Mike Richards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Position | Centre |
Shoots | Left |
Nickname(s) | Cannon, Richie |
Height Weight |
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 195 lb (88 kg/13 st 13 lb) |
NHL Team | Philadelphia Flyers |
Nationality | Canada |
Born | February 11, 1985 , Kenora, Ontario |
NHL Draft | 24th overall, 2003 Philadelphia Flyers |
Pro career | 2005 – present |
Michael Richards (born February 11, 1985 in Kenora, Ontario) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is a centre for the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Contents |
[edit] Playing career
Richards began his hockey career with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, before Philadelphia selected him 24th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He was a member of a dominant 2003 Kitchener team that captured the Memorial Cup and was among the team's leaders in scoring. Before his NHL debut, Richards captained the 2005 Canadian National Junior Team to its first World Junior Championship gold medal since 1997.
Richards joined the Philadelphia Phantoms, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Flyers, for their playoff run, and became a key part of the Phantoms' Calder Cup Championship in the 2004-05 season. Richards averaged over a point a game, lead the league in shorthanded goals scored, and finished second in rookie playoff scoring.
He scored a goal in his first NHL game on October 5, 2005. He scored his first hat trick, which included two shorthanded goals, against the New York Islanders on February 8, 2006. His hat trick was the first by a Flyers rookie since Mikael Renberg on February 15, 1994.
Richards led the Flyers in the 2007-2008 season in points with 75, in only 73 games. He is only the second player in NHL history to have scored two 5 on 3 short-handed goals, also is the second player in NHL history to score his first playoff goal on a penalty shot. In addition to his increased scoring, Richards was named one of the Flyers alternate captains at the outset of the season. [1]
He's known as a remarkable defensive player and he is in the top-3 NHL shorthanded scorers with 5 goals.
On December 13, 2007, Richards and the Flyers agreed on a 12-year contract extension worth $69 million with an average of $5.75 million per year and a maximum salary of $7.6 million for the 2013-2014 season. Mike Richards is said to be the "Typical Flyer", due to his toughness and enthusiasm that resembles a young Bobby Clarke. Richards will be the face of the Flyers franchise for many years to come. [2]
On January 11, 2008, Richards was selected to represent the Eastern Conference at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta. [3] He registered an assist on January 27, 2008 in the 56th annual All-Star Game.
On March 25, 2008, Richards scored the first overtime goal in his career against the New York Rangers.
On April 15, 2008, Richards scored his first playoff goal on a penalty shot against Washington Capitals goaltender Cristobal Huet in game three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2008 NHL Playoffs.
[edit] Awards
- 2002-03 - CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team
- 2004-05 - OHL Second All-Star Team
- 2007-08 - NHL Eastern Conference All-Star Team
- 2007-08 - Bobby Clarke Trophy
- 2007-08 - Gene Hart Memorial Award
[edit] Career statistics
[edit] Regular season and playoffs
Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2001-02 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 65 | 20 | 38 | 58 | 52 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
2002-03 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 67 | 37 | 50 | 87 | 99 | 21 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 24 | ||
2003-04 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 58 | 36 | 53 | 89 | 82 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2004-05 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 43 | 22 | 36 | 58 | 75 | 15 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 36 | ||
2004-05 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 14 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 28 | ||
2005-06 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 79 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 65 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
2006-07 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 50 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 52 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
2007-08 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 73 | 28 | 47 | 75 | 76 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 10 | ||
NHL Totals | 211 | 49 | 92 | 141 | 193 | 23 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 10 | ||||
AHL Totals | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 14 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 28 | ||||
OHL Totals | 233 | 115 | 177 | 292 | 308 | 41 | 20 | 36 | 56 | 66 |
[edit] International
Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | Canada | WJC | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | |
2005 | Canada | WJC | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | |
2006 | Canada | WC-A | 9 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | |
Senior Int'l Totals | 9 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
[edit] Family
Richards currently resides in Haddonfield, New Jersey. His cousin, Jeff Richards, an Ontario Hockey League graduate who plays for the Lakehead University Thunderwolves, recently appeared on Canadian reality show Making the Cut about aspiring Canadian hockey players but failed to make the grade. His parents are Norm and Irene and he has two brothers, Mark and Matt. Mike attended Beaver Brae Secondary School in Kenora until being drafted to the Kitchener Rangers. While at Beaver Brae Secondary School, Mike was awarded Most Improved Player for soccer in his Grade 9 year.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Mike Richards's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
- Mike Richards's biography at Legends of Hockey
- Mike Richards's NHL player profile
- Mike Richards at TSN.ca
- Official Mike Richards Fan Site
|