MIKE RICHARDS
This season: 74 games, 18 goals, 26 assists, plus-3 rating.
The good: Richards’ contributions can’t simply be measured in his offensive numbers. Beyond those, Richards did exactly what Dean Lombardi hoped he would, particularly in the playoffs. He took some pressure off No. 1 center Anze Kopitar and brought some balance to the Kings’ lineup. After a long, baffling stretch in which Richards didn’t seem to be himself, Richards very much lived up to his reputation as a playoff winner. Richards had four goals and 11 assists in 20 playoff games, and was a tenacious puck-pursuer as well. Richards’ versatility and creativity on the power play also makes him invaluable.
The bad: The world will never know, because hockey players will never be totally honest about such things, but how much did Richards’ concussion impact him? Richards missed three weeks of game action after a hit from Florida’s Sean Bergenheim. Upon his return, he scored a goal in each of his first two games, but after that, Richards went through a mystifying drought. He went 25 consecutive games without a goal, and from Dec. 26 until March 16, Richards scored one goal. Richards looked uncertain of himself and his game at times, but said he felt healthy. If the concussion wasn’t still a problem, then what was the problem?
Going forward: In fairness to Richards, it’s worth noting that for much of the season, he didn’t have consistent, productive linemates. At one point, he had Jarret Stoll, a natural center, on his right wing. At another point, he centered rookies Dwight King and Jordan Nolan, who had a total of six NHL games between them. After the Kings acquired Jeff Carter — and after Carter settled in — and when Dustin Penner emerged as a second-line option, Richards looked much better. That’s probably not a coincidence. Given a full season of health, and productive linemates, Richards should have a much better all-around season.
C- for the regular season, A for the playoffs = C+ for the season. His injury really seemed to set him back for months, even after he had “healed.” I expect much more out of a healthy Mike Richards this upcoming season.
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Waxieman Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 2:51 pm
@puddle,
C for the season A for the playoffs = A , that is what the Kings got him for.
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puddle Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
@Waxieman, Wrong. The Kings paid him for 82 regular season games and the playoffs. He stepped up big in the playoffs, which was expected, but his regular season was just plain disappointing.
I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t expect more from Richards next year. He’s clearly shown he’s capable, and you can only hold people to what they’re capable of doing.
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Waxieman Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
@puddle,
Think about you changing everything in you life. It takes time to adjust. I believe we will see a consistent Richards for now on, My point was the Kings never won before Richards he set the tone the first game in Vancouver, and the second game against the blues. Have been a fan for 45 years he was the difference.
LB Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:03 pm
@puddle, Also remember he had something like 12 consecutive games with a goal scored before his concussion!
luc20rules Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:19 pm
@puddle, Richards is still relatively young and you don’t dismiss what he did, before this year or how he played in the playoffs. My expectation is that he will score 23+ G, 40+ A, and be solid defensively.
@Waxieman, I like Richards, but can’t single him out as the difference, so many Kings stepped up during the playoffs. As well as Quick was in the regular season he was twice as good in the playoffs. Brown was a force that propelled them thru the first 2 rounds and the last game 6 of the Finals. Every one that got ice time for the Kings stepped up there game for the Kings in the playoffs. Was Richards a positive contributor absolutely, but to say he was the difference? I think diminishes the effort of the rest of the team.
BigMikeonD Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
@puddle, Because they hoisted the cup the playoffs mean more. He gets a b+ – A- for that.
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Poppa K Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
@puddle, I hear you…but as I’m sure you are well aware, No Richards=No Cup. Next subject
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King Cobra Reply:
July 19th, 2012 at 10:00 am
@Poppa K, BINGO!!!
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He was the difference in the team this year vs. last year. He brought leadership & made an immediate impact & improved all he played with.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
@Howe9, You pretty much hit the nail on the head…him and Sutter, and perhaps the boost of confidence that came with his buddy. Yes, though, his contribution may be overlooked by many.
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Lets do it again Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:36 pm
@Howe9, You can tell every time he’s on the ice he’s giving 110%. Theres no quit in this guy. He gets an A from me.
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He gets an A from me. Even when he was coming off his injury, you can tell he tried his best.
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B + for me he did what was asked of him
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I saw a lot of Richards in the Flyers Cup run and in the Olympics and I always said to myself, “i wish we (The Kings) had a player like Richards”. I was thrilled when Lombardi traded for him and it has payed off. He’s one of my favorite players. A+
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22 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 10:26 pm
@Sebastian,
Yup, me too.
During the olympics I was saying, can you imagine Richards and Brown on the same Kings team.
