Spitting Chiclets Mike Richards

[Rorschach]

I mean, not disagreeing with you but his head is attached to his body.

True but I’m just saying specifically what injury and thus putting exact blame on who took him out.

 

[ImJustJokinen]

really enjoyed this interview. As a Richie homer myself, dude is just a pro. Had nothing bad to say about anyone.

Highlight for me was him talking about Forsberg when he played with Philly. First day on the ice everyone just stopped and stared in amazement at Forsberg skill level.

Hope Richie is enjoying getting paid by the kings to go fishing until 2032.

When did they start talking about forsberg? As in time elapsed. Thanks

 

[Herby]

I still say his body was still serviceable but it was his head that was messed up, physically, and it was the combination of two hits that led to concussions that did him in. How can you skate or hit at full speed, risking that impact, knowing your own noggin was mush that was barely holding together?

I think it was the opposite, he still had the game sense and his mind knew what to do, but his body was completely done. I think Richards was one of those guys who wasn't blessed with great physical tools but had great game sense and competed better than everyone else and got the most out of his God given abilities. But once he lost a step it put him at a level where he couldn't keep up with the NHL game anymore, some guys lose a step and go from 2nd liner to 3rd liner, his step down knocked him from 2nd liner to the AHL, still never forget being at Game 5 of the 2014 series and the Hawks sent Kane out there for 2 consecutive shifts once Sutter put out 13/10/22 line, he was skating off and the Hawks coaches waived for them to stay on, just like I mentioned with Marcus Peters in the other sports thread, teams were picking on Richards in the 2014 playoffs.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I think it was the opposite, he still had the game sense and his mind knew what to do, but his body was completely done. I think Richards was one of those guys who wasn't blessed with great physical tools but had great game sense and competed better than everyone else and got the most out of his God given abilities. But once he lost a step it put him at a level where he couldn't keep up with the NHL game anymore, some guys lose a step and go from 2nd liner to 3rd liner, his step down knocked him from 2nd liner to the AHL, still never forget being at Game 5 of the 2014 series and the Hawks sent Kane out there for 2 consecutive shifts once Sutter put out 13/10/22 line, he was skating off and the Hawks coaches waived for them to stay on, just like I mentioned with Marcus Peters in the other sports thread, teams were picking on Richards in the 2014 playoffs.

Even Richards talks about growing up and never being the biggest or strongest kid. So his dad would just tell him he had to work three times as hard as everyone else to make up for it.

Sort of sums up Richards. I will always like him as a player. There’s a reason he won every possible trophy in the game of hockey. Just a tenacious player with a great IQ for the game, but trapped in the body of a high school sophomore lol.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Richards was pretty awesome in his Kings' debut.


He was having a very productive season with the Kings right until he got concussed by I believe Sean Bergenheim against the Panthers. Up until that point, Richards had scored 20 points in the first 25 games of the season. He also scored 15 points in 20 playoff games and was a legitimate 1B center behind Kopitar until 2013. Richards had 32 points in 48 games and added 12 points in 15 playoff games in the shortened season.

And that was the end of Mike Richards being a productive player in the NHL. He still put up decent numbers in 2014, but you can see he was already slowing down quite a bit by that point, and he was a mess in his last season with the team.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Richards was pretty awesome in his Kings' debut.


He was having a very productive season with the Kings right until he got concussed by I believe Sean Bergenheim against the Panthers. Up until that point, Richards had scored 20 points in the first 25 games of the season. He also scored 15 points in 20 playoff games and was a legitimate 1B center behind Kopitar until 2013. Richards had 32 points in 48 games and added 12 points in 15 playoff games in the shortened season.

And that was the end of Mike Richards being a productive player in the NHL. He still put up decent numbers in 2014, but you can see he was already slowing down quite a bit by that point, and he was a mess in his last season with the team.

I think the Bergenheim hit started his eventual downfall and the Bolland hit sealed it.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

This was a great interview. Interesting Kings highlights:

- Doughty was the most naturally talented hockey player Richards ever played with.

- Doughty partied like an animal and overslept on the day of the gold medal game in 2010 LOL

- Sutter was very hard on the guys and that eventually wore on everyone. Said they couldn't keep up with Sutter's compete level for 82 games every single year plus playoffs.

- Matt Greene was the guy who really kept the locker room together and in good spirits during some really rough times in 2013 and 2014. Richards said Greene was the most important player in the locker room for him (Richards) personally.

- Richards refused to get into the Lombardi stuff and how everything went down with the termination. Clearly a lot of bad feelings still there.

 

[Riposte!]

Richards was pretty awesome in his Kings' debut.


He was having a very productive season with the Kings right until he got concussed by I believe Sean Bergenheim against the Panthers. Up until that point, Richards had scored 20 points in the first 25 games of the season. He also scored 15 points in 20 playoff games and was a legitimate 1B center behind Kopitar until 2013. Richards had 32 points in 48 games and added 12 points in 15 playoff games in the shortened season.

And that was the end of Mike Richards being a productive player in the NHL. He still put up decent numbers in 2014, but you can see he was already slowing down quite a bit by that point, and he was a mess in his last season with the team.

He was never the same after that:

 

[Telos]

- Matt Greene was the guy who really kept the locker room together and in good spirits during some really rough times in 2013 and 2014. Richards said Greene was the most important player in the locker room for him (Richards) personally.

- Richards refused to get into the Lombardi stuff and how everything went down with the termination. Clearly a lot of bad feelings still there.

Not only that, he said he was the #1 teammate he's ever had which is pretty high praise. I guess we will just have to wait for Lombardi's tell-all book he was touting to get a peak at how that all went down. It was tragic. He was never the same after that Bergenheim hit. It sucks that he got addicted to opioids, but I am very happy that he's healthy now and they didn't claim his life. He's definitely a Kings legend even with only four seasons under his belt.

 

[Little Psycho]

Not surprised to hear that about Greene. Doughty said something similar and also that he was the dad figure for him.

 

[Bandit]

Not surprised to hear that about Greene. Doughty said something similar and also that he was the dad figure for him.

This concept is so weird when you think about it. Matt Greene was 29 when the Kings won the cup in 2012. A 29 year old being "a dad figure" to a 22 year old...

 

[KINGS17]

Not surprised to hear that about Greene. Doughty said something similar and also that he was the dad figure for him.

More like Greene was probably the keep that up, and I will kick your ass figure.

 

[Sol]

I ragged on Richards when he sucked towards the end of his career. It was also extremely infuriating that DL gave him a chance he didn't deserve. He showed zero chance of rebound.

However, nothing upsetted me more than Bollands hit on Richards. That's where it all ended. I couldn't believe he didn't get a penalty nor a suspension. Disgusting man. That still upsets me.

 

[Bandit]

I ragged on Richards when he sucked towards the end of his career. It was also extremely infuriating that DL gave him a chance he didn't deserve. He showed zero chance of rebound.

However, nothing upsetted me more than Bollands hit on Richards. That's where it all ended. I couldn't believe he didn't get a penalty nor a suspension. Disgusting man. That still upsets me.

Well, on this very podcast Richards was still laughing about "taking Booth's head off" so I guess you could say karma's a bitch.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Well, on this very podcast Richards was still laughing about "taking Booth's head off" so I guess you could say karma's a *****.

And Bolland’s career also ended due to concussions.

 

[Bandit]

And Bolland’s career also ended due to concussions.

Yup. Goes to show these guys are none too bright, but somehow end up millionaires. I hope it’s worth it for them.