One more aspect of the trade

As if the day couldn’t get any stranger… Officially, the Kings have traded Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds and a 2012 second-round draft pick to Philadelphia for Mike Richards and a young forward named Rob Bordson. Here’s the rub. According to a source, the Flyers included Bordson in the trade because they already had the maximum number of contracts on their books. Bordson is due to become a restricted free agent on July 1, and the Kings do not intend to tender him a contract. So, Bordson is Kings property at the moment, but won’t be eight days from now, when he will become a free agent. Bordson is a 23-year-old center who totaled 22 points in 73 AHL games last season.

There’s a Dean Lombardi/Mike Richards conference call tentatively scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Here’s a quote from Lombardi from the Kings’ news release: “We felt at this stage of the franchise it was time to make a significant move for an impact player. Mike Richards is not only one of the top players in the league, he’s also universally recognized as one of the finer leaders in the game and one of its elite competitors. Additionally, given that he’s only 26 years old and he’s on a long-term contract, he fits our plan now and for the long-term future.”