[News] Mike Richards on waivers - CLEARS

[troutman]

Never was a fan of his cheap shot antics.

[Goodlad]

Originally Posted by Karl

Which team do you think he'll get traded to?

Toronto and Edmonton seem like the obvious choices, but I have no idea. This could even just be a way to force Richards to waive his NTC. "Look, we can't move you to a contender because of your contract, so now your choices are either Manchester or Edmonton."

[lazypucker]

Is it still a rumor or is Richards actually on waivers now?

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Is it still a rumor or is Richards actually on waivers now?

He is on waivers.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

Think Calgary will take a crack at him?

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Is it still a rumor or is Richards actually on waivers now?

Updated thread title,

Thanks!

[PeteLFan]

Richards can still win face offs hit and check. That's fits what we need obviously the contract is a issue, but if LA takes one of our garbage contacts back that ends quicker I don't see why you don't do it. We are in the midst of a playoff race and we don't have a chance at a good draft pick any longer so when a situation presents itself for a upgrade it minimal cost not mortgaging the future you do it.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Goodlad

This could even just be a way to force Richards to waive his NTC. "Look, we can't move you to a contender because of your contract, so now your choices are either Manchester or Edmonton."

I hear New Hampshire is lovely.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

Richards can still win face offs hit and check. That's fits what we need obviously the contract is a issue, but if LA takes one of our garbage contacts back that ends quicker I don't see why you don't do it. We are in the midst of a playoff race and we don't have a chance at a good draft pick any longer so when a situation presents itself for a upgrade it minimal cost not mortgaging the future you do it.

I would rather not have the Flames be stuck with a cap hit of $5.75M for the next 5 years for "winning faceoffs and hitting". That deal could potentially handcuff the team when it's time to re-sign Monahan, Backlund, Giordano, Gaudreau, Bennett... and whoever else will need big extensions in a few years.

[Vinny01]

I don't see any team taking him on waivers it is just so much cap and term in a player who may never bounce back.

I wouldn't be shocked if the Flames decided to trade for Richards but Stajan or Engellend is going the other way. Richards could perhaps regain the scoring touch playing in Hartley's system and playing a higher role in the depth chart. The Kings have to take a bad deal back and sweeten with a 2nd round pick but I could get behind it.

[Wolfman]

The cap hit goes down as it was front loaded, from what I recall.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

The cap hit goes down as it was front loaded, from what I recall.

Cap hits don't fluctuate just the actual salary

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

The cap hit goes down as it was front loaded, from what I recall.

I believe his average salary goes down but the cap hit will stay the same.

[sureLoss]

per Lebrun, the Kings reached out to Calgary among other teams but everyone was scared off by the contract.

According to the NHL execs he talked to, Richards is expected to clear.

http://www.nicholsonhockey.com/worth...fs-flames-jets

On the Kings waiving Mike Richards, and if anyone might claim him:

“I have talked to a couple of GMs who don’t think that anyone will claim him, but you never know. I mean honestly, sometimes a team can surprise you. But the reality is L.A. couldn’t even find a taker for him when they were willing to take money back, so why would they find a taker now when there’s no money coming back?

“Certainly I can tell you for sure I talked to a Leafs’ front office source, and they have no intention of putting in a claim for him...

“The hope in the Kings’ front office is by putting him on waivers it’ll ignite some interest on the trade front from teams that were kicking tires on him. But L.A. reached out to Toronto over the last few weeks. They reached out to Calgary. They reached out to Winnipeg. But it’s just the contract that scares a lot of teams for obvious reasons, in part because of the decline in his play.

“So I don’t know what they’re going to do with him. I mean, if he stays in the Kings’ organization and they decide to buy him out at the end of the year, I think the cap hit will run for like 10 years because there’s five years left on his deal. So it’s kind of a tough situation for the Kings, who need to create cap room.”

Source: TSN 1260/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey

[Otto-matic]

John Shannon ✔ @JSportsnet Follow
Told that neither Leafs nor Flames have interest in Mike Richards. Big ticket and long term scaring people off.

[Fan in Exile]

I guess I understand the temptation but I don't think Richards adds much this season, let alone in the long term. Treviling basically needs to unload the same contracts he has signed so far (except for Brodie and maybe Hiller), not so much for cap reasons as roster reasons and the need to make room for prospects who have earned a look on the big squad. It's a great problem to have. No holes to fill through trade for over-priced veterans whose best days are behind them.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by troutman

Never was a fan of his cheap shot antics.

As a Flyer he did lay some borderline hits and IMO his leadership value has been exaggerated. What we are looking at here is a 4th line center with a first line center cap hit. That's just not something that even the goofy teams of the league will want any part of. I hear people talk about faceoff ability, grittiness and while that's all good but seeing how other role players that make far, far less on the Flames get dogged by fans it's one of those things were you really have to be careful what you wish for because Mike Richards is the highest paid role player in the NHL.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

John Shannon ✔ @JSportsnet Follow
Told that neither Leafs nor Flames have interest in Mike Richards. Big ticket and long term scaring people off.

so he is guaranteed to go to one of those two teams

[H2SO4(aq)]

My oilers friends tell me that they have no use for Mike Richards because of Anton Lander.... unbelievable.

[Buff]

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.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by H2SO4(aq)

My oilers friends tell me that they have no use for Mike Richards because of Anton Lander.... unbelievable.

So you're friends with Craig McTavish??

I can't believe that the oilers would have no interest in him unless it wouldn't be until the off season. He is exactly the kind of player that team needs but those idiots probably wouldn't want him because it would mean they're admitting they need help and they're not "something special"