Proposal: Should we sign Brad Richards?

[Lord Stan 2020]

Are you sure? We got destroyed in the faceoffs circle by Chicago and scoring depth sure made a difference in a series with no team leading with more than one goal except for game 6. I would say a solid 3C with good FO% and offensive instincts is our biggest need going forward.

richards destroyed us that last game like 8 - 0

i caught that just didnt bring it up its one of those interesting thing a healthy johnny changes things but he owned pacman

 

[Todd1a]

richards destroyed us that last game like 8 - 0

i caught that just didnt bring it up its one of those interesting thing a healthy johnny changes things but he owned pacman

I'd put him on faceoffs for our power plays with the triplets and hedman.

 

[Leonardo87]

Where does he fit? Have a tough time already trying to fit Vlad in the lineup.

Cooper loves Pacquette. Don't see him leaving the top 9

That is a problem, I like Paquette for what he is, but he should not be in our top 9.

 

[Kristia]

Richards has always been one of my favorites, I would love to see him back in a Lightning sweater, but I'm sure he'll be back with Chicago.

Not sure which line it would fit on if we could get him away from them.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

If we can get him for 2.5 or less, I say absolutely.

 

[Todd1a]

Richards has always been one of my favorites, I would love to see him back in a Lightning sweater, but I'm sure he'll be back with Chicago.

Not sure which line it would fit on if we could get him away from them.

he has said in the past he would like to play in tampa bay again before he retires from hockey.

 

[TheOriginalTudor]

Richards also stated at the Blackhawks rally that he hoped Kane had enough sway to keep him in Chicago but, as a Hawks fan, I think if he doesn't resign in Chicago that Tampa Bay would be a probable landing spot.

 

[Todd1a]

Richards also stated at the Blackhawks rally that he hoped Kane had enough sway to keep him in Chicago but, as a Hawks fan, I think if he doesn't resign in Chicago that Tampa Bay would be a probable landing spot.

well see we are pretty tight vs the salary cap right now

 

[Legionnaire11]

Isn't that the coaches job?

NHL coaches barely touch on faceoff technique. They draw up plays for the faceoff, but the players who can do it can already pretty much do it when they get to the NHL, there might be some adjustment period as they get up to speed and they pick up a lot of faceoff knowledge from the veterans as they go.

Yanic Perreault and Mike Sillinger were famous for boosting the faceoff % of guys on the various teams that they journeyed around to.

 

[These Are The Days]

After the Vermette discussion in the other thread I think signing Richards for cheap and putting him on the 3rd line "could work" he is still good power plays, he IS a 3rd line center at this point in his career and if we pay him like one the signing will be justified.

1 C Johnson
2 C Filppula
3 C Richards
4 C Boyle

That's probably the deepest depth in the league and that's WITH Stamkos playing wing.

If Richards is willing to sign like a deal that pays him $2 million a year like in Chicago then I'd be all for it. At the very least he would be useful on our dreadful power play.

 

[These Are The Days]

Richards also stated at the Blackhawks rally that he hoped Kane had enough sway to keep him in Chicago but, as a Hawks fan, I think if he doesn't resign in Chicago that Tampa Bay would be a probable landing spot.

I'd agree with that. With Richards fresh off a Cup run I think he provides the kind of X factor that the Lightning locker room is looking for. He was already our de-facto captain at the time he was traded to Dallas and was apparently the biggest "rah rah" guy in the locker room. Or so I was given that impression from the media

At the VERY LEAST we're bringing in a guy (who is better than Morrow) that's won it twice and still has some gas left in the tank.

We've been flirting with the idea of signing him twice now and we may as well get the job done.

 

[xteesy]

After the Vermette discussion in the other thread I think signing Richards for cheap and putting him on the 3rd line "could work" he is still good power plays, he IS a 3rd line center at this point in his career and if we pay him like one the signing will be justified.

