Proposal: Mike Richards

[bobafettish*]

look at the giroux's he has no dedication to his bod.

oh and the philly fan posting here must be philly media.

 

[Jtown]

I agree, that is a disgusting example of a professional athlete. However lets look at the production between the two players. Thats where there is a discrepency. Trust me if roo was sucking wind every shift like richards id be on his case as well.

however G is also a notoriously dedicated off-season athlete.

Im a kings fan and a Richards fan. As a fan cant i criticize my team or the players of that team? Dont get all defensive now.

 

[zarley zelepukin]

I'm a big Richards fan. I haven't been able to catch any Kings games this season, but it wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't quite in hockey shape yet. Here's an article from 2010 comparing Richards to Steve Yzerman (!)

http://anthonysintheroom.blogspot.com/2010/04/is-mike-richards-turning-into-stevie-y.html

Ian Laperriere says Richards has the "worst body on the team", so maybe that's where Jtown is coming from. Still, that doesn't mean Richards doesn't pay attention at all to conditioning, just probably not as much as others.

And about the point production issue, when Richards had his best scoring season I'm pretty sure his linemates were Gagne in his prime and a very effective Mike Knuble. After that year, Gagne was hurt and then traded, and Dan Carcillo took Gagne's place on the wing, so yeah, no surprise his point production dropped off. He probably also got more minutes in Philly than he's getting in LA since he's effectively anchoring the 2nd line instead of the first.

 

[MsMeow]

Have you ever even visited Kenora? How do you know what kind of spot it is to work on a game or conditioning? if it's like anywhere else in Northern Ontario, it likely has a number of ice surfaces, including summer ice, a couple of world class gyms, both public and private, and, to boot, probably world class fishing, hunting and other outdoor water sport opportunities. And if I even had a hint of interest in these things with the kind of money MR makes, I'd probably avoid the big city life until the last possible minute too.

He obviously loves Kenora and who can blame him? People have to remember the players were locked out by their employers and didn't know if there would be a season at all. If you had the chance to stay home in winter for the first time since you were a kid, you'd jump at it if you loved the lifestyle. It's no different than Kopi saying he wouldn't leave Europe until he knew for sure there would be a season. He played on his brothers team because he always wanted to plAy with him even though it was a very weak league. Ovie stayed in Russia and played there like a lot of other Russians who otherwise would never get a chance to play in front of their home crowds. Look at how many of them didn't want to leave. Doughty stayed in London till the very last minute because he loves it there. If I had the chance to stay home and enjoy the winter activities I love with my friends and family I would pounce on it, because it won't happen till the next lockout or retirement, whichever comes first.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

I had to bring up professional player athletics...

But honestly, cardio doesn't require a fit body, sure less fat helps but you don't see it physically, Richards looks in shape, maybe a bit soft but so do others, but you can't see cardio, and from what it looks like, he hasn't done cardio for a while. And No more pics of dude cause cardio is internal. So I still think he didn't train enough on his cardio in the offseason like a professional should be doing. Other players have been doing fine and haven't played during the lockout, its no excuse. Just bad training.

 

[funky]

Well Doan just handed him his butt in a fight, maybe that will spark him

 

[deeshamrock]

Well Doan just handed him his butt in a fight, maybe that will spark him

Doan didn't land a punch. And Richards went immediately after Doan ebcause Doan slewfooted his captain.
And it got Doan off the ice for the rest of the game when his team needed him

Decision Richards

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Doan didn't land a punch. And Richards went immediately after Doan ebcause Doan slewfooted his captain.
And it got Doan off the ice for the rest of the game when his team needed him

Decision Richards

Are you Richards or a telepathic? The things you say lol.

 

[MsMeow]

Are you Richards or a telepathic? The things you say lol.

Jim Fox said Richards went to the ref after and said that Doan slew footed Brown. Richards fought Doan in Brown's defence and Doan was done for the game.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Jim Fox said Richards went to the ref after and said that Doan slew footed Brown. Richards fought Doan in Brown's defence and Doan was done for the game.

Yeah and... ?

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Are you Richards or a telepathic? The things you say lol.

Well you accused her of being telepathic, and someone else provided backup to show that her assertion was correct.

 

[MsMeow]

Yeah and... ?

Shall I repeat myself? I guess you weren't watching the game because I heard Fox say it and also saw the replay.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Deeshamrock is a girl? Oh, I understand the fight is for the slew foot on brown, but I think you are giving too much credit to the whole "Im gonna take doan out for the game" part.

 

[RonSwanson*]

Oh, I understand the fight is for the slew foot on brown, but I think you are giving too much credit to the whole "Im gonna take doan out for the game" part.

Richards out vs Doan out...

Hmm, I think Doan won that trade-off, unless people think Doan is better than Richards.

 

[MsMeow]

Richards out vs Doan out...

Hmm, I think Doan won that trade-off, unless people think Doan is better than Richards.

Right now, Doan is playing better than Richards.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Right now, Doan is playing better than Richards.

And when you're winning you dont fight in case you might get beaten up and have the momentum swing cause when it does, that 4-2 lead doesnt hold up. When you play hockey you dont really think you play on instincts, if it was 1st 2nd or 3rd period, richards would of fought, it wasn't "to take him out " most likely. Thats an assumption unless Richards said it himself. He was just standing up for his captain, that's most likely it, no need to sugar coat it.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

New rule. No pictures of men with their shirts off ever again

 

[deeshamrock]

And when you're winning you dont fight in case you might get beaten up and have the momentum swing cause when it does, that 4-2 lead doesnt hold up

You don't get it, you never will. I get you don't like Richards, that fine. But if you can't see how important that is, that when your teammate and esp. your Captain is run at, boarded or in this case slew footed ,you go after the guy (on in this case, the ******) that did it, then you wo n't understand why guys like Richards are liked and respected by every body they've played with. When you know that guy has your back, you'll go to war for him.
He won't skate away, it's not in his composition. It's part of what's made him a great leader since his OHL days. And you' won't find anybody on that Kings team that doesn't love him for that.

