DALLAS, TX – Whilst Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk may have resisted the urge to trade Brad Richards at the deadline, the team’s ongoing ownership uncertainty means the former Conn Smythe winner will almost certainly be leaving the Lone Star state this summer.
Richards won the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004 and was selected as the post season MVP. He also scooped the Lady Byng trophy that summer and was seen by many as ‘the next Joe Sakic’.
The Murray Harbor-native didn’t miss a beat because of the lock out either as he notched up 91 points in 2005/06; earning himself a new 5-year contract with the Lightning.
Then the wheels began to wobble.
He went on to score 25 goals and 70 points the following season, with another 51 points in 62 games the year after; but things were clearly not going his way in Florida.
Whilst Richards had put up some respectable points totals, he was a combined -44 in the same 144 game span and carried a $7.8m cap hit! With the Lightning unable to carry the weight of his huge salary, especially with his production down, he found himself heading to Dallas for a fresh start.
Injuries limited him to just 56 games in his first full season with the Stars, but a resurgent 2009/10 campaign saw him once again break the 90 point plateau and he found himself back on the hockey map.
He continued his good form into this season, and despite missing 10 games with an upper body injury registered 28 goals and 77 points and attracted a lot of interest at the trade deadline.
A no movement clause put the skids on many interested parties’ plans to make a move for the center, as it became apparent Richards’ only real interest was in New York and partnering up with former Lighting Coach John Tortorella again.
At the time an allegedly over the top set of demands from the Stars ended any talks between the two teams; but now Richards is heading for free agency, the saga will surely start up again.
The Rangers do seem to be the favourites to land Richards. His apparent eagerness to work with Tortorella is an obvious bonus; and the franchise would benefit from a top class partner for winger Marian Gaborik – who seems to have been saddled with much of the Rangers scoring expectations.
With Chris Drury in the final year of his contract he is seemingly a prime candidate for a buy-out, so there should be room for Richards at Madison Square Garden should GM Glenn Sather wish to make a move.
The other team continually linked with Richards is Toronto. Despite a number of good young players the team still lacks a quality forward to work with Phil Kessell – again the former Stars and Bolts man fits the bill.
Whilst a number of others may think about contacting Richard agent, one ‘left field’ option may be Winnipeg.
Signing Richards, the marquee free agent this summer, would be an almost perfect way to dispel any talk that the franchise relocation to Manitoba would make attracting top players difficult.
Of course, adding a player of Richards’s ability would do no harm on the ice either, where the Thrashers have been close to grabbing a play-off spot for the past couple of seasons. As is typical with situations such as this, a variety of other rumours have surfaced as well; including talk of Richards own desire to play in a more relaxed environment – where hockey is not ‘life and death’ and the media spotlight is not too intense.
His resurgence in Dallas, away from the main stream glare, seems to suggest he may be a better small market player – something neither Toronto nor New York could be described as – and the interest in Winnipeg is likely to be high during their first season back in Canada. Whichever teams are considering a move they also need to weight up one further option – do they make a deal with Dallas for the right to speak to Richards ahead of July 1st? Hitting a completely open market on July 1st is likely to create the most interest and generate the most offers; thus getting any kind of a ‘drop’ on other interested parties would be a boost for a tempted general manager.
So will Richards being enjoying New York, New York come next season? Or singing a different tune? Either way, his arrival could help turn one bubble team into a post season participant next year!
Contact the author: rob.mcgregor@prohockeynews.com
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