A
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After adjusting to a new team, new linemates and such, by November MR was starting to hit his stride not only putting up his best career numbers (11 G, 20 ponirs in 24 games) but also playing beastly in the Dzone and defending his teammates when called fo, establishing himself as one of the team leaders and a strong 2 way center. He might have been the best skater thru end of Nov. But that head injury Dec 1 ended mostof his reg. season. Post Concussion Syndrome and is an awful thing to suffer thru and very frustrating and generally affects 80% of head injury victims. There is no clock on full recovery but for a concussion like he suffered, generally 6 mos is average. I also think he came back too soon. So for me, it was only fair to consider that in his Reg season grade.
By the playoffs he had regained most of his usual form and elevated his game. Adding steady and skilled linemates, he was able to be a very productive player and key component in the teams success. Pierre LeBrun said it best after the 1st series, that the Kings should go to th eFinals because no team in the playoffs had 2 centers that dominated 200 feet of hockey the way Richie and Kopi did. And he was right, they really were a force on both sides of the puck.
SIde note- best of luck to Arnold on his surgery recovery (mike’s black lab, featured on NHL 36) per MR torn ACL ‘out 4-6 weeks’
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DHH Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 2:46 pm
@Deirdre,
I was wondering who Arnold was!
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Waxieman Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 2:53 pm
@DHH,
His dog
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King Cobra Reply:
July 19th, 2012 at 10:04 am
@Deirdre, Hey girl, our guy sure came through in the long run. What a year and what a player!
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HBFan Reply:
July 19th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
@Deirdre, He better get Arnold some ice cream
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Simply put, we got Richards for postseason play. While teams like Vancouver, Philly, NY, and etc. are built for a wide open style of play during the regular season, the LA Kings were built strictly for the long and brutal grind of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
I remember when Penner got leveled by Perron in Round 2 vs Stl and little Mike Richards immediately came to Penner’s defense by landing a couple serious shots to Perron. It not only sets the tone for the game, but it also personifies that “family” type atmosphere that Lombardi so dearly coveted.
A for Mike
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Deirdre Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 2:55 pm
@LosAngelesKing, Defending his own, as with the Perron/Penner situation you noted and the one in january where he never hestiated to take on Morrow when Kopi got leveled, is one of the things that sets him apart. That’s generally not something elite players , skilled players, do. He’s done hat since his junior days, he takes it personally when one of his teammates is run at. Consider the 2nd game of the season against the Sabres when Bernier got ran in the crease. Richards was a new King and went right at the three Sabres, twice the ref had to pull him away. THat goes a long way on a bench, when uyou know that guy has your back, without fail, he’s a guy you’ll go to war with.
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Mars Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
@Deirdre, +1
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Chigbundu Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 9:44 pm
@Deirdre, that’s all well and good, but I”m so tired of the culture of a player getting beat up after he lands a clean hit.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
@LosAngelesKing, @Deidre, It was Oshie that leveled Penner in the series against STL…just a formality but thought i would set the record strait.
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Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:07 pm
@LosAngelesKing, It was TJOshie…
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When he was acquired, the only other team that I thought could match the Kings Kopitar/Richards combo was Pittsburgh with Crosby/Malkin. No one else came close. He instantly made the Kings a contender, and while the season was up and down, his play in the playoffs really showed why there was a lot of hype and expectations around the Kings when he was acquired.
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I love players that have attitiude and the instinct to impose their will on others and give 200% 100% of the time! Mike Richards epitomizes that like non other. I got the warm fuzzies when we signed him (even though Wayne”NightTrain” Simmonds was one of my favorites) and knew he would bring good things to this Org. Despite his tough stretch that Rich pointed out I have to give the guy an A. I can find any other reason to give him anything lower than that. If he had a tough stretch without the concussion issues than maybe i would give him a B but even then im not so sure I would grade him lower.
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He accomplished what he was brought here to do in his first year, but there’s still room for improvement.
B+
Without his experience and demeanor (read: leadership), the Kings don’t win the Cup. Even if you replace Richards with an 80-point scorer. Re-watch Game 1 v. Van for details.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
@Doughty99, I about did a back flip when he knocked Burrows on his back side…I hate Burrows!
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Deirdre Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:11 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Love that hit…and the reaction from the Canucks bench who did the ‘wave’….apparently terrified of Richards…too funny.
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HBFan Reply:
July 19th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Burrows spent the rest of the series trying to get Richards back instead of playing hockey. Now that is effectiveness
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That concussion set him back no doubt. I feel he was on pace for a 30+ goal season 70+ points. Richards did everything and more in the playoffs. I can’t grade him. We got the cup and that’s all that matters.
