First off Ek, Richards has been playing TEN years. He has hardly had a short career. Secondly, he MIGHT be a second line center on five or six teams at best.

I would very surprised if he gets claimed. If his cap hit was 3 mil, for sure. But at 5.75 for four more years, he isn't worth that anywhere.

on wikipedia it says "The 2013 collective bargaining agreement eliminated re-entry waivers"
does that mean the half-salary route no longer applies if they are recalled?
- cpltanto

Think so. Remember that the NHL banned burying heavy money in the minors (only $925K of Richards hit comes off for the Kings when he goes to the AHL) and the half-off re-entry hit was part of that.

all this richards talk is making me hungry

The Oilers need centres, why not pick Richards? "The contract is huge" is not a valid argument: they are paying more to Nuge, Hall and Eberle who have proven squat. Pick the guy, slot him as number 2 center, he will mentor some of these kids and it's one less piece we are after.
Is he better than lander? Is he better than roy? Is he better than horcoff? Is he better than gagner? If the answer is 3 or more "yes " let's get him and stop female doging about money.
If you want talent and you don't want to pay, the only option is draft. And that has worked REALLY well in edmonton..... Hasn't it?
Claim Richards, claim him now!
- EdEagle

of course its a valid argument.
we need to worry about signing/resigning guys that are more vital to us than a vet presence. we're actually already tight on the cap for this offseason as it is.
Richards has 5 more years after this one at a 5.75 cap hit.
if we were able to give back nikitins contract, then maybe he could be usefull to us for a couple years and then buy him out when the back end cheaper dollars kick in...but even then its a huge gamble.

im all for bolstering our roster. and he could help. but not at that price without anything going back. we're not talking about a guy that's putting us over the top here.
we're talking about a guy that's been playing 3rd/4th line minutes at almost 6 mil for another half decade.

its a silly move going forward unless we are able to achieve meaningfull salary going the other way.

and btw-- nuge, ebs and hall are miles ahead of Richards in terms of quality of play and teams needs. the "haven't proven squat" is not a valid response to "why shouldn't we also give Richards that kind of money"....apples and oranges

all this richards talk is making me hungry
- Flyfreaky

By this time in The day you've usually eaten 2-3 bags of Richards...

Just goes to show you that some GMs can't control the itchy finger
with these out of hand contracts.
Maybe it's a lesson to all of them.
Don't ever over react and throw a kitchen think
at any player, unless they've reached star caliber and are franchise players.

Just goes to show you that some GMs can't control the itchy finger
with these out of hand contracts.
Maybe it's a lesson to all of them.
Don't ever over react and throw a kitchen think
at any player, unless they've reached star caliber and are franchise players.
- StargateSG1

Richards was most definitely a star at the time.
team Canada.
multiple 70+ point seasons and one the best two way players in the game at the time.
was the leader of a team that went to game 6 of the finals.

hossa? brilliant signing. is/has been a beast for Chicago. huge part of them winning two cups and maybe more.
even with the cap troubles hes gonna cause sooner rather than later. totally worth it

Just goes to show you that some GMs can't control the itchy finger
with these out of hand contracts.
Maybe it's a lesson to all of them.
Don't ever over react and throw a kitchen think
at any player, unless they've reached star caliber and are franchise players.
- StargateSG1

This is why I love the cap recapture penalty, 8 year cap on contracts and ban on burying guys in the minors. Something that actually makes GMs and owners accountable for these unbelievably awful deals.

This is why I love the cap recapture penalty, 8 year cap on contracts and ban on burying guys in the minors. Something that actually makes GMs and owners accountable for these unbelievably awful deals.
- S Kaspar Rollins

Agreed.

I am really curious how Hawks plan to stay cap compliant next season.

Richards was most definitely a star at the time.
team Canada
multiple 70+ point seasons and one the best two way players in the game at the time.

hossa? brilliant signing. even with the cap troubles hes gonna cause sooner rather than later.
- Ihateallofu

The lesson here and with a few others (Luongo, though that was mostly Gillis' fault for overplaying his hand) is that if these deals go bad, they go BAD. The risk is just too great. If nobody claims Richards the Kings will be stuck with a lot of dead cap space for at least another year, probably more than that. This in a year when the cap looks in real danger of going down, too.

