consecutive years.
yankeeking
Registered User
look who is on the ice when the game is on the line, who made the play on gabby's tying goal etc, the views of plosters here and the real world have nothing in common, and if we go to the numbers game old school guys like DL and DS go much more for the locker room than what geeked numbers are, you always here about the oakland A's being the way teams should be run with the numbers being the right way, how many championships has that produced?
How awesome would be be if Brad Ricahrds were bought out, then signed a league minimum deal with us and then he has even more of a bounce back than Gaborik did
#itwouldfeelgoodman
#itwouldfeelgoodman
kingsfan
President of the Todd McLellan fan club by default
Only thing better would be to bring back Brad Richardson and put them all on a line so we could listen to Bob's head implode trying to call the game.
#puckedinthehead
Buddy The Elf
Kings!
Just because you keep repeating this over and over doesn't make it true. You keep claiming that the Kings are going to lose players. And I find it laughable that you throw Stoll into the discussion. You really care if he leaves as a UFA?
HYORI 1963
Grit & Character
Buddy The Elf
Kings!
I think the Rangers are only allowed one more buy out because they bought out Redden. At least that is what I heard on the NHL radio station (Sirius).
HYORI 1963
Grit & Character
You're probably right. In that case, I prefer Nash since he plays LW. We have plenty of centers.
MsMeow
Registered User
- Nov 4, 2005
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It's bad enough having to listen to Hughson call both Richards' by their last names, we don't need the added confusion of 2 Richards' and a Richardson!
Herby
How could Blake have known?
Buddy,
Yes, I believe Stoll fits his role better at $3m than Richards does at $5.75m so I would rather have Stoll and the extra money to re-sign someone like Martinez. I feel the Kings are set at 1C and 2C and I don't believe Richards is close to being good enough defensively to play the 3C, so you are going forward with a $5.75m a year fourth line center who plays special teams, again I just don't see how that is possible beyond next season.
And nothing I have said is false, the Kings have tons of FA's to sign after next season, and despite what you want to say the cap is not going to go high enough to sign everyone unless the Kings have a bunch of rookies on the back end and bottom lines, and that is not likely,
Again, it's not next season where the issue lies, never said it was, the Kings can easily ice the same lineup next year as they did in these playoffs and I actually expect they will. But I have no doubts that the Kings will have serious cap issues in 15/16 if they stand pat and will be happy to out my money where my mouth is. If MR is on the Kings opening night roster 16 months from now to start the 15/16 season I will buy you two 200 level tickets to a Kings game of your choice (not including home opener if the Kings open on the road). If he isn't then you can buy me two 200 level tickets to a Kings game when I am out there. Should be a fun wager.
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Frolov 6'3
Unregistered User
Ryan120420
Registered User
- Dec 2, 2010
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Based on what Richards said, he probably isn't going anywhere!
http://www.nbcsports.com/hockey/nhl/Richards-praises-teams-resilience
http://www.nbcsports.com/hockey/nhl/Richards-praises-teams-resilience
This thread will surely not die for at least a couple of weeks yet, but has anybody considered the fact that maybe Mike Richards may not want to remain a King, even at his current salary, in a significantly diminished role. Maybe he might consider a buy out and signing with a contender to be in his better interest than staying a King. Think about it. That is why my sense is that LA would try and trade him to an eastern team rather than buy him out and have him end up with an Anaheim or Chicago (which needs a 2C I think), for instance. Other than that, I think he stays where he is.
KingCanadain1976
Registered User
well this thread made almost 400 posts before i decided to make my opinion known in it. If the team was going to buyout or move Richards why would they have played him in all the critical mins. The last min of pps or the last min of games. Teams looking to get rid of someone simply don't play them in the most crucial time in a game. Mike is a integral part of this cup winning team I question anyone thinking other wise. Now if going forward Mike decides he doesn't want to put the work in to get back his increased role and asks to go elsewhere I would suggest a likely landing spot would be Winnipeg where I've read in a different thread he may want to go to. His g/f wife is doctor in resident one of the Winnipeg hospitals He is from Kenora (like a couple hours away) He would get the most meanful role he likely wants mentoring young players while having a life with his wife/g/f I think Dean would try and get him to a place he wants to be. Richards has earned this imo.
All quite true and possible, but wouldn't one think that his agent has been quietly working the phones to gauge interest in the event Richards does get bought out? We'll know if that's true because, if he is bought out in the next 2 weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if there's an announced signing with a new team within 24 hours after. Will LA take the chance of buying him out and perhaps have him come back to bite them in the ass in the near future? Unless, of course, he is washed up in which case, he knows it and LA knows it. That scenario I don't believe, given his play-off performance and, as King stated above, the way Sutter used him. However, his new role with the Kings is somewhat diminished with the emergence of Carter and the bringing in of Gaborik. Time will tell.
MOGlLNY
Hotel Cuck Chair Adams
- Jan 5, 2008
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This is an absurd statement thinking Richards may want out. Richie loves the squad, loves playing with his best friend, and LOVES WINNING. The only people who would be ending the relationship would be Lombardi, which will not happen. Richie will remain a King.
