Frankly I'm shocked. Not that they moved him, because if you follow NHL news at all they've been trying to do that for two seasons, but that there were no takers at all. I know it's a decent cap hit but sheesh. NOBODY wanted to trade for the guy? Very, very surprised by that.EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Center Mike Richards was placed on waivers Monday, Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi said.
The Kings had been exploring avenues to move Richards, according to Lombardi.
"I think it's fair to say we made a final decision on this … that we're going to do it one way or another … after the All-Star break," he said.
There was speculation last season that Lombardi would exercise the buyout option on Richards, but he hoped bringing back Richards would motivate the 29-year-old center for this season.
"I think it was a combination of that," Lombardi said. "We expect loyalty from our players, and I think it's a two-way street. Under the circumstances, what he had done for us, I thought he deserved a chance to get back to what everyone knows he was capable of. It's a hard balance."
Richards is on pace for nine goals and 26 assists this season and is ninth in ice time among Kings forwards at 13:42 per game, by far the lowest of his 10-season career. He was thought to be a healthy scratch for the first time in his NHL career Jan. 10, but Tyler Toffoli sat after he was diagnosed with mononucleosis.
Richards has five full seasons remaining on a 12-year contract extension that he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in December 2007. His annual average salary-cap charge is $5.75 million. The Kings have other roster questions looming because center Jarret Stoll, right wing Justin Williams and defenseman Robyn Regehr will become unrestricted free agents this summer; forwards Toffoli, Tanner Pearson and goalie Martin Jones, among others, will become restricted free agents.
Richards was a four-time 20-goal scorer with the Flyers, but he didn't approach that pace after the Kings' 2011-12 Stanley Cup season, during which the Kings went 38-21-15 with him in the lineup. He was runner-up for the Selke Trophy in 2008-09 and finished in the top 10 in voting two other times.
Richards is the only player to win the Stanley Cup, Calder Cup, Memorial Cup, an Olympic gold medal and a World Junior Championship gold medal.
"I don't think there's any question we don't win that first Cup without what he did for this team," Lombardi said. "But you've got to be a certain level here that has to get done."
Kinda humiliating for a guy who, as the Kings GM said, played a strong role for the Kings in winning their first cup and routinely in the Selke conversation.