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Note to Rich on your question above “Richards looked uncertain of himself and his game at times, but said he felt healthy. If the concussion wasn’t still a problem, then what was the problem?”
He always says he’s fine. Laat year he played the entire season with torn cartilege and ligiments in his left wrist and went thru a long slump was asked all the time about injury and said ‘i’m fine’. He even played with pneumonie in the playoffs and dropped a lot of weight. In 2009 he played almost the whole year with torn labrums in both shoulders. He always says he’s fine. Concussions don’t go away in 3 weeks and it’s likely he played with those symptoms for months.
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KingMe20 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
@Deirdre,
Hockey players being less than forthcoming about injuries? Whoever heard of such a thing?
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DD has been cleared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
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Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
@neil, Drewiske cleared waivers?
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neil Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
@Stuart, LOL!!! Thats how rumors start..DD is still here and DD8 has been cleared!!!!
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KingMe20 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
@neil,
Was just about to post that. I’m glad he won’t be charged, but I hope he’s learned to be more careful about who he meets and where he meets them.
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Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
@KingMe20, the little blurb int he LATimes says they had hooked up in the past, but this last time was against her will… hopefully her ID is known soon.
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McCheese Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
@Stuart, she probably didn’t know who he was the first time they hooked up… then she decided to come back and get her claws into him. Gotta be tough to be a single sports celebrity.
Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:48 pm
@McCheese, maybe it was while he was still on his ELC…
HockeyNerd Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:03 pm
@KingMe20, If DD was the victim here, than HE was the victim. Women do not walk around with signs saying “if you pick me up in a bar I will try to extort you”. There is nothing to learn here.
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KingMe20 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:07 pm
@HockeyNerd,
There’s ALWAYS something to learn. Perhaps not going to a bar to just pick out someone to take home is the lesson, or actually getting to know someone before sleeping with them. It’s not like we’ve never heard of this type of charge against an athlete before in this town. Not saying she isn’t at fault for filing what was apparently a false charge, but he’s guilty of poor judgment too.
KJ Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
@HockeyNerd, I also think there is always something to be learned when going through a situation like this, and I would venture to say that DD will be WAY more careful in the future.
Dom Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
@neil, Source??
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KingMe20 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:22 pm
@Dom,
Craig Renetzky, his lawyer, posted it on Twitter.
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Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:25 pm
@Dom, google it… and if you google “drew doughty accuser” and hit the images tab, about halfway down there is a small picture of a blonde woman seated at a table with GAllred next to her… I couldn’t open the picture (stupid work computer) and I don’t know if it’s her or not…
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kingsofsb Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:39 pm
@Stuart, La times is reporting the same. No charges for our boy DD. Maybe there should be some false accusation charges for the accuser.
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Well, that completes a perfect postseason and offseason…now we just have to hope for a season.
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What No ‘F’ yet?????
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I went B. When he was aquired, I must’ve drank too much of the kool-aid because I thought we’d dominate wire-to-wire. While it wasn’t MR’s fault that we didn’t, I thought it took someone his caliber too long to make the adjustment to his new environment. There was one part in his NHL36 episode that spoke volumes to me even though it was a passing moment that lasted all of 10 seconds: he was asked about living at the beach and specifically is he’d tried surfing. He said he had early on but had given it up. To me that said that he had LA/Beach life in his head more so than what was going on, on the ice. And then he took that hit by that scrub Burgertime… he was still very much injured and was skating around a little haunched over, very reminiscent of Paul Coffey’s final games with the Carolina Hurricanes… it was sad to watch. He was wallowing in the mire for quite a while until the rooks saved his soul! That was a turning point, IMO. DL went to him and said look we’re putting two rooks with you and I want you to teach them, make them what you want your wingers to be, tell them where they need to be to make your line successful, to make YOU successful. I felt as if MR began to take ownership of his line, of his young wingers, non-stop talking/coaching them, making them better, making him better… and lastly JC came aboard and I swear I saw MR smile in the inside! He was solid in PO’s and truely gave us the 1-2 punch we thought we would see from game 1.
STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS and it would’nt have happened without him! I expect an A year next year with bigger offensive numbers!
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Deke'r Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:35 pm
@Stuart, …????….I like surfing and really don’t want to be a lifeguard….I guess you can read what you want into anything you hear….
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Deke'r Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
@Deke’r, ….sorry dude…thought for sure lifeguard was in there….those damn shrooms…
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Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
@Deke’r, pass the bag!!!
Duncanz Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:38 pm
@Stuart,
I too really love to romanticize about when MR was skating around with his thoughts in the surf and his hands set in cement while the team was suffering goallessly more than at any time in barely living memory.
