By Jordan Long
Center Brad Richards made the difficult decision to hang up his skates after 15 years in the NHL. According to ESPN, Richards said, “I had many amazing teammates and made many great friendships along the way that I truly appreciate, and I will never forget the great times we had together. Thank you to all my coaches for pushing, teaching and giving me the opportunity to play this great game.” It is his time to walk away from the game.
Richards was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third-round of the 1996 NHL Draft. He wouldn’t appear in the NHL until the 2000-2001 season. That year he scored an impressive 21 goals and added 41 assists for a total of 62 points. He would reach the same number of points the next season. His best year in a Lightning uniform was in 2006 when Richards lit the lamp 23 times and added 68 points for an impressive 91 points. Tampa Bay even won a Stanley Cup with him in 2004 and he was voted the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the MVP of the playoffs.
Richards would stay in Tampa until February 26, 2008. Tampa Bay traded Richards to the Dallas Stars prior to the trade deadline. Richards, along with goaltender Johan Holmqvist, went to Dallas. The Lightning received left wing Jussi Jokinen, center Jeff Halpern, goaltender Mike Smith, and a 2009 4th-round pick.
Richards would spend three years in Dallas. In the 2011 season Richards collected a career high of 28 goals. His contract finished in the summer of 2011. The New York Rangers signed him to a 9-year, $60 million contract but he would only play with them for three years. Before free agency in 2014, the Rangers bought out the rest of his deal so they could have salary to spend on free agents. This meant Richards was once again a free agent.
The Chicago Blackhawks picked him up for the 2014-2015 season. He scored 12 goals, 25 assists, and would hoist the Stanley Cup for a second time as Chicago beat Tampa Bay 4-2 in the Stanley Cup Final.
He ended his career with the Detroit Red Wings last season, collecting a career low of 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points. It was clear to me that Richards wasn’t the same player and it was time for him to walk away.
Richards leaves this game with 298 goals and 634 assists for a total of 932 points for his career. In the playoffs he elevated his game. In 146 playoff games he scored an impressive 37 goals and 68 points for a total of 105 points.
Richards did everything a player could do in the game of hockey. He won two Stanley Cups and was MVP of one of the finals. In 2004, Richards took home the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the player with the best sportsmanship. He appeared in one NHL All-Star game in 2011.
I will miss the way Brad Richards played the game. He always seemed to play at a high level no matter if it was a regular season or a playoff game. Opponents needed to know where Richards was on the ice because of his scoring ability. Hopefully, his next honor is to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
What do you think of Brad Richards’ NHL career
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