Richards was most definitely a star at the time.
team Canada.
multiple 70+ point seasons and one the best two way players in the game at the time.
was the leader of a team that went to game 6 of the finals.

hossa? brilliant signing. is/has been a beast for Chicago. huge part of them winning two cups and maybe more.
even with the cap troubles hes gonna cause sooner rather than later. totally worth it
- Ihateallofu

Maybe. But he isn't a franchise player by any definition.

dude, i know for a fact that all oiler fans love richards
- Flyfreaky

Is it warm in Myanus?

Agreed.

I am really curious how Hawks plan to stay cap compliant next season.
- StargateSG1

Wow, just counting everything over $1M, they have $64.5M committed to next year with Saad, Kruger, 3 d-men to sign and Seabrook's deal expiring next year. That might be dicey.

Agreed.

I am really curious how Hawks plan to stay cap compliant next season.
- StargateSG1

if theyre really in that much of jam-deal sharp and use those dollars to reup seabrook + a mil, and then spend some of it on saad.

its really all about keeping that core of toews, kane, keith and seabrook together.
(especially with underrated hjalmarsson signed long term as well)

they had to gut their roster once already with players that were pretty huge to a championship (ladd, versteeg, byfyglien) and they were fine going forward.
had abit of an off year, then won another title then next.

By this time in The day you've usually eaten 2-3 bags of Richards...
- Iggysbff

yes, i usually go lite on mondays

Is it warm in Myanus?
- Cptmjl

club uranus is one of richards favorite hangouts

of course its a valid argument.
we need to worry about signing/resigning guys that are more vital to us than a vet presence. we're actually already tight on the cap for this offseason as it is.
Richards has 5 more years after this one at a 5.75 cap hit.
if we were able to give back nikitins contract, then maybe he could be usefull to us for a couple years and then buy him out when the back end cheaper dollars kick in...but even then its a huge gamble.

im all for bolstering our roster. and he could help. but not at that price without anything going back. we're not talking about a guy that's putting us over the top here.
we're talking about a guy that's been playing 3rd/4th line minutes at almost 6 mil for another half decade.

its a silly move going forward unless we are able to achieve meaningfull salary going the other way.

and btw-- nuge, ebs and hall are miles ahead of Richards in terms of quality of play and teams needs. the "haven't proven squat" is not a valid response to "why shouldn't we also give Richards that kind of money"....apples and oranges
- Ihateallofu

I'm not saying Ebs, Nuge and Hall don't deserve that money.... But do they? In Richards I see a top centre who at 29 has 2 Stanley cups, been in team canada (none of the aforementioned were even given a shot) and some veteran presence in a position we actually need. How do you suggest we fill the hole at centre? With Draisatl?
I'm not comparing apples to oranges, actually I'm comparing dollars to dollars and dollars to dollars , mike Richards would be a good addition. Let's just waive Nikitin or do something creative.

I'm not saying Ebs, Nuge and Hall don't deserve that money.... But do they? In Richards I see a top centre who at 29 has 2 Stanley cups, been in team canada (none of the aforementioned were even given a shot) and some veteran presence in a position we actually need. How do you suggest we fill the hole at centre? With Draisatl?
I'm not comparing apples to oranges, actually I'm comparing dollars to dollars and dollars to dollars , mike Richards would be a good addition. Let's just waive Nikitin or do something creative.
- EdEagle

Go read Henderson's new blog.

This is why I love the cap recapture penalty, 8 year cap on contracts and ban on burying guys in the minors. Something that actually makes GMs and owners accountable for these unbelievably awful deals.
- S Kaspar Rollins

I think that they should be allowed to bury the contracts in the minor. The players and agents hold the GMs hostage during contract negociations. The possiblility of playing in the AHL should always be there especially when they are getting their full salary.