You know, some malcontent on here the other day tried to put it about that guys like Dustin Penner were completely letting the team (and therefore all of us malcontented bloggers) down by doing exactly this!
Boy, did I give that guy short shrift!
To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect him to show his formerly uncompli/ementary complexion around these parts again!
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Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
@Duncanz, you ever seen me period??
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Duncanz Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:04 pm
@Standyke,
Oi, wawt sawt awv fing awz thet t’ ask a innawcint yawng jent’lm’n loik moi?
Oil av yew awp me chawmney befaw yew knaw it!
Last year much was made of the player exit interviews. Unless,
this year I have read nothing. Were they conducted?
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Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
@JackKentCooke, yup, on June 11th, inside Staples!
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:34 pm
@JackKentCooke, Maybe something changed when TM exited.
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http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/07/kings-player-drew-doughty-will-not-face-sexual-assault-charges.html
just as everyone expected!
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
Sounds good to me!
I wonder how many players from opposing teams will chirp Doughty about this. It’s just trash talk but I’m sure it weighs on players minds.
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Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:56 pm
@FKA PakiFro, he’ll probably say something along of line of “you know motha goose?” Think the Diceman…
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Shuchuk Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
@Stuart, HA. Little Doan blue, cause he needed the money.
It mystifies me the way many Flyers fans, and obviously their mgt, have rationalized that trade. I appreciate loyalty to Simmonds and Schenn, but the Flyers simply didn’t get better. Richards is in a small group who bring intangible things to the game, the team almost every night. Simmonds brings something to a team, but winning isn’t one of them. The Kings took two steps forward, the Flyers two steps back. Richie, a b+ thanks to concussion, but A+ to Lombardi for tricking a cynical Holmgren.
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AliCali Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
@Phoolish GM, I don’t fully agree. Schenn is projected to be possibly as good as Richards, and throw in Simmonds plus a pick, and the Flyers have good possibilities in the future. Time will tell, but the Flyers will in all likelihood be very happy with Schenn and Simmonds.
Here’s the major difference and why it worked for the Kings: Richards is really good NOW. Schenn and Simmonds will be really good in a few years. Kings were ready now for that second elite center. For the Flyers, with Giroux and if they can get steady goaltending, they will be ready for a serious cup run in just a few years.
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
@AliCali,
Maybe even next year. If Bryz can play like he did in the 2006 playoffs.
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BringbackButchGoring Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
@AliCali, I have a feeling Richards will be really good in a few years also since he’s only 27. It’s always going to be apples and oranges because who knows how many goals Richards might have scored last year playing Philly’s stupid wide open no defense system. Plus you can’t compare Schenn and Simmonds against Richards since the trade opened a spot for a second player that wouldn’t be there otherwise. Let’s say that player is King. Now its King and Richards vs Schenn and Simmonds. I’ll take that any day of the week.
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C for the regular season, A for the playoffs, equals out to a B from me. He came through when it mattered most, which is what he was brought here to do.
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B+ for his playing (And I think Rich nailed it that the concussion was worse then Richards let on).
I do, however, give Richards an F for his rapping. http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/3a0df2b036/the-fame-makers-with-the-los-angeles-kings. Richards at 2:25
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:52 pm
@vicarious,
Wrist shot, slapshot, backhand goal! Doesn’t get any better than that
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Still can’t believe we have Mike Richards on our team. Will be much better next year.
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An A for leadership and hard nose play against the best centers in the league. If he was on another Western Conference team we would ALL hate him. GO KINGS GO!!!
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Man I am getting good at this. Every vote I made was the majority..The A for Willie, the C+ for Penner, the A for Quick.
I should have been a teacher
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Lake Forest Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:50 pm
@eskymi, Disclaimer: Most of us don’t know anything.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 3:59 pm
@Lake Forest, LOL!
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Off Topic….Per LA Times, Drew Doughty will not face sexual assault charges.
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Solid “B” — “C” regular season + “B+” postseason
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Doughty cleared of all charges.
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plywood Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:00 pm
@Who Knows?, Yep–just heard it on channel 9 news. Glad to hear.
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I know it’s been mentioned a couple of times already, but I can’t stress enough how important the first couple of games against Vancouver were, and Richards was the biggest part of that. He set the tone for the rest of the playoffs, and showed a level of confidence in the “big moments” that none of the other Kings had yet shown. I feel that without his performance in those first couple games Vancouver has a much better chance, and could have shifted how the entire playoffs turned out.
Subpar reg season, but for me he gets a pass due to injuries. Epic in the playoffs.
