Mike Richards

The Chicago Blackhawks had their Stanley Cup parade, and summer officially began on June 21. But that doesn't mean hockey is over. With the 2015 NHL draft fast approaching, on June 26-27 in Sunrise, Florida, the league is abuzz with trade talks leading up to the big day.   

NHL general managers are wheeling and dealing, trying to unload cap casualties and acquire weapons at their teams' biggest positions of need ahead of the draft, especially if they pick late.

Let's take a look at three trade rumors that have surfaced about the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings. 

Islanders Winger Kyle Okposo Could Be on the Trading Block 

When the New York Islanders acquired left winger Thomas Vanek from the Buffalo Sabres in October 2013, they gave up Matt Moulson, a first-round pick in 2014 and a 2015 second-round pick. How did that work out for general manager Garth Snow?

Well, Vanek is now a Montreal Canadien, and the Senators do not have a selection until No. 72 in the draft, putting them in a difficult spot if they're looking to acquire a top wing or backup goaltender. 

To gain some capital, Snow could be looking to part with Okposo, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday, citing league sources.  

"Kyle Okposo, who is entering the final season of a five-year, $14 million contract, could be on the trading block, according to two league sources outside the Islanders' organization," Staple wrote. 

Okposo only has a cap hit of $2.8 million, but he missed 22 games of the regular season after he had surgery to repair a detached retina in January. Teams may be wary of the eye injury in talking trades with Snow.

What does Snow want in return for the longtime winger? 

"Snow would not discuss specific players, but he told Newsday he will be busy fielding and making trade proposals, either to move players or maneuver up the draft board with only a pair of picks among the first 100 selections at his disposal," Staple reported. 

With the missed time in 2014-15, Okposo finished the regular season with 18 goals, 33 assists and 51 points in 60 games. 

Senators Looking to Move Goaltenders  

The Senators have a pair of goaltenders on offer, and they're interested in seeing what they can get for them in return.

Ottawa is willing to part with either Robin Lehner or Craig Anderson for the right deal, reported Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. 

Per Garrioch: 

...You can expect Senators' GM Bryan Murray to get busy trying to see exactly what he can get for either goaltender Robin Lehner or veteran Craig Anderson with the NHL entry draft set for June 26-27 in Sunrise, [Florida]. After sitting down with the club's pro scouts last week at the Canadian Tire Centre, Murray along with assistant GM's Pierre Dorion and Randy Lee will be trying to get to the bottom of what teams are seriously interested in either netminder to see if a deal can be made sometime next week.

As for what the Senators are looking to get in return, Garrioch reported that the asking price is a top-six forward and a pick, but that if no teams bite as the draft approaches, those asks could become flexible. 

"For now, the Senators are trying to sell high because they believe they've got a good asset here," Garrioch wrote. 

Lehner has an age advantage at only 23 years old, but he's proved to be only a backup in Ottawa, unable to win the starting job from Anderson. The latter is an experienced veteran who could be a nice fit for a team in need of a short-term fix at goaltender, but at 34 years old he's not a long-term solution. 

In 2014-15, Anderson had a 2.49 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 35 games. 

Per Garrioch, six or seven teams, including the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, have contacted Murray to discuss interest in Lehnr, while the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues have expressed interest in Anderson. 

Kings Talking to Teams about Possible Mike Richards Trade

The Kings have spoken with a few teams about a trade involving center Mike Richards, according to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun, but it's not yet a certainty that they'll move him before the draft. 

From LeBrun:

The Kings would dearly love to move Richards’ contract, which still has five more years on it at a $5.75 million cap hit. But to do that, they will need to sweeten the pot by adding another asset. Whether that’s a draft pick of value, a player or a prospect, the Kings will need to entice another team with another asset or two if they want to get a deal done.

It's no question that the Kings need to get out from under Richards' deal. Once netting upward of 75 points a season, Richards had five goals, 11 assists and 16 points in 2014-15, playing in 53 games. His shooting percentage was just 7.9, the second season in a row it's been below 8.0 percent. 

Though Richards cleared waivers during the season, he went unclaimed and spent 16 games with the AHL Manchester Monarchs before Los Angeles recalled him.    

Even if the Kings could unload Richards, if he retires before the end of his contract, Los Angeles could still be hit with cap-recapture penalties.

Thus, LeBrun laid out the best-case scenario for the Kings: "What I think might be at play here is the Kings are hoping that if they can complete a Richards deal, the team involved turns around and buys him out. The point of the deal for that team would be to acquire whatever other asset is involved."

Thus, if the Kings are really serious about moving Richards, they can't be stingy about what other asset they add. 

With the 2014-15 NHL season officially in the books, the hockey universe can turn its attention to an offseason full of moving and shaking.

That means it's time to shine a spotlight on free agency and trade rumors galore, particularly as teams begin to thrust a focus on retooling their rosters in hopes of achieving the glory that the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks are basking in.

Phil Kessel on the Move?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are apparently looking to shake things up and embrace a younger foundation now that Mike Babcock is in tow as the team's new boss, and that could mean parting with right-winger Phil Kessel before the next season gets underway.

According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, Toronto could deal Kessel to a select few teams based on the parameters of his contract:

Toronto is looking to rebuild and the Leafs' veteran core players will generate varying degrees of interest. Most of them have limited no-trade clauses.

Kessel's limited NTC is believed to include eight teams he can be traded to. Prior to the trade deadline, TSN reported those eight teams were believed to be: Boston; Chicago; Los Angeles; Minnesota; Montreal; New York Rangers; Philadelphia; and Pittsburgh.

The trepidation for interested parties here revolves around Kessel's bloated contract. According to Broad Street Hockey's Travis Hughes, Kessel is accompanied by an $8 million cap hit every season through 2022. And as Spotrac indicates, that annualized cap hit is set to be the third largest among right-wingers next season. Only Patrick Kane ($10.5 million) and Corey Perry ($8.6 million) reside above Kessel. 

"I go where they want me," Kessel said back in February, according to the National Post. "I love Toronto. But [if] it’s not here, it’s not here."

Los Angeles Finally Parting Ways with Mike Richards?

Mike Richards' relationship with the Los Angeles Kings has been strange, to say the least.

After he helped the Kings win Stanley Cup titles in 2012 and 2014, the team waived Richards in January as it sought to offload the remainder of his 12-year, $69 million deal.

However, after no team claimed him, Richards has been relegated to the role of financial blemish on the team's cap sheet.

But according to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun, there's a glimmer of hope regarding Los Angeles' ability to find a willing trade partner:

The Los Angeles Kings have talked to a few teams again about a potential Mike Richards trade, although certainly at this point nothing is imminent.