1 C Johnson
2 C Filppula
3 C Richards
4 C Boyle

That's probably the deepest depth in the league and that's WITH Stamkos playing wing.

If Richards is willing to sign like a deal that pays him $2 million a year like in Chicago then I'd be all for it. At the very least he would be useful on our dreadful power play.

That breaks up TKO (which I'm perfectly ok with), but that's not just breaking up TKO. That's signing a commitment that they WON'T play together next year, period. Otherwise the decision doesn't make sense in the long run.

Decisions, decisions...

 

[Todd1a]

I'd agree with that. With Richards fresh off a Cup run I think he provides the kind of X factor that the Lightning locker room is looking for. He was already our de-facto captain at the time he was traded to Dallas and was apparently the biggest "rah rah" guy in the locker room. Or so I was given that impression from the media

At the VERY LEAST we're bringing in a guy (who is better than Morrow) that's won it twice and still has some gas left in the tank.

We've been flirting with the idea of signing him twice now and we may as well get the job done.

stevie get it done bring in a great vet in richards

 

[Sky04]

No offense but this cup run has really blinded people to BR's flaws.. he's pretty bad defensively and using him on the PP is asking for turnovers and breakaways the other way. He was on Chicago's top unit with Keith until they got fed up with him turning it over at the point so often.

He's highly inconsistent with his play after changing teams, you won't be quite sure what you get with him.

Richards also has his production inflated by Kane, he had 5 points in the 20 games after Kane was injured..and he wouldn't be playing with anyone better than Kane on the Lightning. And why does everyone think he's some faceoff specialist now, he was 48% on draws this year... all of Johnson, Stamkos, Filppula and Boyle had a better faceoff%.

 

[Bolto]

Sentimentally it would be nice but I don't think we need to go with an older player at the end of his career. We now have plenty of experience on the team and at BR's stage of his career there's too much risk of injury and significant loss of skill. Look at what's happening to St. Louis.

 

[Todd1a]

No offense but this cup run has really blinded people to BR's flaws.. he's pretty bad defensively and using him on the PP is asking for turnovers and breakaways the other way. He was on Chicago's top unit with Keith until they got fed up with him turning it over at the point so often.

He's highly inconsistent with his play after changing teams, you won't be quite sure what you get with him.

Richards also has his production inflated by Kane, he had 5 points in the 20 games after Kane was injured..and he wouldn't be playing with anyone better than Kane on the Lightning. And why does everyone think he's some faceoff specialist now, he was 48% on draws this year... all of Johnson, Stamkos, Filppula and Boyle had a better faceoff%.

It would not hurt us to get his leadership in our locker room. You can't tell me he won't be a improvement over morrow.

 

[Bolt32]

That breaks up TKO (which I'm perfectly ok with), but that's not just breaking up TKO. That's signing a commitment that they WON'T play together next year, period. Otherwise the decision doesn't make sense in the long run.

Decisions, decisions...

Why would that break up TKO? TKO should be our first line. Easy. Stamkos goes on the second, as a winger.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

I'd rather sign a #4 to play with Garrison and slide Coburn to the bottom pairing.

 

[Hockeyfan02]

It would not hurt us to get his leadership in our locker room. You can't tell me he won't be a improvement over morrow.

Of course he's a better player than Morrow but they fill different roles in the lineup. There's already 6 centers on the roster and I don't see the need for one more.

 

[TheSchmidt]

Don't need to touch the forward group unless it's some kind of trade involving Namestnikov for an upgrade

Killorn-Flip-Stamkos
TKO
Drouin-Names-Callahan
Pacquette-Boyle-Brown

Just guessing on lines, but time to let Names get a bigger role and see what he's got.

 

[Tampabear]

We have a better version of Brad Richards who can actually play defense in Valteri Filppula, I don't see the incentive of adding another center to the mix.

Agree with this. We don't need him. i'd rather find a 3rd pair d-man.

 

[DarrylshutzSydor]

Richards is small and slow; he was a passenger on the Hawks this year.