Yeah, Buffalo will be "going young" and they'll have guys like McEichel, Reinhart, Ennis, Grigorenko up the middle. They might take a stab at Richards for a year or two, but FIVE?! Can't see them liking that term, not enough to part with a 31st or 32nd overall pick.Hockey Widow wrote: Why would Buffalo do this without draft pick(s) coming back? They could just. Buy CoHo out if they wanted to. Buffalo is clearly in a rebuild and this move would do nothing for them.
I think Lombardi definitely under-estimated how quickly Richards would decline. Apparently he showed up to camp in great shape this year, but it hasn't been enough. Too many miles on that body, I think. And LA likely knew the risks when they got him, that contract was long and expensive. Hey, they got 2 Cups with him so I don't think you'll see anyone complain.I could see a team like Nashville going for Richards. They want a long playoff run and he could help with that. Maybe even Montreal if the price was right. Obviously there were no takers.
Some GMs learn the hard way what the value of their players really is. Gillis with the Luongo fiasco, Nonis with Dianna, Kings with Richards. There is a time to cut bait and a time when you have waited too long. LA needs cap badly. To help them out a team is going to want something back, a pick, a prospect, something to make up for taking the cap hit and helping the Kings.
I don't understand why they wouldn't just eat 20% of his salary in a trade. Someone would bite on him at $4.5M, even if it's only for a 3rd or 4th rounder.