The Kings would dearly love to move Richards’ contract, which still has five more years on it at a $5.75 million cap hit. But to do that, they will need to sweeten the pot by adding another asset. Whether that’s a draft pick of value, a player or a prospect, the Kings will need to entice another team with another asset or two if they want to get a deal done.

If those are the parameters, the Kings need to ask themselves if ridding the franchise of Richards' unsightly cap hit is worth the cost of parting with a young, cost-controlled piece who could help down the line. 

Given that the 30-year-old's cap hit clocks in at $5.75 million a year through 2020, per Spotrac, the Kings would be wise to maximize their financial flexibility and do whatever it takes to dump Richards on a competing squad.

St. Louis Leaving the Big Apple?

Martin St. Louis' time with the New York Rangers may be ending with a whimper.

After scoring just one goal over the course of 19 postseason appearances against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning, the decorated veteran appears to be on his way to another locale.

The New York Post's Larry Brooks explains:

Meanwhile, it also can be pretty much etched in stone that if Martin St. Louis chooses to continue his career, it will not be in New York, with both sides prepared to move on.

It is unknown whether the winger, who will turn 40 on Thursday and who has used outside doubts as fuel to generate a slam-dunk Hall of Fame career, will seek employment elsewhere.

Interestingly enough, Brooks' report comes two months after St. Louis went on the record regarding his desire to close his career at Madison Square Garden.

"There’s no doubt that I want to play next year. Period," he said in April, according to Brooks. "And for sure, yes, I want to play here. I want to finish my career as a Ranger."

At 39 years old, St. Louis tied for the second-most goals on the Rangers this past season with 21. He also ranked fourth with 31 assists. According to Hockey-Reference.com, St. Louis became just the 20th player in league history to record at least 20 goals at the age of 39 or older.

While his postseason showing was uninspiring, it's clear that St. Louis still has some gas left in the tank to offer a title-contending club.

As the Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks reach the climax of a thrilling Stanley Cup Final, the NHL's other 28 teams are well into the roster-construction phase of the offseason.

With the draft and free agency closely stacked together on the league calendar, we should see plenty of significant personnel overhaul over the next month.

On the veteran front, trade talks have picked up in earnest in recent weeks. Teams have increasingly been forced into tough decisions amid the league's flat salary cap. The Blackhawks themselves are one team that could face an offseason exodus this summer.

Thus, with so many teams at different points, there are plenty of prime opportunities for veterans to find new homes for next season.

Trade talks should see another wave after the draft, but roughly two weeks out, here are the latest whispers surrounding the biggest names purportedly on the block.

L.A. Dealing Richards?

The defending champion Los Angeles Kings were arguably the league's biggest disappointment this year, missing the postseason for the first time since the 2008-09 season. Now, a player who was once a cornerstone center could turn into a scapegoat this offseason, per ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun:

The Los Angeles Kings have talked to a few teams again about a potential Mike Richards trade, although certainly at this point nothing is imminent.

The Kings would dearly love to move Richards’ contract, which still has five more years on it at a $5.75 million cap hit. But to do that, they will need to sweeten the pot by adding another asset. Whether that’s a draft pick of value, a player or a prospect, the Kings will need to entice another team with another asset or two if they want to get a deal done.

That cap hit is massive for a player who has regressed severely in recent seasons. Richards netted a career-low five goals last season and has seen a decline in scoring and overall plus/minus each of his four seasons in Los Angeles.

Once an excellent two-way center, Richards' collapse had the Kings' general manager lamenting his decision to stick with the veteran after a disappointing 2013-14 campaign, per ESPN.com's Katie Strang (h/t CSNPhilly's John Boruk):

Kings GM Dean Lombardi on not buying out Mike Richards contract, "It could be the worst decision I ever made." http://t.co/DtD3dVQnu0

— John Boruk (@JohnBorukCSN) June 9, 2015

The problem that could limit any deal is Richards' age. The 30-year-old is certainly no dinosaur, but given that his deal extends through the end of the 2019-20 season, it wouldn't be surprising to see him retire before the end of the deal—especially if his production doesn't bounce back.

If that happens, both the Kings and Richards' new team would face cap recapture penalties.

Los Angeles will likely be on the hook for something nonetheless, but if it gives up enough of an asset, perhaps it can experience some nice short-term cap relief.

With Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Jarret Stoll at center on the top three lines, Richards has become superfluous at this point. 

Vancouver's Choice

Having acquired Ryan Miller, the Vancouver Canucks have an ostensible long-term solution in the net after the Roberto Luongo-Cory Schneider debacle blew up in their face.

Consequently, Vancouver could be in position to deal another promising young netminder this offseason, per ESPN.com's LeBrun:

The Canucks will conduct their pro scouting meetings over the next few days in Utica, New York, at which point a source says they will decide whether Eddie Lack or Jacob Markstrom will be put on the trade market ahead of the NHL draft. The Canucks don’t have a second- or third- round pick in the draft, so replenishing in that area will be a priority.

In two seasons, the 27-year-old Lack has started 69 games and compiled a .917 save percentage. The Swedish goalie received a two-year, $2.3 million extension after just five career games when he replaced Roberto Luongo, but that didn't stop the Canucks from inking Miller that offseason.  

Nevertheless, cost-controlled young goaltenders are a rare commodity, though Lack's new team will surely want assurance of a contract extension as he heads into the final year of his deal.

Nevertheless, with Vancouver missing multiple early-round picks this year, the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch (h/t Canucks Misconduct) suggests a predraft trade could be in the offing based on the Canucks' asking price:

ICMYI: @SunGarrioch reports Jim Benning is shopping #Canucks' Eddie Lack for a 2nd round pick. http://t.co/2SCcxo2Pl6 pic.twitter.com/cROtPMMdGP

— Nucks Misconduct (@nucksmisconduct) June 1, 2015

Lack could make sense for a team in need of a young goaltender to grow with its core like the Edmonton Oilers or Buffalo Sabres. Either of those teams would give Lack undisputed No. 1 playing time, something he's probably looking for after two promising seasons to start his NHL career.

Senators' Lehner Receiving Interest

Vancouver isn't the only Canadian squad harboring a goalie market, as NHL.com's Chris Stevenson reported the Ottawa Senators have dangled Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner on the trade block ever since the end of their season.

With AHL lifer Andrew Hammond breaking out and seizing the No. 1 job down the stretch, the Sens are poised to cash in on their surplus in the net.

