The way I see any deal for Richards is that Calgary has to achieve two things:
1. Address a positional need (RW, RD) with a player with upside
2. Also, since this is adding a big cap hit to the books for seasons where that could impact the Flames' planning (16/17 offseason, re-upping Giordano, Gaudreau, Monahan, and Hudler if he is to stay with the team), then a player being paid in that season moving out is preferable too (Stajan, Raymond, Smid, Engelland, Bollig - Wideman is too useful to move)
So from the Flames perspective, to acquire "Richards + " the "+" needs to be a young player in a position of need (Toffoli, Shore, etc.) and they need to shed at least one of Raymond/Stajan/Smid/Engelland. Throwing Bollig on top might work, as even if he is buried, the cap hit would only work out to be 325K, but he may even be useful to the way LA plays.
If the trade was something like:
Richards + 1st ('15) (or Toffoli)
for
Smid (or Raymond) + Bollig + mid-level prospect (Agostino?)
then how would people feel?
I am not sure if can be done, but Richards is only worth taking on if the Flames can both add a young player in a positional need, and at the same time, shed a lesser contract, making room for a young guy to make the jump
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