Proposal: Mike Richards

[roquay]

No bottom 6 guy at this club should ever be signed for 5 years. Maybe some exceptions for a young up and comer or someone like J.Staal. Not a 29 3C/4C who just got waived whose on a 5.75 caphit (even at a discount).

Shouldn't compare him to Sutter either because two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[rkhum]

Is it possible that Sutter's poor play the past few months is largely a result of the Pens constant injuries and the trickle down effect it has on line 3?

 

[Jacob]

Is it possible that Sutter's poor play the past few months is largely a result of the Pens constant injuries and the trickle down effect it has on line 3?

No because he didn't produce with Malkin.

He is what he is. A very average 3C.

 

[Shockmaster]

I think those who want Richards are thinking of the player he was 5 years ago rather than the player he is right now. The Penguins don't need another washed-up, overpaid bottom 6 player.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Is Mike Richards going to be our new Chris Stewart/Jagr/Heatley/whoever else?

 

[penguins2946*]

How about you actually read the whole conversation?

Richards isn't physical, can't skate, has bad hands, is making terrible decisions offensively and defensively, and is putting in sub-par effort. LAK aren't waiving him solely because of his contract. They are waiving him because he can't play well and is being outplayed by every other center on the team. If Richards was playing well, he wouldn't be on waivers.

I would argue that this decline in play is due to age, previous injury, and play style. That he can't play better and that he will only continue to decline.

Even if this decline is more situational (related to systems, teammates, TOI, usage, mental), I would argue that Pittsburgh is a terrible fit for Richards. The system might work, but he won't get better line mates, TOI, or usage.

Sutter's play has nothing to do with how poorly Richards is playing.

Yes, have you? He posted the stats to support the fact that Sutter sucked. Sutter sucking is completely irrelevant from Richards sucking, and he didn't mention Richards once in his post. Ignoring contracts, I would say without a doubt that Richards is better than Sutter.

 

[Jacob]

I think those who want Richards are thinking of the player he was 5 years ago rather than the player he is right now. The Penguins don't need another washed-up, overpaid bottom 6 player.

Ultimately I probably wouldn't do it, but I'd strongly consider it. His cap hit is only 2.3 million more than Sutter's.

 

[penguins2946*]

I'd be interested in Richards if we could move Sutter for a top-6 winger and have LA retain $2 million on his deal. Otherwise, no thanks.

 

[PKV Jungle Friends]

Is Mike Richards going to be our new Chris Stewart/Jagr/Heatley/whoever else?

Tlusty

 

[SidDidNothingWrong]

ITT: People who think that sports are like a video game and players perform the same no matter where they go. The Kings have a more defensive, low scoring system and yet Richards is producing with the same numbers as Sutter. Something personal could have happened with the organization and him, leading to him not putting forth a good effort. He is 29 damn years old. Anyone can look at this situation and see that there is something up. Would you guys not take a chance on a waived Kessel either?
Well, he is playing like **** and dejected on a team going through a bit of a rough patch or victimizing him, I guess he will be like that forever.
If the Kongs retained some salary, and we could get another forward with Richards and give Sutter and Spaling or something, I would do it.

 

[roquay]

ITT: People who think that sports are like a video game and players perform the same no matter where they go. The Kings have a more defensive, low scoring system and yet Richards is producing with the same numbers as Sutter. Something personal could have happened with the organization and him, leading to him not putting forth a good effort. He is 29 damn years old. Anyone can look at this situation and see that there is something up. Would you guys not take a chance on a waived Kessel either?
Well, he is playing like **** and dejected on a team going through a bit of a rough patch or victimizing him, I guess he will be like that forever.
If the Kongs retained some salary, and we could get another forward with Richards and give Sutter and Spaling or something, I would do it.

So we should gamble on 5yrs @ 5.75? We can get a better 3C for that during FA. Even if they retained we can get better value.

As for Kessel he's not getting waived. He has actual value. Points aren't everything but he's still running around PPG pace and has so for the last 4 years. Also is a 1st line winger not a 3-4C.