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Off topic, but Drew Doughty is cleared.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/07/kings-player-drew-doughty-will-not-face-sexual-assault-charges.html
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Just read great news on LA times. Doughty will not be charged for rape. Now he can concentrate on hocky for next season.
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Here we go again with yet another player who had a very different playoff than regular season. I almost gave him an A but that huge stretch without scoring cannot be ignored. But neither can his all around game and tremendous playoffs. B+
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Love Richards. My favorite player. Hopefully he will get 30+ goals this coming season along with brown, kopy, and carter.
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LB Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
@Wygant, I have to say he’s my favorite as well.
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where’s The Cup?
I don’t know, but this came from Colin Fraser, posted at twitter….
https://p.twimg.com/AyHPaIeCEAAXXPx.jpg:large
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Duncanz Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
@Real 7,
The “Calder” Trophy !
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Real 7 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
@Real 7, Colin has the cup ~The Cup~ in Sylvan Lake….pictures!
https://twitter.com/colinfraser
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A+! I knew when we got him last off season what he would bring to the table. I knew they were gonna be Cup-worthy. I didn’t think they would go through vast stretches being unable to score. That was more shocking to me than anything else this year (Stanley Cup win is still “unbelievable”). Let’s not forget the stretch where NO ONE was putting the puck in the net! MR still brought the tenacity game in and game out! A leader without a letter on his jersey, this dude did a lot for us this year!
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I know it’s extreme, but I think having Richards is the biggest difference between winning the cup and not. Quick was amazing. Kopi was a beast. Mitchell was the man. But the dude is a winner. Those are born, not made. He won his junior championship, world jr championship, world championship, AHL championship, Olympic gold metal and now, a Stanley Cup.
Not to say he didn’t have great teammates on those teams. But there are a lot of teams that have great teams on paper. But it takes guys like Richards to bring it all together and get to the promised land.
So happy we have him and look forward to next year, and the one after that, and after that!
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Deirdre Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
@Mudfish4, It’s not as extreme as you think and that is one reason DL got him and said so the day of the trade, mentioning in addition to him being a great teammate , elite competiror and leader was the fact he has the inborn drive to win and has done so at every level he’s played at- and won champtionships (only player in the NHl to have done that). IT’s not always gonna show up on the score sheet, but it’s just as important. That fire inside, that emotion , that passion and intensity that he brings is something that has always inspired his teammates to work harder, to follow his example. And with this team, with the talent and heart, how close they are, how young, it spells more champsionships in the near future.
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Solid “B” and I feel perhaps a “B+” might of been more fair, but I’m a tough grader. Only two A’s so far Quick and Mitchell.
Richards gives the Kings swagger. I’ve been re-watching all the King playoff victorys and you could just see the team’s confidence grow larger and larger. Other teams will not be able to look us in the eye and feel they are a better team and truely believe it next year. That is a huge psychological advantage we will be playing with.
No longer do we go into places like Vancouver and Detroit as just another team on the schedule. We should see some very intense hockey next year.
We are the new measuring stick in the NHL.
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puck73 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
@KC23, Great post, one of your best.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:41 pm
@KC23, Same here…Quick and Mitchell got the only A’s from me so far. Next season, if it happens, will be interesting. As you say, they’ll be the measuring stick. The Kings won’t see backup goaltenders, stars being scratched healthy, etc. They’ll get every team’s best game.
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CB14 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
@KC23, Like WTFK, same here. I couldn’t give Richards a B+ because that’s what I gave Kopi, and Richards’ play was a step below Kopi’s play this season.
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i think a healthy richards/gagne/carter line (possibly penner) is gonna excel next season….
i think if these guys can stay healthy, there’s no reason we can’t have line 1a and 1b….
maybe it’s just my stanley cup winning optimism getting the best of me, but i know we saw more of the real mike richards in the playoffs…he can be a force…carter, when he’s skating, can take over a shift in the slot….gagne is the key…he has always been such a smart player….if he heals physically, he maybe has 20-25 goals still left in him with a nice amount of assists to go with them…..
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Hey Rich, will you be evaluating Terry Murray at some point? I hope so. I got a little present for him, but I just dont know how to wrap it!
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variable Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:14 pm
@puck73,
i already know who yr gonna be for halloween this year….
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puck73 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
@variable, Keep an eye out on opening night behind the Kings bench, you just never know who might show up.
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Stuart Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
@puck73, speaking of Terrence, I picked up the “Official” Stanley Cup Kings book and lo and behold, it stated that the Sutter relieved Bryan Murray of his coaching duties… what a slap to Leslie’s dome!