However, while Anderson has the more proven track record, it's the 23-year-old Lehner who has apparently drawn more interest. Though Lehner has never started more than 30 games in a season, the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch reported that "six or seven" teams have expressed interest in the Swede:

Murray isn't feeling any heat to make a trade with either goaltender Robin Lehner, 23, or veteran Craig Anderson, 34, before the NHL entry draft is held June 26-27 in Fort Lauderdale, but the Senators would like to strike while the iron is hot and six or seven teams have called the club to express interest in both guys.

There is more interest in Lehner than Anderson and, let's face it, the Senators are going to get more in return for a young player who has upside potential than they would for a veteran who has three years left on his deal.

Sources say Murray would like a young player who has the potential to be top six forward and a high draft pick in return.

It helps that Lehner is also the cheaper goalie, with a $2.22 million cap hit for 2015-16 compared to Anderson's $3.19 million cap hit. However, that combination of youth and upside has the Ottawa Citizen's James Gordon wondering if the greater return from a potential Lehner trade usurps his actual value to the team:

I really do feel like, if that guy is Lehner, the Senators will rue the day they dealt him because of one lucky run. https://t.co/odJxUVHjIc

— James Gordon (@James_J_Gordon) June 4, 2015

There's probably some reason for skepticism surrounding Hammond, given his lack of an NHL-caliber track record prior to last year, but Ottawa doesn't appear concerned about its 27-year-old starter.

Much like the aforementioned Lack, Lehner should appeal to young teams seeking a goaltender to nurture along with their other skater prospects.

Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.

Producing scant offense to compensate for a slipping defensive game, Mike Richards was placed on waivers by the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. He cleared on Tuesday and will join the AHL's Manchester Monarchs.

No NHL team was ever going to claim him with a $5.75 million salary-cap hit. Sportsnet's Luke Fox noted that demoting him only amounts to $925,00 in cap savings, so the financial benefit is marginal.

Kings general manager Dean Lombardi has merely shuffled the roster in hopes of creating a turning point for his club.

L.A. has looked mediocre virtually all season and is 3-3-4 in its last 10 outings. A major shakeup of this sort could represent just the jolt the players—including Richards—need to deliver more complete performances.

Emphatic Statement to the Players

Though Richards’ on-ice impact has waned over the past 120 games or so, he’s a respected veteran with the kind of resume (two Stanley Cups, Calder Cup, Memorial Cup, Olympic gold, World Junior gold) players dream of building. 

As such, his assignment to the AHL should wake up the rest of the Kings and announce that it’s time to get down to business.

While a bottom-liner with a top-liner’s cap hit was the sacrificial lamb, the list of underperforming players on this team isn't exactly brief:

• Anze Kopitar has been far too reliant on power-play scoring and is sporting his worst defensive numbers in ages. If the Kings are to gain a firm hold on a playoff berth, the towering pivot must rediscover his three-zone, even-strength brilliance.
• Prior to Wednesday night's three-point outburst, Jeff Carter had vanished following a scorching-hot start. Head coach Darryl Sutter deploying him in his natural center position should help his cause.
• Captain Dustin Brown has floundered over the past two-and-a-half seasons—looking active isn’t worth much when the level of activity yields little in terms of positives—and comes with an even higher cap hit and lengthier term than Richards.
• Jarret Stoll started the season as horribly as one could have imagined. Since then, he’s ridden Justin Williams’ coattails like his Kings tenure depends on it. It probably does.
• Dwight King hasn't lived up to his performance from a season ago. His puck possession and goals-for percentage have both taken considerable hits since inking a three-year, $5.85 million deal.
• Jake Muzzin has been somewhat of a liability after signing his five-year, $20 million extension. His loose puck management and ill-timed pinches have plagued the back end. On most nights this season, Drew Doughty has looked significantly better away from his usual partner.
• While Doughty has been good on the whole, he's suffered from bouts of lackadaisical play and poor discipline. After a first-period penalty on Wednesday, Rich Hammond of the Orange County Register indicated that Doughty had committed seven minor infractions in an eight-period span.
• Brayden McNabb is without question an intimidating hitter, but when it comes to coverage and decision-making, he hasn't panned out as a Willie Mitchell replacement yet.
• Matt Greene can still be serviceable as a sheltered third-pairing rearguard with some jam to his game. Unfortunately, the season has unfolded in such a manner—injuries, suspensions—that there is no hiding on the back end. His penalty-killing numbers are hideous.

That's a lot of pieces falling short of expectations.

From a team perspective, L.A. must also improve its starts. It has allowed the fifth-most first-period goals in the entire league and is ranked 20th in win percentage when the opposition opens the scoring.

Too often, the team comes out flat, going through the motions while opponents jump out to quick leads. Sutter's men can score more efficiently than ever, but compensating for their porous defense has proved exceedingly difficult.

At times, a squad that looked unflappable over the past three seasons has seemed...fragile.

Since mid-December, L.A. has seen its floodgates blown open on a few occasions. St. Louis (December 16) and Nashville (January 3) both reeled off five unanswered goals, while the New York Rangers (January 8) and New Jersey Devils (January 14) piled on four apiece.

That would have been inconceivable only a couple of months ago.

Against the Devils, L.A. appeared helpless to stop the avalanche once Steve Bernier potted a fluky tying goal:

Another area of concern is road performance. Away from Staples Center, the Kings’ 5-9-6 record is good for 27th in the league. That must be remedied in a hurry. Of their final 34 regular-season games, 21 will take place in hostile territory.

Despite the favorable schedule to this point, the club sits outside the playoff picture.

This team won't win on cruise control. It has to push harder and impose its brand of hockey on all comers.

Lombardi felt compelled to send a stern message to his group with this move. If the players don't receive it, mustering a paltry spark rather than a blaze, there may be no turning this season around.

Last Chance for Redemption

Between 2007-2008 and 2011-12, Richards was among the very finest centers in the world. He was almost certainly the most complete, assuming shutdown responsibilities, squaring off against the opposition’s top defensive pairings, averaging first-line production and hitting like a truck.

He did everything, he backed down from no one and he just wanted it more than anyone else.

Richards is no longer that player. Not even close. The 29-year-old's hard-nosed game has caught up to his 5’11” frame, and he hasn’t been the same since suffering a pair of concussions in consecutive seasons:

He’s shown glimpses to suggest that he’s capable of bouncing back to a top-nine role, but that possibility grew more remote with every passing shift spent buried on the fourth line in L.A. There was apparently no leapfrogging Stoll on the depth chart.

With that said, make no mistake: Richards has not suddenly regressed into an AHL-caliber player.

