Friday, July 1, 2011

Brad Richards seeking eight-year, $50 million-55 million deal

 http://www2.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Nashville+Predators+v+Dallas+Stars+6jmgWaWQxmYl.jpg

Center Brad Richards, the consensus top free-agent forward set to hit the market on July 1, is seeking an eight-year deal for between $50 and $55 million, according to the New York Post. 

The New York Rangers, long seen as leader in the chase for Richards, still covet the 31-year-old former Conn Smythe winner -- particularly coach John Tortorella, who coached Richards when the Tampa Bay Lightning, including their run to the Stanley Cup in 2004.
Brad Richards remains the top free-agent prize. (AP Photo)
The Rangers will have competition for Richards, the Post suggests -- the Philadelphia Flyers. And based on salary cap figures, Philadelphia could feasibly add him, assuming his cap hit is in the $5 million-$6 million range. 

The Flyers' moves on Thursday -- they traded away Mike Richards and Jeff Carter for young, talented players and picks -- cleared up a significant amount of cap space. They immediately added goalie Ilya Bryzgalov at a $5.67 million cap hit, which leaves them with 18 players under contract and more than $7.5 million in space under the $64.3 million cap, according to capgeek.com. 

If Philadelphia opts not to sign winger Ville Leino, decides to trade winger Kris Versteeg ($3.08 million), or manages to dump backup goalie Michael Leighton ($1.55 million), signing Richards to the deal he's reportedly looking for would certainly be possible. Whether they actually are considering such a plan is another issue entirely. 

Richards had been with the Dallas Stars since 2008. He had 28 goals and 49 assists in 2010-11, which followed a 91-point 2009-10 season. The Stars, stuck in ownership limbo, have said that they won't re-sign him and were actively trying to trade his negotiating rights before the 2011 NHL Draft.


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