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luc20rules Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
@puck73, I will once again ask you to let this go for the sake of your blood pressure and general health. TM is gone 3.3 yrs wasn’t enough to scar the Kings future. I fact we are at the peak of the organizations existance enjoy it. Consider TM a steward to the thrown until DS could take over.
If you just can’t get past this and enjoy the success that the Kings will be enjoying. Fly out and heckle TM in the AHL and be done with it.
I personally have a bigger grudge against Crawford, and think TMs stategy may not have been the best thing, but the players needed to learn to play D. TM did do that successfully, and DS had an easier time because of it. All players want to rachet it up offensively, but they won’t win anything until they are defensively sound.
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puck73 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
@luc20rules, I wont be letting it go for quite a while. In fact, keep your eye on the Kings bench at Staples this season, you never know who might show up in a suit and tie, and a stanley cup ring!
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luc20rules Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
@puck73, That would save you a flight to Adirondack? LOL.
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
@puck73, I remember when you and I and maybe one or two other people were saying TM was the problem, and I remember it took some courage to say it. Cheers!
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DesertKing Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
TM was the problem? Wow, where was I ?
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:22 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
Who’s this TM character?
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:41 pm
We knew he flipped his lid when he decided to start Bernier after Quick had three back-to-back shutouts.
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CB14 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 8:50 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, WE (You, me , puck, crown royal, and others) knew that he had flipped his lid when he failed to call a timeout against San Jose. He should’ve been fired at that point. Heck, I wanted to see him fired back in one of their all too common November losing streaks during the 10-11 season. It was the people on the fence who finally came to their senses after TM sat Quick, and the losing that followed. Lastly, the TM apoligists realized what a good coach could do once this team went on their tear in the playoffs.
CB14 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
@puck73, You put it in a brown paper bag, place it on his front porch, light it on fire, ring the doorbell, and run.
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mike richards… between him and brownie and mitchell, no room for slackers on that team. noww that dd wont be prosecuted, we can focus on the beginnings of a dynasty… http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/07/kings-player-drew-doughty-will-not-face-sexual-assault-charges.html
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puck73 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
@tim chaney, I guess Gloria Allred wont get that pub she so desperately wanted on this situation.
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luc20rules Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
@puck73, What do you mean she already attached her name to it, and I am sure got print and news coverage for a week or 2. It may not have met her very sick need for attention, but virtually all hockey fans know she was associated with this charge by now.
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puck73 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
@luc20rules, True. Out here though, hockey is still small potatos. Heck, after the Kings won the cup, 710 and 570 AM went right back to doing what they do best…telling us how many time Kobe Bryant flushed the toilet today.
Kingsfanone Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:25 pm
@puck73,
There may be a civil suit. Gloria ain’t gone yet.
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DOUGHTY GOOD NEWS!!!
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/07/kings-player-drew-doughty-will-not-face-sexual-assault-charges.html
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luc20rules Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
@Gustavo, Thank you this is excellent news! Now the main obsticle to the Kings winning back to back Cups are the pinheads negotiating the CBA.
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Gustavo Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:58 pm
@luc20rules,
Why???
If there is another lockout, the LAK remain champions…
I much rather see them win another Cup without stoppage, though.
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luc20rules Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:48 pm
@Gustavo, I definately want a season too. I was just stating that this Doughty thing was also a possible hinderance to the Kings repeating. The CBA could be a bigger problem than defending the Cup unfortunately.
@DesertKing, my title would be “Clash of the Titan Egos”. I think Gary Bettman has classic mental illness known as “Little Man’s Disease”. Basically a child tormented in youth reaches a position of power and becomes a higher magnitude bully, can never admit to being wrong, and can’t back down or compromise.
DesertKing Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 6:26 pm
@luc20rules,
Yep, Fehr and Bettman. Definitely not the “Clash of Mental Titans.”
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BringBackKingston Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
@Gustavo, let the civil suit commence!!! (not that am a proponent for one)
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luc20rules Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 5:41 pm
@BringBackKingston, The defamation of character one? I doubt she has any money. I think this is done.
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rick Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:28 pm
@luc20rules, The fact that she dared to allege some wrongdoing by a Kings’ superstar equals she has no money? Huh?
luc20rules Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:35 pm
@Rick, That wasn’t were I was going. Not enough for Doughty to go after with 7 mil/yr coming in, and to extend a media circus. I suppose what I was eluding to was that it would be nice to see someone actually suffer for making false accuasations against a person(s).
rick Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 9:46 pm
@luc20rules, Now I understand your comment. Sorry – misunderstood what you were saying.