He's just not an ideal NHL grinder, either—especially with his cap hit—which rendered him expendable for now given how desperately the GM needed to do something to wake his club from its slumber.

If he can summon some of his old swagger and pair it with consistency in the minors, he may carve himself a clear-cut third-line role with the Kings. Until he forces Sutter's hand into that decision, however, he's not worth carrying on the roster.

Yes, even despite the struggles of his replacement, Nick Shore.

In Manchester, Richards will surely find himself in a top-six slot with more minutes and special teams action than he’s seen as a King in about two years. He’ll also deal with significantly less media attention in the AHL.

That sounds like the recipe for a slumping center to regain his confidence.

With the spotlight fading, Richards can focus strictly on his craft—performance, training, developing good habits.

His defensive instincts have faltered on many instances this season. Smart positioning and anticipation, which were staples of his erstwhile game, haven't featured prominently of late. Lapses of this sort simply didn't happen to 2012 Richards:

Also, without the bulldozing physicality of his early years, he has to figure out how to best leverage his existing skill set.

There’s obviously no guarantee that he has high-level play left in the tank, but if it’s in there somewhere, Lombardi has chosen the right approach to coaxing it out.

Bumping him up the lineup and then demoting him at the first sign of trouble was always set to lead him to the same destination with the Kings.

A temporary change of scenery could provide the distance required to conjure a significant and sustainable return to form. It'll certainly provide some clarity regarding his long-term future with the team.

As an added bonus, Richards is a noted big-game player. Even at the tail end of his wretched 2013-14 campaign, he manufactured several game-breaking plays in the postseason on the strength of his hockey sense and will to win.

Should he develop a head of steam in the minors and carry that back to L.A., he could become the team’s ace in the hole in the playoffs.

Outlook

Lombardi had seen enough—not only from Richards but from his entire team.

He needed to put his foot down and demonstrate that L.A.’s season has been entirely unacceptable. Instead of waiting for his troops to flip the switch, he's tried to flip it for them. He can only hope that Wednesday's gritty 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks was the start of an inspired stretch.

Furthermore, Lombardi has pushed Richards to see if the once-dominant two-way pivot will push back.

If he does, that could spell trouble for the Western Conference.

If he doesn’t, management will have its answer and can part ways with him over the summer.

Advanced statistics courtesy of Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com. Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.

After Tuesday night’s 1-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings head coach Darryl Sutter singled out Mike Richards for his lapse on the lone goal of the game.

This is noteworthy for two reasons.

Firstly, L.A.’s bench boss usually speaks in general terms, seldom isolating one player to praise or criticize.

Secondly, gaffe aside, Richards was probably the best player on the ice for either club in that contest. He won puck battles, controlled play and generated myriad chances that were flubbed by fourth-line partners Dwight King and Jordan Nolan.

That Sutter saw it fit to bag on No. 10 when he was among the few Kings players with a pulse on Tuesday suggests Richards isn’t likely to leave the coach’s doghouse any time soon.

At this point, a trade might be best for both player and team.

The Team’s Perspective

Since general manager Dean Lombardi didn’t use a compliance buyout on Richards to get his $5.75 million salary-cap hit off the books in the offseason, the Kings were clearly expecting him to regain his form in 2014-15. 

At least production-wise, that hasn’t been the case thus far. 

The 29-year-old has racked up 10 points in 28 games, and Hockey-Reference.com indicates he is on pace for the lowest point-per-game mark of his career. Not coincidentally, his average ice time is also lower than it’s ever been.

Sutter appears content to play Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Jarret Stoll above Richards on the depth chart, continually offering those pivots a greater share of even-strength and special teams action regardless of their performance.

At even strength and on the penalty kill, Richards ranks last among regular Kings centers (Kopitar, Carter, Stoll, Richards) in time on ice.

His lack of short-handed minutes is particularly curious, as he’s been a top-tier penalty-killer throughout his entire career. When actually on the ice, his performance hasn't dropped off in this department:

	TOI	GA60	CA60	SA60
Jarret Stoll	53:07	6.78	107.31	50.83
Anze Kopitar	47:41	8.81	104.44	50.33
Jeff Carter	44:56	4.01	76.11	45.40
Mike Richards	26:31	4.53	70.14	36.20

A player who allows the fewest shot attempts, fewest shots and second-fewest goals should log a decent chunk of short-handed ice time, right? Not under Sutter's watch.

Richards' current usage turns him into an awfully expensive fourth-line center.

For a club with so little wiggle room—it would have essentially no cap space if Slava Voynov were to return from his indefinite suspension—this situation is obviously far from ideal.

With Kopitar locked into the first-line role, Carter more comfortable in the middle and Sutter’s steadfast loyalty to Stoll, Richards can only slot into one center spot.

Even when Sutter does tender Richards a crack at quality minutes, he swiftly demotes him at the first sign of trouble.

This is puzzling when one considers that Stoll’s first 15 games were positively disastrous, but he was nonetheless a fixture on the third line.

There’s no reason to believe a shake-up is on the horizon.

Sutter has mishandled Richards, but the higher-ups would surely side with the man at the helm of a two-time Stanley Cup champion if this matter came to a head.

As such, the Kings would be better off moving Richards for some cap relief and bringing in—or calling up—a more traditional bottom-sixer to fill the void. Letting him rot on the fourth line could prevent the team from acquiring help in its pursuit of a third Stanley Cup in four years.

He’s just not worth his price tag under these circumstances.

The Player’s Perspective

The circumstances represent the root of the issue, though.

Over the summer, Richards dedicated himself to his conditioning and told ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun that he was not happy on the fourth line. Lombardi displayed faith in him by retaining his services.

“You’re loath to ever give up on that kind of player, it’s very difficult to find that special ingredient,” Lombardi told LeBrun in June. “There’s no question that the loyalty to him and what he’s done is significant.”

Sutter didn’t get that memo.

On October 8, the Kings opened their season with a 4-0 loss. Richards, King and Justin Williams formed the most promising L.A. trio by a country mile, yet LA Kings Insider indicates the center was relegated to the bottom unit for the team's October 11 tilt against the Arizona Coyotes.

Richards' third-line audition lasted all of one game.

Despite visible boosts in fitness and overall play, he has remained buried on the fourth group for much of the season. Grinders Jordan Nolan and Kyle Clifford are two of his most frequent linemates. 

How could anyone—let alone a pass-first center—produce consistently with stone-handed wingers to the left and right?

Here’s how much of an albatross Nolan has been in 2014-15:

	Points	GF20	GA20	GF%	CF%
With Nolan	0	0.000	0.935	0.0	50.9
Without Nolan	7	0.859	0.859	50.0	51.2

What’s worse, Richards has outperformed both Kopitar and Stoll, competing hard and creating scoring opportunities on a nightly basis while these two sleepwalk through the start of the season.