 

[TNT87]

No to Richards. Even if they take some salary back. I want to see the Penguins give Sundqvist a shot first before trading for a player with that long of a contract.

 

[bigG]

I would trade Brandon Sutter and Rob Scuderi for Mike Richards and Dwight King with LA retaining some Richards salary.

 

[WayneSid9987]

The second coming of J.Staal is coming soon.
His salary will be way less than 5.5 or 3.9M.

 

[Shwag33]

Two bum shoulders [mod]. Lets bring him on board!



Even if they retain salary this is worse than a the scuderi deal.

 

[Pens1566]

I think if you can get LA to agree to something like :

Sutter + Scuderi for Richards (1m+ retained) + Toffoli/Weal/Clifford (amount retained goes up as the throw in decreases in value)

then you do it. Sutter isn't as good as Richards. Sutter will be making more (with the retained taken into account) for probably a longer term after he signs his next deal. You dump a bad contract of your own, and you potentially address the shortage of viable top 6/9 wingers.

 

[Shwag33]

I think if you can get LA to agree to something like :

Sutter + Scuderi for Richards (1m+ retained) + Toffoli/Weal/Clifford (amount retained goes up as the throw in decreases in value)

then you do it. Sutter isn't as good as Richards. Sutter will be making more (with the retained taken into account) for probably a longer term after he signs his next deal. You dump a bad contract of your own, and you potentially address the shortage of viable top 6/9 wingers.

Richards is on a downhill spiral. In 2 years he's going to be out of the league, maybe sooner than that.

 

[Pens1566]

Richards is on a downhill spiral. In 2 years he's going to be out of the league, maybe sooner than that.

His playoffs last season would disagree with you.

 

[orby]

If Richards' contract only ran until...say, 2017, i could theoretically understand dumping Sutter to take a fly on him. But he's signed through 2020. No thanks. He's on the decline and is not going to be a fun player to have on the books toward the end of that deal.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Is it possible that Sutter's poor play the past few months is largely a result of the Pens constant injuries and the trickle down effect it has on line 3?

Yes

The same thing that happened last year is happening this year.

With Horny and Comeau on there way back Sutter will start to produce offense again.


And this gotta be one of the dumbest threads i'v seen on here, lets trade for a 4th line center who is making 5.7 million for the next 5 years.

 

[Winger for Hire]

With Horny and Comeau on there way back Sutter will start to produce offense again.

So you're saying he'll be back on pace for 30 points again?

 

[JQR]

Yes

The same thing that happened last year is happening this year.

With Horny and Comeau on there way back Sutter will start to produce offense again.


And this gotta be one of the dumbest threads i'v seen on here, lets trade for a 4th line center who is making 5.7 million for the next 5 years.

Scott Gomez 2.0

 

[cheesedanish87]

So you're saying he'll be back on pace for 30 points again?

Hes on pace for 16 goals right now, if he would get to play with BB for the rest of the year i think he would hit 20 goals, getting 20 goals out of your 3rd line center is pretty good production if you ask me.

 

[joeyjake5]

Why would any one want Richards with his cap hit and poor production. Comparing him to Scuds cap hit and poor play, scuds is a bargain only due to the lesser cap hit. .

When he was with the Flys, he got the big contract because he played in the mold of Booby Clarke, a dirty cheap shot artist. That's why the flys gave him the big contract.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm tired enough of watching Sutter shluff around out there accomplishing not-much about 75% of the time that I'd almost consider Richards (w/ salary retained by the Kings... of course) and a pick coming the other way just to see if maybe Richards could provide the team with a pulse on the depth lines.

Almost. I think he might be near-done for whatever reason, though. And the length of the contract is brutal. If he were still capable in any regard, you'd figure the Kings would at least try to work him into the lineup in some meaningful capacity. Then again... I feel like the Kings system is so rigid that it's at least a possibility that he might do better elsewhere.