Bill McNeal wrote:Gotcha, makes sense. Then why did the Kings send Richards down? What is the point of that when they could just scratch him most nights and then if they need him he's around and doesn't have to be recalled.

Napalm wrote:i get the feeling he'll be back with the Kings as they hunt for a bottom seeded playoff spot. change of scenery for him this offseason will be real good for him. He's no longer a fit for LA

mcare89 wrote:

Napalm wrote:i get the feeling he'll be back with the Kings as they hunt for a bottom seeded playoff spot. change of scenery for him this offseason will be real good for him. He's no longer a fit for LA

I still can't believe they didn't buy him out when they had the chance. That was such a no-brainer.

Napalm wrote:i get the feeling he'll be back with the Kings as they hunt for a bottom seeded playoff spot. change of scenery for him this offseason will be real good for him. He's no longer a fit for LA

Napalm wrote:

The quick removal might seem cold, but it was the only option left for Kings general manager Dean Lombardi, who put Richards on waivers. Lombardi could no longer justify paying the underperforming Richards, especially with the pending unrestricted free agency of right wing Justin Williams, center Jarret Stoll and defenseman Robyn Regehr.

"That's the thing we've got to work through," Lombardi said. "Mike, in his career, he's shown he can be a .330 hitter and get you 80 RBIs and be an All-Star player. So maybe at this stage, maybe it's not there. But I still think he's capable of being a .280 hitter and do a lot of those things that only he can do. Basically, right now he's batting .200. But I don't see any reason why he can't get back to that. He's got to do what he's got to do."

Other teams have until Tuesday morning to claim Richards. Otherwise, he will be sent to Manchester of the American Hockey League to work on his game.

Lombardi said Richards could return. But the move was somewhat of a message to the struggling Kings, who are 2-4-5 in their past 11 games and out of the Stanley Cup Playoff picture.

Napalm wrote:does this look like a guy that has a drug problem