Where executing the game plan of driving play toward the opposition's end is concerned, no center has been more effective than Richards:

	Off Zone Start	Off Zone Finish	Differential
Anze Kopitar	51.4%	52.3%	+0.9%
Jeff Carter	48.9%	55.3%	+6.4%
Jarret Stoll	55.6%	53.4%	-2.2%
Mike Richards	47.3%	55.3%	+8.0%

Now keep in mind that Stoll has enjoyed better linemates and lower competition than Richards, he’s posted those numbers...and he’s still somehow the third-line center.

Last season, a sluggish Richards started in the offensive zone more frequently than he finished there—a sign that he wasn't conducting the flow of traffic.

He's remedied that and then some this year, pushing play toward the attack like no other Kings pivot through 28 games. That's impressive and closely tied to his fitness, as the additional spring in his step has permitted him to dictate play in the neutral zone.

Granted, Richards is definitely not where he’d like to be in terms of black-and-white production. Looking at the averages, though, provides a measure of context:

	5-on-5 Points/60	5-on-4 Points/60	4-on-5 GA60
Performance	1.31 (6th)	4.03 (4th)	4.53 (4th)
TOI/G	11:54 (8th)	1:43 (7th)	0:57 (8th)

In a nutshell, his usage has not been commensurate with his performance. He’s returned from a dismal season in much better shape and looked solid early, but he can’t catch a break with his coach.

He’s expected to bounce back while being put in a position to fail.

Outlook

This isn’t an about-face. Richards is markedly improved over last season and can still contribute to the Kings’ success in a major way. In fact, he should be doing so.

However, it’s becoming clearer by the game that Sutter won’t budge.

Even though Richards has the edge in all-around play and puck possession over Stoll, the coach seems hell-bent on leaving the latter on the third forward unit, wasting the former's potential alongside wingers who can’t receive a pass.

The 10-year veteran may enjoy the occasional breath of fresh air higher in the lineup, but odds are the bottom line will remain his home for as long as Sutter's tenure lasts.

In that case, he’s not worth his cap hit.

With no end to the mismanagement in sight, a deal for draft picks or cheaper parts would be a wise—if reluctant—move by Lombardi.

As it stands, the Kings will never get enough bang for their buck.

Advanced statistics courtesy of Behind the Net, Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com and hockeystats.ca. Contract and salary-cap information courtesy of CapGeek.com.

Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson have combined to produce 17 of the Los Angeles Kings’ 23 goals through nine 2014-15 games.

Though some of that glaring lack of complementary scoring should be attributed to injuries (Marian Gaborik, Anze Kopitar, Trevor Lewis), the rest of the blame falls squarely on the configuration of L.A.’s bottom six.

Third-line center Jarret Stoll has struggled mightily to start the new season, while Mike Richards has performed nicely but found himself saddled with inferior linemates.

With players not slotted in the best position to succeed, the Kings have looked sloppy and should be considered very fortunate to sit at 6-1-2.

Rectifying this issue would emphasize the value of their forward depth and ensure stronger overall outings from here on out.

The Numbers

Stoll currently sports a club-worst Corsi percentage of 41.8.

By continually fumbling the puck and committing giveaways, he hasn’t merely stifled his unit’s offense—he’s allowed the opposition to hem the Kings in their zone. No line has spent more time defending. No line has spent more time on its heels.

Unfortunately, since hockey is such a team sport, his pitiful showings have dragged his teammates down.

Stoll’s five most frequent on-ice partners have all fared considerably better away from him:

	CF% with Stoll	CF% without Stoll
Dustin Brown	35.8	51.5
Dwight King	38.6	59.5
Drew Doughty	42.0	59.6
Robyn Regehr	39.5	52.7
Brayden McNabb	40.3	55.3

Those with/without figures are shocking. He’s still hustling, taking the body and winning his share of faceoffs, but every other aspect of his game has taken a nosedive. He can’t make a play with the puck on his stick, whereas his coverage has been spotty at best.

His skill set isn’t one that should generate a ton of points, so his goose egg in this regard is palatable. However, he should be much stronger defensively, curtailing the other team's possession.

That hasn’t panned out through nine contests. In fact, he’s allowing far more attempts than last season (up from 46.48 to 63.33 per 60 even-strength minutes).

Against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday, his turnover just inside the defensive blue line leaves the Kings in disarray and leads to a pair of dangerous shots:

Blunders of this sort have become familiar this season.

If he isn’t supposed to create offense and is failing to deliver on defense, why is head coach Darryl Sutter granting him stronger linemates than Richards?

Sure, he’s still quite good on draws, but that’s a situational asset to deploy rather than a reason for him to regularly log more and higher-quality minutes.

At this point, it’s hard to justify his spot on the third line.

Even if he eventually regains last season's form, he'd constitute a better fit on the fourth unit, where he could toil in the trenches without hampering the offense of key contributors such as Justin Williams and Dwight King.

The Solution

Though chemistry is sometimes difficult to manufacture, Richards and Williams have already developed a rapport. They were terrific in spurts during the 2013-14 playoffs, and their numbers together this season are stellar.

Williams’ Corsi percentage rises from 54.5 without Richards to 58.3 with him. The two have combined to pin opponents in their zone and pepper them with shots.

King is another winger who benefits from a playmaker rather than a grinder at center. With his frame (6'4", 230 lbs) and ability on the boards, he’s adept at fishing pucks out for teammates, extending plays and establishing a cycle.

That all goes to waste once Stoll gets involved.

King’s Corsi percentage with Stoll is a horrid 38.6. With Richards, it vaults to 54.1.

From defense to offense and everything in between, Richards has comfortably outplayed Stoll:

	CF60	CA60	CF%	Off Zone Start	Off Zone Finish
Stoll	45.45	63.33	41.8	43.0%	46.1%
Richards	60.97	49.33	55.3	42.3%	60.0%

Keep in mind that he's mustered those stats while often carrying around the pile of dead weight known as Jordan Nolan. The 6'3", 221-pounder can skate and hit, but he's next to worthless with and without the puck. Jewels from the Crown's John Carroll noted just how inadequate he is in various departments.

Through nine tilts, Nolan's Corsi percentage with Richards is 55.0. Without him, it sinks to a wretched 34.9. Yes, 34.9. That's worse than the Buffalo Sabres.

Richards' underlying numbers become really, really impressive when one considers his linemates.

