LA traded away two young players for a guy that they are sending down to the AHL while he eats up cap space, a good chunk at that.

You can attempt to draw the lines and say that Richards played a part in the Cups. Both sides understand that there is no definitive way to say they would/wouldn't have won the Cup(s) without that trade.

Once this whole scenario plays out and he retires/gets traded/finishes out in the AHL, you let me know if you look back on him with a positive memory or not.

To draw a parallel. The Phillies are saddled with Ryan Howard's contract and will be considered a perennial bottom feeder. Will I always look back on Howard and his part in the '08 World Series with warm feelings? I don't know. But I can tell you that I'm not in the minority when I say that I just want the ownership to bit the $60M bullet and let him walk away. That says a lot.
- steelydan

I I can agree that with a longer time period and more of an opportunity to see the individual accomplishments and more importantly the team success, one might be able to concur with your thoughts.
but with 2 cups in the 3 years since the deal went down, I don't see how anyone can assume Philly won the trade thus far.

Anyway, just my opinion

Ya, the flyers would not have won the cup if they had kept richards and carter. That slim chance passed when Pronger went down with that career ending injury. You cannot replace that kind of D-man. Same goes for the Kings, without Doughty on the ice for half of each game they would be a completely different team and probably wouldn't have 1 or both of those cups.

Instead the Flyers picked up some youth that might give them a better chance a few years down the road. If we can get a functional D-core, and a top flight goalie.

Personally I'm pretty happy the way those 2 deals worked out. I was happy to see carter and richards win some cups after the glorious run in 2010.
- fourtwenty

Hindsight, but I wish they would have acquired 3 forwards, and a young D man instead.

Seems like Richards is still struggling with work ethic. Unfortunately as you get older you have to work harder. Guy has heart and talent on the ice, but he seems distracted off the ice.

Good luck to him.

Zykov will have to go through the manchester system for at least a year, but will most likely do 2 + unless he is a freak
- MikeOxbyg

He's a freak, bring him up

No, not really. Simmonds seems to be an underperformer as well. The guy is a beast but he only seems to bring it when he wants to.

Plus, LA got 2 Cups out of Richards so based on that fact alone they won this trade by a landslide!
- Crushers68

Simmonds doesn't show up when "he wants to". he arguably has the most heart out of any player on our team. May not put the point up or get the goal, but he still comes out 110% effort every game.

I agree with this, Richards helped the Kings win 2 cups. But, that does not mean the Flyers lost the trade. It is possible for both sides to be happy with what they got and feel like the trade was a win.

However, the number of cup won cannot be the criteria used to evaluate a trade, that's just dumb. I guess the JVR for L Schenn trade is even since neither team has won a cup yet.

The Flyers would not have won the cup with Richards and today, no one in their right mind would trade B Schenn and Simmonds for Richards. So I don't see how you can say the Flyers lost the trade. That just makes no sense.
- flyav

We won't know who won this trade until the Schenn/Simmonds experiment ends in Philadelphia. It appears that the Richards experiment has ended in LA, and ultimately netted the Kings 3 trips to the Conference Finals and 2 Stanley Cups.

If both guys stay on the team for their entire careers and Philly wins a cup (or several), then you can say that Philly won the trade by a mile. If the Flyers continue to miss the playoffs or lose in early rounds and both Schenn and Simmonds get traded for other assets, then the Kings won the trade by a mile. My guess is that it ends up somewhere in the middle.

Simmonds doesn't show up when "he wants to". he arguably has the most heart out of any player on our team. May not put the point up or get the goal, but he still comes out 110% effort every game.
- arichardson22

mathematically impossible

my guess is he goes unclaimed, finishes this year in the minors, and gets bought out under the guidelines of the new CBA. come july 1st, somebody will take a chance and sign him to a one year deal worth a rack of composite sticks

mathematically impossible
- drexel

mathematically impossible
- drexel

How much would you say Messier got out of Brian Noonan?

my guess is he goes unclaimed, finishes this year in the minors, and gets bought out under the guidelines of the new CBA. come july 1st, somebody will take a chance and sign him to a one year deal worth a rack of composite sticks
- Why So Serious

Those cap-free buyouts are done, it was just 2 per team and had to be used before this season...

Florida or Wang and his sidekick Snow will grab him.
If Nonis takes this guy, he needs to be kicked in the balls hard!!

I think it's safe to say with the injury to Okposo that the Isles will trade for Phaneuf.

We will find out only tmr if some team claim him or as soon as some team claim him?

Those cap-free buyouts are done, it was just 2 per team and had to be used before this season...
- KovyFan27

isn't there a buyout under the new CBA where you can pay 2/3 of the remaining salary for double the duration?

Richards seems to be a Cap casualty on the stacked team.
And every other GM guessed he can be had for free, instead of trading for him.
I think he gets claimed by the Oilers, where UFAs don't go.

I think it's safe to say with the injury to Okposo that the Isles will trade for Phaneuf.
- weirdoh

Dion may be one of maybe five totally untradeable players in the NHL. One sympathizes.

Those cap-free buyouts are done, it was just 2 per team and had to be used before this season...
- KovyFan27

Stupid rule! The players should never of agreed to that. The should of made a modified non guaranteed contract with the choice going to the player. I'm sure if you gave Richards the choice right now to go to the minors or to lose half his salary, he would pick the half his salary.

Richards seems to be a Cap casualty on the stacked team.
And every other GM guessed he can be had for free, instead of trading for him.
I think he gets claimed by the Oilers, where UFAs don't go.
- StargateSG1

They should but they won't.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (January 26, 2015) --- The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team will suspend defenseman Nikita Zadorov, who missed today’s practice, for failure to report to the team on time following the NHL All-Star break.

“We anticipate Nikita joining the team at some point during this week’s western road trip,” said Sabres General Manager Tim Murray.

Ouch!

Dion may be one of maybe five totally untradeable players in the NHL. One sympathizes.
- Johnny Wrath

Stupid rule! The players should never of agreed to that. The should of made a modified non guaranteed contract with the choice going to the player. I'm sure if you gave Richards the choice right now to go to the minors or to lose half his salary, he would pick the half his salary.
- Champ

You think these guys are filled with nothing but the will to play for the love of the game?

BUFFALO, N.Y. (January 26, 2015) --- The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team will suspend defenseman Nikita Zadorov, who missed today’s practice, for failure to report to the team on time following the NHL All-Star break.

“We anticipate Nikita joining the team at some point during this week’s western road trip,” said Sabres General Manager Tim Murray.

Ouch!

- StargateSG1

Just doing his part to help out the tanking process

- weirdoh

Don't cry, Even Wings have one of those..

- weirdoh

Not really. There are a few teams out there that will take him. Problem is Toronto is small minded and greedy. Getting rid of Dion would open up other opportunities.