Why Kings Should Keep Richards

[Psych3man]

Why the Los Angeles Kings Must Keep Mike Richards | Bleacher Report

Interesting points and videos

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

Well at least I'm not the only one that thinks Richards is worth his salary.

Ox

 

[Kings4OT]

If there wasn't a cap I wouldn't care how much he makes. Nobody denies how important Richards is, but LA is going to have a lot of cap tied up in guys that don't produce and eventually will not be able to resign the guys that do. I like Brown but if he continues like last season his salary will become even more of an issue then Richards. In the end you have to score more then the other team no matter how gritty and skilled in other facets of the game your team might be.

 

[Psych3man]

Well at least I'm not the only one that thinks Richards is worth his salary.

Ox

I'm with you on this one, Ox. No way you let him go.
Plus, he will bounce back offensively, esp if you give him wingers who can score.

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

If there wasn't a cap I wouldn't care how much he makes. Nobody denies how important Richards is, but LA is going to have a lot of cap tied up in guys that don't produce and eventually will not be able to resign the guys that do. I like Brown but if he continues like last season his salary will become even more of an issue then Richards. In the end you have to score more then the other team no matter how gritty and skilled in other facets of the game your team might be.

There's the difference with me and some of you younger folks. I trust Lombardi and his cap guru to figure all this out. I don't try to play armchair GM or coach. I guess it's fun for some but it's just not in my nature to try and tell someone else how to do their job that I have absolutely no experience at. I'm just a hockey fan with a very limited knowledge of the details of the game who pulls for the Kings.

Ox

 

[Deader2818]

Remember, Stoll is a UFA after this season. We could just move Richards to 3rd line center and have someone like Lewis center the 4th line.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I love the guy, but his cap hit s brutal. If he can elevate his game back to being a 2C that would be make that salary more palatable, but it looks like they have Carter slotted into that slot with Toffoli and Pearson for next season so Richards would be a B6 forward.

I'm so on the fence with the compliance buyout, it' not even funny. Business wise it makes absolute sense but this article about Richards is spot on too, and he is a winner in every sense of the word. Dude is a shrimp but plays like Chara and his heart, guts and leadership are not found in players abundantly. And I am also of the mindset that he is a massive piece of the puzzle.

Is there a price to pay for those intangibles? Absolutely. But how much is the issue. Would be nice if NHL contracts could be restructured for a player by an acquiring team, meaning the Flyers signed him to this deal, but the Kings could have the opportunity to restructure it after acquiring him.

Maybe that should be brought up in the next CBA in 2022 if this becomes a pattern, although the 7 years UFA/8 years own UFA term max contract limit will see these 12+ year contracts phased out by then.

 

[Kings4OT]

Ox, I suppose you have no thoughts on anyone or anything about the roster or the future of the Kings? Just because we have an opinion doesn't mean we are not happy with what Lombardi has done for us or that we hate some players. Its just simple math and at some point the cap will not allow us to sign/resign players you may really want. Stoll and Williams I think are UFA next year, Kopitar, Regher and Martinez after that Gaborik, Mitchell, Greene now. Buying out Richards makes sense in the long run when you cannot keep everybody. I think 6 guys account for 1/2 the total cap and that is not including Gabs or Richards. Sure they have their guru's and im not an expert but there are lots of problems coming this way

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

Ox, I suppose you have no thoughts on anyone or anything about the roster or the future of the Kings? Just because we have an opinion doesn't mean we are not happy with what Lombardi has done for us or that we hate some players. Its just simple math and at some point the cap will not allow us to sign/resign players you may really want. Stoll and Williams I think are UFA next year, Kopitar, Regher and Martinez after that Gaborik, Mitchell, Greene now. Buying out Richards makes sense in the long run when you cannot keep everybody. I think 6 guys account for 1/2 the total cap and that is not including Gabs or Richards. Sure they have their guru's and im not an expert but there are lots of problems coming this way

I never meant to insinuate that I thought you guys weren't happy with what the team has done so far and you're right in that I don't think very far down the road on what the roster may or may not look like. Maybe because what the Kings are now compared to what they were when I first started following them are so far apart it's hard for me to even fathom that what I could come with would be better than what Lombardi and his team can work out.

Even during the "Triple Crown Line" years the Kings weren't a very good playoff team. They had a few successful regular season but disappointing playoffs. They only had a couple of good years during the Gretzky years but even their best year failed in the Stanley Cup Final. It went rapidly downhill after that '92/'93 season. Those years from '93 up until the recent success were really dark years. I'd make the drive down to the Forum and later Staples 40+ times a season expecting a loss and hoping just to put up a good fight. Tough times to be a Kings fan. In the end it's all good. You guys have your opinions and that's really what this message board stuff is all about. Posting your opinions and thoughts regarding our favorite team the Los Angeles Kings.

Ox