The most telling figures relate to zone starts. He has enjoyed the fewest offensive-zone starts among Kings centers this season, yet he's finished in the attacking end more frequently than every other pivot on the team.

In a nutshell, he’s consistently driving play toward the opposition’s net.

His improved fitness has benefited him most in this regard. With a motor that runs just a bit longer this season, Richards is governing the neutral and defensive zones, preventing the other team from applying pressure and initiating the breakout.

He’s engaged. He’s in the thick of the action. He's tilting the ice in the Kings' favor.

Sutter has to recognize this and pair him with individuals who can capitalize on his promising start. Otherwise, the Kings will continue to miss out on production that's ripe for the picking.

Outlook

Before the regular season, I suggested that Richards would bounce back this year. That won’t happen if he’s never tendered a fair shake.

Since the season opener, he’s only been afforded one crack at decent linemates as a center—he spent a few games on Kopitar’s wing—and despite a steady stream of turnovers by Dustin Brown on Tuesday, Richards still found the back of the net in that contest to steal a point from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Any guesses as to which King figured prominently on that marker? Yep, No. 14.

The Kings can only rely on That ‘70s Line for so long.

Once Kopitar returns—LA Kings Insider's Jon Rosen reports that he isn't expected to play against Pittsburgh on Thursday night—swapping Stoll and Richards’ roles would be wise in order to limit the former’s responsibilities and maximize the third line’s two-way potential.

Advanced statistics courtesy of Behind the Net and Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.

If it seems as though Mike Richards has been brought up incessantly over the offseason, that’s because he has been.

From ESPN.com to Pro Hockey Talk to the Los Angeles Times, prominent outlets have discussed the player at length this summer, and rightfully so.

Not only does the Los Angeles Kings center need to justify his lofty salary-cap hit as well as the faith general manager Dean Lombardi has placed in him, but his ability to bounce back from a poor 2013-14 could play a leading role in the squad’s title defense.

Depth down the middle is crucial in L.A., and if Richards can perform up to snuff this season, knocking the Kings off their throne could prove really, really tough.

Thankfully, his offseason work and savvy management have created a propitious situation for both player and team heading into 2014-15.

Fitness

It’s no secret that Richards appeared sluggish last season, finding himself a step behind rather than in the thick of the action. After amassing 27 points in 32 games early on, he struggled with an unspecified illness and closed out the year with a meager 14 points in 50 tilts.

While he’s never been the swiftest player around, he had previously always been mobile enough to reach the point of attack and leverage his blend of grit, skill and hockey IQ for the betterment of the team.

He took the game to the opposition.

In 2013-14, the smarts and guts were still in the right place, but he just wasn’t as involved as he had been in the past.

With a demotion to the fourth line and whispers of a possible compliance buyout, Richards dedicated himself to his conditioning this summer in the hopes of rediscovering the two-way menace he had been for most of his career.

For one of the most decorated players in the world—two Stanley Cups, Olympic gold, World Junior gold, Memorial Cup, Calder Cup—the adversity was welcome.

“It was definitely a learning experience last year, maybe even a little bit of an eye-opener where you might take things for granted, or take having success for granted,” he told ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun. “And to be honest, I deserved to be put in that position last year."

Complacency has been traded in for a chip on his shoulder. If you’ve followed Richards for a while, you know that could represent awful luck for the rest of the Western Conference.

According to LeBrun, he claims to be in much better shape coming into the year:

This summer, I put in the work. Of course, injuries can happen, but at least going into the season right now, I feel good and I’ve skated a lot more than I have in the past. I feel prepared, and I’m excited for the year. ...

I worked out with trainers for the first time in a long time. I never felt that I needed to be pushed off the ice to work out, but I think it’s good to have somebody there, first to make sure that you’re going every day, and secondly to help me with different things.

Armed with something to prove for the first time since winning his first Cup in 2011-12, Richards appears primed for a reemergence.

He may not produce another version of “The Shift” (video below) ever again—no one can really play like that into their 30s—but the 29-year-old should be a much more active and influential three-zone center in 2014-15.

A boost in pace and endurance should help him in every area of the game, allowing him to establish his forecheck, dictate play in the neutral zone and battle even harder in the trenches. Richards has made his name as a player who's tough as nails and a pain to match up against.

"He arrives at every part of the ice in ill humor. He doesn't give anyone an inch out there, no matter who they are," former linemate Dustin Penner told reporters in 2012.

General manager Dean Lombardi echoed that sentiment in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times' Helene Elliott. "It's hard to find people, athletes, as competitive as Michael," he said. "Competitive and also completely understand the significance of the moment. That's a special gift."

Assuming his concussion issues—two in three seasons—don't crop up, Richards may even summon some of the physicality that vanished after his first year with the Kings:

In Philadelphia and early in his L.A. tenure, he was continually in the right spot at the right time. His hockey sense should receive an extra push from his summer workouts, which should in turn lead to greater overall success.

There’s no question that Richards should feel a fair deal of pressure—from management, fans and himself—nipping at his heels coming into this season.

That’s good news, though, because he’s a tremendous player when his feet are moving.

Fit

Coupled with his conditioning, another factor in Richards’ gradual slide between 2012 and 2014 was the line configurations put together by head coach Darryl Sutter.

Slotting him next to Jeff Carter may seem like a perfect match at first blush—they were drafted in the same year by the same team and are close friends—but beyond the “Richards likes to pass, Carter likes to shoot” criterion, the chemistry isn’t great.

Carter operates at a quicker tempo, whereas Richards needs to see more touches to leave his imprint on a contest.

Moreover, both are natural centers, which isn’t ideal on defense. Wingers are accustomed to covering point men and battling along the wall to clear the puck out of the defensive zone. Carter doesn't excel at those tasks.

That’s precisely why Philadelphia seldom lumped them on the same line, as indicated by Dobber Hockey.

In the two seasons during which Richards has played alongside Carter more or less full time (2013 and 2013-14), he’s been on the ice for 1.02 goals against per 20 five-on-five minutes. Without Carter, his GA20 over that span drops to 0.71.

In his first year with the Kings, his GA20 with Carter was 0.73. Without him, that number was 0.59.

Clearly, the two couldn't figure things out defensively.

Sutter has apparently taken note of this. Before the club's first preseason game of the year on Monday night, LA Kings Insider reported that Richards would start with Justin Williams and Dwight King while "That '70s Line" (Carter, Tanner Pearson, Tyler Toffoli) would remain intact.

Sure, this was merely an exhibition contest, but Richards potting two goals is reason for optimism.