 

[MsMeow]

And when you're winning you dont fight in case you might get beaten up and have the momentum swing cause when it does, that 4-2 lead doesnt hold up. When you play hockey you dont really think you play on instincts, if it was 1st 2nd or 3rd period, richards would of fought, it wasn't "to take him out " most likely. Thats an assumption unless Richards said it himself. He was just standing up for his captain, that's most likely it, no need to sugar coat it.

Right. And if Richards hadn't fought you'd be *****ing and complaining that he didn't stick up for his teammate. Whatever.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

What are you guys getting at? Am I writing in hieroglyphs lol. Man let me make this easier. Richards fight.. Good. Richards fighting with the intention to take doan out for the game.. No. I said he stood up for his captain how could I say that in a negative way? Lol I said he wasn't fighting to take him out cause he's their best player. Man just read slowly before you jump the gun

When I said you're winning 4-2 you don't fight to take out Doan you fight cause they took down Brown so the whole idea of him fighting Doan was to get him out is likely inaccurate. Damn.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

You don't get it, you never will. I get you don't like Richards, that fine. But if you can't see how important that is, that when your teammate and esp. your Captain is run at, boarded or in this case slew footed ,you go after the guy (on in this case, the ******) that did it, then you wo n't understand why guys like Richards are liked and respected by every body they've played with. When you know that guy has your back, you'll go to war for him.
He won't skate away, it's not in his composition. It's part of what's made him a great leader since his OHL days. And you' won't find anybody on that Kings team that doesn't love him for that.

I'm not trying to be mean but you should of read the rest of what I said, the whole "he would of fought no matter the time" No way am i saying he did the wrong thing, just your perception of his reasoning is what im getting at.

By the way, I like all the players, I just am brutal on them when they aren't performing.

 

[Herby]

Could care less how anyone looks with their shirts off. Two of the greatest Kings ever, Gretzky and Palffy were never mistaken for Mr. Universe.

My problem is a player who has gone from an 80 point player to a 60 point player to now it appears a 45-50 point player in the span of four years. And the fact that the Kings are on the hook for almost 6 million in cap space for the next 8 seasons since he is being paid like the player he used to be. And as for real money, it's pretty bad the next couple of years, heck if there had been a full season this year Mike Richards was due in the neighborhood of $8.5 million this year.

 

[deeshamrock]

My problem is a player who has gone from an 80 point player to a 60 point player to now it appears a 45-50 point player in the span of four years. And the fact that the Kings are on the hook for almost 6 million in cap space for the next 8 seasons since he is being paid like the player he used to be.

Not being familiar with him, you wouldnt understand why his production dropped in the last couple of years. in 2010-2011, he played the entire year with torn cartilege and ligaments in his left wrist, even more painful was having Carcillo and Andreas Nodl for wingers. His coach made the decision in training camp that Grioux and Briere would center the first 2 lines and Richards the third line ( " Mike is going to center the shutdown line, offence won't be his priority") That turned out to be a mistake, which the Boston Bruins exposed badly, Briere is horrible defenisvely and the Flyers paid the price.
Last year he was having the best start of his professional career 11G, 20 points in 24 games and ranked 5th in defense among forward sin the NHL's quarter season stats. His reg. seaso ended Dec 1 with a head injury. He also didn't steady wingers and not top 6 wingers until March.

You understand that he has 65 points in 82 playoff games? And plays a complete game. That he's 3rd i nthe NHl in playoff scoring over the last3 years? That he's helped lead teams to 3 conference finals since 2008 and 2 Cup finals since 2010. He collects championsips like nobody playing the sport.
But that's not a guy that you think is worth the pay?

If Dean doesn't make that trade that you are criticizing above, the Kings don't win the Cup. PERIOD

Richards provided intensity, drive and leadership that were all key factors, but what he did that paved that path was giving Kopitar room and space. By taking the pressure off of him at center, being the tough minutes player, giving the Kings a combination of 1, 2 at center that no team could match that Cup came to LA.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

You don't get it, you never will. I get you don't like Richards, that fine. But if you can't see how important that is, that when your teammate and esp. your Captain is run at, boarded or in this case slew footed ,you go after the guy (on in this case, the ******) that did it, then you wo n't understand why guys like Richards are liked and respected by every body they've played with. When you know that guy has your back, you'll go to war for him.
He won't skate away, it's not in his composition. It's part of what's made him a great leader since his OHL days. And you' won't find anybody on that Kings team that doesn't love him for that.

This plus this = fif

 

[Ron*]

You don't get it, you never will. I get you don't like Richards, that fine. But if you can't see how important that is, that when your teammate and esp. your Captain is run at, boarded or in this case slew footed ,you go after the guy (on in this case, the ******) that did it, then you wo n't understand why guys like Richards are liked and respected by every body they've played with. When you know that guy has your back, you'll go to war for him.
He won't skate away, it's not in his composition. It's part of what's made him a great leader since his OHL days. And you' won't find anybody on that Kings team that doesn't love him for that.

QFT.

Decision Dee.