Go read Henderson's new blog.
- Iggysbff

Fair enough, I think he has a valid point and I might even change my mind.
Now.... With all this logical reasoning for not claiming him, the oilers might just go ahead and do it.... Didn't horcoff have a similar contract?

I probably missed it, but when he goes unclaimed is he free to try and get a new contract with a new team? Or is he forced to play in the AHL until LA finds a long term solution?

I'm not saying Ebs, Nuge and Hall don't deserve that money.... But do they? In Richards I see a top centre who at 29 has 2 Stanley cups, been in team canada (none of the aforementioned were even given a shot) and some veteran presence in a position we actually need. How do you suggest we fill the hole at centre? With Draisatl?
I'm not comparing apples to oranges, actually I'm comparing dollars to dollars and dollars to dollars , mike Richards would be a good addition. Let's just waive Nikitin or do something creative.
- EdEagle

hes not a top center at present. and hasn't been for 2 years. maybe more.
theres lots of conjecture and innuendo from those who see more of him as to why, but that's doesn't really matter. what matters is that hes playing 4th line minutes and just got waived cause theyd like to rid himself of the salary for what he brings.
these are the facts bro.

if it was team Canada mike Richards from 2010 and before, hell yeah. but its 2015 now.

hall is worth every penny. without a doubt. signing him long term instead of the bridge was an incredibly prudent move.

nuge is pretty close too. I don't regret that contract one bit. and its going to look better and better.
even ebs is. hes maybe marginally overpaid, but his output in the past compared to some comparable players numbers and dollars isn't egregious by any means. especially if one considers that he put 76 points as a 21 year old.
they aren't the problem. nor are their contracts.

as far as center depth, roy can probably be resigned at half Richards dollars at less half the term commitment.
or someone else that can be relative to what Richards is doing now at half the price.

as I said, Richards could help. but unless u can figure out a way to dump nikitins salary on someone, I just don't see it as a smart move

I think that they should be allowed to bury the contracts in the minor. The players and agents hold the GMs hostage during contract negociations. The possiblility of playing in the AHL should always be there especially when they are getting their full salary.
- Champ

lol yeah teams like the Leafs are "held hostage" when they somehow sign Clarkson to a deal specifically designed to be buyout-proof

or any number of other deals on July 1 that look like awful garbage to any rational observer literally the instant they're signed.

As this Richards thing shows, the possibility is still there for them to play in the AHL if it comes to that, the rule is there to somewhat protect idiot GMs from themselves a little.

Fair enough, I think he has a valid point and I might even change my mind.
Now.... With all this logical reasoning for not claiming him, the oilers might just go ahead and do it.... Didn't horcoff have a similar contract?
- EdEagle

mact wont hurt this team. hes the right man for the job.
believe that bro

hes not a top center at present. and hasn't been for 2 years. maybe more.
theres lots of conjecture and innuendo from those who see more of him as to why, but that's doesn't really matter. what matters is that hes playing 4th line minutes and just got waived cause theyd like to rid himself of the salary for what he brings.
these are the facts bro.

if it was team Canada mike Richards from 2010 and before, hell yeah. but its 2015 now.

hall is worth every penny. without a doubt. signing him long term instead of the bridge was an incredibly prudent move.

nuge is pretty close too. I don't regret that contract one bit. and its going to look better and better.
even ebs is. hes maybe marginally overpaid, but his output in the past compared to some comparable players numbers and dollars isn't egregious by any means. especially if one considers that he put 76 points as a 21 year old.
they aren't the problem. nor are their contracts.

as far as center depth, roy can probably be resigned at half Richards dollars at less half the term commitment.
or someone else that can be relative to what Richards is doing now at half the price.

as I said, Richards could help. but unless u can figure out a way to dump nikitins salary on someone, I just don't see it as a smart move
- Ihateallofu

typical oilers fan who thinks he's playing nhl 15 on ps4.


have you heard of this thing called the salary cap? richards contract ends in like 5 years, so at one point they will end up having close to 25M of their cap spent on C alone. richards will be their 4th line C by the time draisatl is good enough to be the 3rd line C, and then they will be in the same position LA is now.