Even on offense, he has been limited by Carter’s presence of late, pigeonholing himself as a supplier and nothing else. Though he is certainly a fine playmaker, at his best, Richards was among the league’s most complete forwards: He could dole out crunching hits, offer sterling defense, set up his teammates and score in his own right.

His average of 0.13 goals per game last season was the lowest in his career and far worse than anything he’s generated since 2007-08.

That figure should rise with King and Williams by his side.

Both are stellar puck-possession wingers who work hard in the corners and can keep plays alive with defenders on their backs.

That will afford Richards several more touches per night than he has enjoyed in the last couple of years.

King saw a decent amount of time on Richards’ left side in 2013-14, and the with/without statistics are telling. With him, Richards posted a 47.1 goals-for percentage and 55.2 Corsi percentage. Without him, those respective numbers dipped to 40.8 and 54.4 percent.

In all zones, King seems to be a strong complement, utilizing his 6’4”, 230-pound frame and deceptively soft hands to facilitate the breakout and extend offensive-zone time.

Meanwhile, Williams and Richards haven’t played much together in the regular season. But with a championship on the line in the playoffs, they were borderline dominant when Sutter mixed up his units and paired them together.

Williams’ ability to create separation and control the puck in tight spaces should provide Richards with a number of high-quality looks.

Both King and Williams thrive in the possession game, crash the net, hold their own on the boards and finish when tendered the opportunity.

Neither is a pure sniper, though.

This is key, as it could force Richards’ hand into a more direct approach, looking to attack the net and shoot the puck himself as opposed to simply waiting for Carter to skate into the frame.

If Richards is to regain his form, he has to shun his one-dimensional tendencies. At least so far, he’s been partnered with the right linemates to bring that out of him.

Outlook

Richards is no longer in his scoring prime, so finding his 70-point peak once more on a defense-first Kings squad is unlikely. A bounce-back campaign at present would fall somewhere in the vicinity of 18-20 goals, 50-55 points and stout all-around play.

Beyond the basic numbers, he has to reassert himself as a dependable two-way pivot—the kind of player Sutter can deploy at even strength, on special teams and in crucial late-game scenarios.

With the trials he endured last season, improved fitness and a projected lineup conducive to more involvement around the puck, the pieces are in place for a resurgence.

Now it's up to Richards to deliver the goods.

As a fiery competitor on the hunt for redemption, the odds are in his favor.

Advanced statistics courtesy of Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.

There are no two ways about it: Mike Richards struggled in the back half of the 2013-14 regular season, only managing 14 points in the last 50 games of the campaign.

A longtime top-six pivot, he was iced as a fourth-line center for much of the Los Angeles Kings’ recent Stanley Cup run. This has led to speculation about a compliance buyout in the offseason.

The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell mused on the notion in early June. TSN.ca’s Darren Dreger suggested roughly a week later that the Kings don't intend on buying out Richards’ contract, but the 29-year-old will seek a more significant role next season. His desire for a spot higher on the depth chart may conflict with the team’s designs.

As Dreger wrote, “This could get very interesting.”

Seeing as 48 hours have elapsed since the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final, NHL clubs can now use their remaining amnesty buyouts.

That window will close on June 30 and won't open again in the foreseeable future—regular buyouts will remain available, but those which don’t count against the salary cap will not—hence the rumors surrounding Richards.

Despite all this hubbub, L.A. letting him go is quite an unlikely scenario. Moreover, it would be a foolish one for general manager Dean Lombardi and the front office to even contemplate.

While his hefty cap hit of $5.75 million per year is one reason to justify the possibility, the reasons to keep him on board completely overshadow it.

Unparalleled, Sustainable Center Depth

As I touched on in March and then during the Western Conference Final against Chicago, L.A.’s foremost strength is its balance down the middle.

In terms of three-zone play, no team in the NHL can rival the Kings’ stable of centers.

Head coach Darryl Sutter’s men typically play a diligent game that demands more of its pivots than any system in the world. Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Richards proved up to the task in the playoffs, wearing down the opposition with their ability to control the play at both ends of the rink.

Jarret Stoll, for his part, was a terrific bolt of energy, perpetually throwing checks, blocking shots and taking crucial faceoffs on the third line.

L.A.’s current center depth is the stuff of dynasties.

This is no exaggeration. Kopitar is an elite two-way force, Carter’s speed, reach and shot are terrifying for defenders, Richards is a jack-of-all-trades who elevates his level in the playoffs and Stoll is the ultimate glue guy.

They can win by playing any brand of hockey they encounter. If opponents shut one or two of these pivots down at a time, there’s always at least another legitimate threat to deal with.

The team’s core can easily be retained too, as Richards, Carter, Jonathan Quick, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty and Slava Voynov are already locked into long-term deals.

James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail reports that next year’s cap will hover around $69.6 million—perhaps higher than that due to the league’s massive Canadian television deal—which is up from its previous mark of $64.3 million.

Assuming that figure sticks, the Kings would have $11.63 million of space to work with this summer.

The main priorities are to re-sign Marian Gaborik and decide the fates of unrestricted free agents Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell.

In all likelihood, only one of the two blueliners will return next season. The former has more value to other clubs than to L.A. as an experienced defenseman, whereas the latter was running on fumes late in the year and may opt to hang up his skates at the summit of the sport.

Gaborik, for his part, should command an annual average salary of $5-6 million.

There's more than enough room to retain the sniper as well as one UFA defenseman, with Brayden McNabb or Andrew Bodnarchuk filling the other gap. The Kings could also choose to bring back one of Jeff Schultz or Andrew Campbell on a modest free-agent contract.

A couple of years from now, when Kopitar and youngsters such as Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson will require new deals, the cap will have conceivably risen once more.

Granted, $5.75 million per year is pricey at present for a fourth-liner, but anyone who actually watched the games is aware that Richards was never deployed as a bottom-line player. He averaged 15 minutes and 32 seconds per contest in the postseason and saw a regular shift on both the power play and penalty kill.

When games hung in the balance, Sutter would often send Richards out there.

Though the demotion was originally a motivational ploy, it evolved into a luxury most franchises couldn’t dream of: a second-line, battle-tested talent instantly legitimizing a lesser unit without sacrificing the top six's productivity.

It was too much for anyone to handle, as the Kings scrapped a path to a second Stanley Cup in three seasons on the back of their myriad sources of offense.

Furthermore, if Richards does indeed remain in L.A., he’ll probably be slotted into the third line alongside Justin Williams and Dwight King.

Richards and the 2014 Conn Smythe Trophy winner demonstrated phenomenal chemistry together, and one has to imagine they were only kept apart due to an if-it-ain’t-broke philosophy in the pressure cooker of the playoffs.