BringBackKingston Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 9:58 pm
@luc20rules, I actually meant that she would file one. She did make allegations to the police. Not a far reach to say would file a civil suit.
Gustavo Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
@BringBackKingston,
I suspect a certain female canine and her “defend the liars at all costs” attorney have already been paid handsomely by DD to avoid just that.
Hope this is a lesson well learned for Drew. No matter how many millions you got or how famous you are, you just cannot let the little brain make important decisions.
I’d suggest he live by the FFFF mantra of all bachelors until he finds someone worthy of a relationship commitment
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I gave him a B. Like Rich said, his stats were horrible but his intangibles were terrific. This season when he’s completely healthy & his linemates improve (especially Penner) I’m sure his stats will be much better.
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Also too, he came from the east. Maybe he just needed to get used to how the west cost plays hockey.
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Doughty innocent, way to go justice is served
Go Kings Go!
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DesertKing Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 6:23 pm
@Gail Web,
Great, now I dont have to sell my DD 8just jersey.
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puck73 Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 6:25 pm
@Gail Web, Justice served…Totally agree. In fact, I felt the same way when that coin collecting, Honus Wagner baseball card owning, bank defrauding, Bruce Mcnall got 6 years in the hole! JUSTICE SERVED!
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Donald_S Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 6:28 pm
@Gail Web,
Not to make too fine a point, Doughty was not found innocent. There is not enough evidence currently to prosecute. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty happy about it, but we still don’t know, nor will we ever know, exactly what happened.
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 6:37 pm
@Donald_S,
Yeah, it’s pretty silly to even say the word ‘innocent’ considering they didn’t even FILE CHARGES, let alone have a trial! According to his attorney, Doughty was not surprised by the DA’s decision… http://bit.ly/ObgYUs
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BringbackButchGoring Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
@Donald_S, On the other hand, there usually isn’t enough evidence to prosecute and convict an innocent man and that’s the way I think people should look at it. His name will always be tainted as if he had committed a crime and that’s a shame for him.
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cdawgg Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:14 pm
@Gail Web, http://i.imgur.com/ojeN7.jpg
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/la-kings-doughty-wont-face-date-rape-charge/article4426484/
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petemagoop Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
@petemagoop, i see now it’s about the 10th time the above was posted, oh well
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i really wanted to give mike richards an A. but yea….gut feeling, i gave him a B. but he’s on my good list! go kings!
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Is it just me or in the second picture does it look as though Kopi is about to hurl the cup into the lake.
http://lakings.tumblr.com/
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Doughty….No CHARGES… per LaTimes
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How sweet it must be for Richards and Carter to show that they have what it takes. I was fortunate enough to go to Sylvan Lake. Got to touch the Stanley Cup, shook Colin Fraser’s hand and congratulated him. He took the time to have a little chat and asked me questions. What a cool dude. What a year!!!
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Duncanz Reply:
July 21st, 2012 at 3:15 am
@krash324, Good for you, man.
Great memories forever, huh?
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I think the second line is going to be hell on every other NHL defense this season. I also think that with a healthy season… it will only get better with time.
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What’s lost on this evaluation is his defensive presence. He was a beast on the PK and he knows how to take care of business in his own end. That, to me, elevates his rating from C+ to B+
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Phoolish GM Reply:
July 19th, 2012 at 5:58 am
@CAA, right on, that was the biggest gap left on the Flyers. They’re trying to sign Weber now, and the Philly rags are saying ‘best defense in the NHL,’ but I don’t think that’s true of any team unless they have exceptional 2-way forwards, of which there are precious few. Its like the physicians motto, first do no harm.
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Richards’ regular season was so-so and he took a long time shaking the concussion symptoms, but I think his seizing Game One of the first series against the Canucks by the throat and setting a 110% effort, hard-nosed example for the rest of the team was the catalyst that launched the amazing playoff run. They needed someone to follow to war and he provided it. And THAT was what they got him for.
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MR came through when it counted…and that’s what winners do…B+
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It’s kind of difficult to grade Richards because of how his season played out. I thought he brought some of that east coast grit the team needed. Luc was right, he wins at every level. Certainly a big fan of his. I have to give him an A for working his way back from the concussion and helping the Kings do the unthinkable. Having him as the 2nd center changes everything.
