Richards' scoring dropped off the moment he put on a Kings uniform. It also coincides with the arrival of Darryl Sutter in Los Angeles and we know how Darryl likes his teams take care of defense before thinking about offense. So, is his offensive production the a victim of circumstance? Has he really lost his touch?
I think Richards could turn his numbers around playing for most other teams but his pay indicates that he is expected to score and he hasn't done that at all in Los Angeles. It is completely understandable for any or all teams to shy away from Richards and his contract because he hasn't shown for a few seasons that he can be the 1st line scoring center. If he is not a victim of circumstance he the well really has dried up then you're stuck with a big contract for a 3rd line checking center.
He is still young at 29, but to have lost your offense already? That's too young to be on the decline. So, he can turn it around under the right situation, but what is the right situation? Too many questions in an NHL where teams need to be very fiscally responsible. There are plenty of examples where a team is handcuffed because they took on or gave out a contract that hidners their ability to move forward with younger and/or more productive guys.
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