The offseason will provide the leeway to tinker with the roster and maximize its potential.

Yes, the Kings could be even better in 2014-15.

Richards is simply too qualified for a fourth-line spot and would receive little support from the likes of Trevor Lewis.

Meanwhile, Stoll is serviceable on the third line, but he doesn’t possess the ability to turn the unit into a dominant group.

With an offseason to improve his conditioning—Richards' fitness level was nowhere near where it should have been in 2013-14—and develop a stronger rapport with Williams, the Kings would be provided with a second, well, second line of sorts.

This approach would also afford Richards his first full year in L.A. without Carter on his wing.

As natural centers, the two never meshed well defensively and were out of sync offensively later in their partnership. A fresh start with genuine wingers by his side would do wonders for Richards in every zone.

Fortifying its presence in the middle of the ice could set the team on a path to the NHL’s first repeat since Detroit’s back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998.

Leadership

There’s a reason every rookie called up to the Kings starts on Richards’ line. There’s a reason Sutter trusts him in crunch time. There’s a reason winning follows him everywhere he goes (Memorial Cup, World Junior gold medal, Calder Cup, Olympic gold medal, two Stanley Cups).

He plays the right way. Despite his talent, his game is unquestionably about will over skill.

Though wear and tear on his body doesn’t allow him to govern 200 feet of ice like he did in Philadelphia anymore, his drive and natural instincts are special.

He’s a leader by example—one of those rare breeds who hates to lose more than he loves to win.

Just take a look at his final shift in a Flyers uniform for proof:

Down 4-1 in the third period of an Eastern Conference semifinal matchup Philly was trailing 3-0—and with a nagging wrist injury that would require surgery in the offseason—Richards dives in front of Shawn Thornton to prevent an empty-net goal. The rest of his teammates, however, are all too ready to hit the golf course.

There’s just no quit in this player.

Richards demonstrated that he still possesses those guts in the 2013-14 postseason.

In Game 4 of the team’s quarterfinal clash with the San Jose Sharks, he displays stellar hand-eye coordination to tap down a Jake Muzzin pass before crashing the net to facilitate Williams’ power-play tally.

He isn’t credited with the goal, but his grit and desire are irrepressible:

In Game 1 of the Anaheim series, he simply wants the puck more than Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf does along the wall, sending it on net for Gaborik to pot the tying marker with seven seconds left in regulation:

In Game 7 of that same matchup, Richards’ competitive spirit puts Anaheim’s defensemen to shame, as he craftily lifts Cam Fowler’s stick before barreling through the slot for a rebound goal:

He would not be denied.

In every big game L.A. faced this year—as it happens, games during which he was split up from Lewis—he was one of the alpha males.

“He arrives at every part of the ice in ill humor. He doesn’t give anyone an inch out there, no matter who they are,” former linemate Dustin Penner told reporters about Richards.

Beyond the killer instinct, Richards’ impact is felt in less-heralded areas.

He’s still a stout defender with one of the most active sticks in the league, he’s a brilliant penalty-killer, he’s solid at the dot (53.9 percent in the most recent playoffs), he always supports his teammates positionally and he’ll lay his body on the line in service of the squad.

He gives you everything he has. Even if concussions have ensured that’s not as much as it once was, it’s a trait that rubs off on those around him and is vital in the yearly war to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Instead of rah-rah bluster, Richards offers a rare commodity in today’s NHL: true-blue, heart-and-soul leadership.

Proven Success

In the three years since the Kings acquired Richards, they’ve won two championships and reached three conference finals. The one season that didn’t result in a Stanley Cup saw L.A. besieged by injuries to Doughty, Brown, Richards, Williams, Stoll, Mitchell and Greene.

In other words, in that time frame, no team has been able to defeat L.A. when it was even remotely healthy.

That’s quite a far cry from picking second overall in the 2008 draft.

If there was a culture-changing moment to identify in this journey, it was Game 1 of the first round in 2012. Matched up against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks, the Kings were, nevertheless, viewed as a team no one wished to face in the playoffs.

Richards was the catalyst in demonstrating why that is, registering three points and grinding supposed peer Ryan Kesler into the chasm that separates the men from the boys.

According to The National Post’s Iain MacIntyre, Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault wasn't pleased with that head-to-head tilt between the two-way stalwarts:

“I’m not sure I like that matchup. I’m going to think about that.

[Wednesday] night’s game, [Richards] was a force on the ice and we’re going to need to do a better job. He made some solid plays with the puck and he was real physical in certain areas of the ice. We’re going to need to address that.”

Think about this for a moment: Kesler’s coach is considering moving his Selke Trophy winner — in theory, the best checking forward in the NHL — away from Richards.

While Richards’ overall game was a masterclass in gritty, three-zone hockey, the seminal play in Kings history occurred in the dying seconds.

With the Vancouver net empty for an extra attacker, the Canucks look to carve their way into L.A. territory. Instead of backing off to merely hold the defensive blue line, as most would in this situation, Richards goes on the offensive and unloads on Alex Burrows—right in front of Vigneault’s men:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A_f3QOi80Y

Don’t think for a second that Richards wasn’t aware of the circumstances. Given the timing and location, this was as pure and emphatic a you-shall-not-pass statement as one could have possibly delivered. “The Cup goes through me.”

The Kings haven’t looked back since.

With him in the fold, their forward ranks strike an impeccable, indomitable balance. Brown hits like a freight train but sometimes lacks a punch in the trenches. Carter can skate and shoot with the best of them but sometimes needs a cutting edge by his side. Williams is a terrific playoff producer, but there’s more to clutch hockey than points. Kopitar is cool as ice, but sometimes you need a healthy dose of fire.

Richards is a perfect foil to these central figures up front. He’s by no means the best player on the roster, but he’s a critical piece of the puzzle.

The Kings have played an NHL-record 64 playoff games in the past three seasons. They’ve climbed to the sport’s peak on two separate occasions, and those championships represent the only two this franchise has ever taken home. They’re as close to dynasty status as any club in the world.

Is it a happy coincidence that this remarkable stretch has dovetailed with Richards’ presence in Los Angeles?

The NHL’s consummate winner brings a hunger, a swagger, a refusal to lose to a city that wasn’t accustomed to winning games—let alone Cups—until he arrived. He's an out-and-out gamer, a predator. He was the best player on the ice in both of L.A.'s recent Stanley Cup Final appearances.

Some will claim that the Kings literally cannot afford to keep him. In truth, with their championship window open right now and his track record of delivering when it counts, they can’t afford not to.

Salary-cap, contract and buyout information courtesy of CapGeek.com.