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As the bottom line is always, “how far did you go?” this is a no-brainer for me! “A” MR does everything that doesn’t show up on paper better than 99% of all the players in the NHL. Of all the moves DL has made in the last 2 or 3 years, acquiring MR was, IMHO, the biggest one that helped bring the cup to LA. Remember when Phaneuf ran a falling Kopi (arguably the King you most want to protect) through the boards? Who was right there and did NOTHING to Phaneuf? Teddy Purcell, someone with slick hands and god given natural skills. Remember when Oshie cleanly leveled big Dustin Penner? What happened? MR immediately dropped the mitts to go after Oshie. Why? It was an awesome clean check! Did he do it to send a message to Oshie? The Blues? Or did he do it to send a message to his own team? I say both. Now, who do you want on your team, Purcell or Richards? Enough said… He’s invaluable to me!!! And for what it’s worth, I do not believe that Jeff Carter wants to come to LA as much if MR isn’t here…
GO KINGS GO!!!
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B+
Di sappointing regular season but he was everything we hoped for in the playoffs.
He’s an A player so I would expect a much better regular season.
smart, intense hockey player. He’s just as advertised.
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Richards was all over the place this year. The first 10-15 games he was an “A”, then he got hurt, then when he came back he was a “C” at best, then finished the season as a “B” and was a “B+” in the playoffs.
So I gave him a B overall. he needs to be more consistent offensively but he brings so much to the table in many other ways. hopefully the Penner/Richards/Carter line stays together all year and can put up 70-80 goals.
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If you watch Mike Richards in person you get a MUCH better idea of what he plays like. He’s always up to something even when the puck is on the other end of the ice. Even when he goes for a change he’s got some strategy with a touch of malice. Now with Carter at his side, if his less than sniper shot isn’t going in, the line will still end up succeeding. Carter and Richard will develop some serious chemistry this year. They barely got their feet wet still.
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puck73 Reply:
July 19th, 2012 at 10:11 am
@LA_1968, Like this post!
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He came and changed the culture of our team.
He conquered and helped us win the Stanley Cup in his first year with the team.
What else is there to say but
MIKE FUNKING RICHARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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C. Yea, I’m a tough grader. 44 points in 74 games is way too low for a guy you expect 70 points from and has the potential to be a point per game guy. The defense, penalty killing, and postseason performance boosted his grade in my mind, but we simply need more offense from richie if we want to be an elite team. I live in Flyers territory and have been watching richie much longer than most of you guys, and he is capable of much more than what we saw this year. Hopefully with sniper and bff jeff carter on his wing we will see everything richards can bring to the table.
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Forum Gold Reply:
July 19th, 2012 at 12:45 pm
@East Coast Kings Fan, Tough grade on an injured player that had a huge part in bringing the first Cup to LA. GO KINGS GO!!!
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King Cobra Reply:
July 19th, 2012 at 9:54 pm
@East Coast Kings Fan,
It is way beyond numbers what Richards brings to this team. He was leading the team in goals before his horrible concussion injury that he obviously had a hard time playing through for many months. Battling through that and bringing it like he did all through the playoffs to help us win the cup deserves more than a C!
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We don’t win the cup without MR….end of story!
We don’t win the cup unless DL pulls off that trade. It was an obvious remaining piece that was missing and made the trade easy to make…but not easy giving up Simmer and Schenn.
Very few players play the game with that kind of attitude and mind set. He brings it every night even when he is not 100%.
A player his size who drops the gloves that quickly for a teammate no matter the size of the opponent makes every player on his team that much better, i.e. Brown because he didn’t have to shoulder the leadership role and Kopi because other teams couldn’t just key on him!
Every team, every player in this league wants a MR on their team!
He gets an A from me and when he’s 100% can do so much more!
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I look forward to having a healthy and happy MR in the next coming season…What vindication he must be feeling ( he and his friend and linemate JC)…we know that his head injury definitely took a lot out of him last year…but he rallied just at the right time!…I would rate his season play as a C, but his play down the stretch and in the playoffs an A…and I look forward to this coming year…and I am pretty sure MR is looking forward to it as well
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It is January fourth 2013 day 111 into the NHL lockout. Looking back on the acquisition of Mike Richards, He was the key. Gretzky and Messier, Forsberg and Sakic, Yzerman and Fedorov,
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It is January fourth 2013 day 111 into the NHL lockout. Looking back on the acquisition of Mike Richards, He was the key. Gretzky and Messier, Forsberg and Sakic, Yzerman and Fedorov, Crosby and Malkin and Stall etc., The key Being 2 dominant centers. Kopi was already a dominant Center. They allowed each othe. r to become more dominant. I just wonder what a 123 of Kopitar Richards and Carter down the middle might look like w/ Stoll playing a 4th line roll. Bring Up Vey and Toffoli to balance out the lines….. this could be one sick powerhouse for a very very long time. Come on idiots, get the CBA over and done with. You are stealing our youth and our dynasty. Chowderheads.
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