Brad Richards

Bradley Glenn Richards (born May 2, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He played parts of sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Detroit Red Wings. He also played for Ak Bars Kazan in the Russian Superleague (RSL). Richards would win the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 and the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015.

Career
Before playing in the NHL, Richards played 1 season with the Notre Dame Hounds of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and 3 seasons with the Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Over his QMJHL career, Richards was able to win the Jean Béliveau Trophy for being the league leader with 186 points, the Telus Cup for being the league's best offensive player, both the QMJHL and Canadian Hockey League Plus/Minus Awards, he was named as a First-Team All-Star in both the Quebec circuit, as well as the CHL and was also named the CHL Player of the Year and Leading Scorer. During the postseason, he was able to win the Guy Lafleur Trophy for being the MVP of the QMJHL playoffs and the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy for being the MVP of the 2000 Memorial Cup after the Océanic won both the QMJHL playoff title and the CHL national championship.

Richards was drafted 64th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. During the same draft, the Lightning also decided to draft Vincent Lecavalier who is Richard's best friend since the age of 14 and was his roommate at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame and his teammate with the Rimouski Océanic.

In 2004, Richards won both the Conn Smythe and Lady Byng Memorial trophies and also won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Richard decided to play for Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian Superleague (RSL). He also played for Team Canada during the 2006 Winter Olympics. When Canada was eliminated from the 2006 playoffs, the Lightning signed Richards to a five-year, $39 million contract.

On February 26, 2008, the Lightning traded Richards and goaltender Johan Holmqvist to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Mike Smith, Jeff Halpern, Jussi Jokinen and a 4th round draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. During the 2008 Playoffs, he was able to tie an NHL record after he scored four points in a single period in game 2 against the San Jose Sharks.

He was able to record 16 goals and 48 points in 55 games in the 2008–09 NHL season before he broke his right wrist after being checked from Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jakub Voráček on February 16, 2009. On March 21, he returned to the lineup but he broke his other hand in the third period of a loss against San Jose. He did not return and the Stars missed the playoffs.

On July 2, 2011, he signed a nine-year, $60 million contract with the New York Rangers after he became an unrestricted free agent. He scored his first NHL hat-trick against the Buffalo Sabres on April 19, 2013. On June 20, 2014, the Rangers bought out Richard's contract.

On July 1, 2014, Richards signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. He won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks after they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, in the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. They won the Stanley Cup in six games.

On July 1, 2015, Richards signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings.

On July 20, 2016, Richards announced that he was retiring from playing professional ice hockey.

References

 Other websites 

Category:1980 births
Category:Living people
Category:Canadian ice hockey centres
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Conn Smythe Trophy winners
Category:Dallas Stars players
Category:Detroit Red Wings players
Category:Ice hockey people from Prince Edward Island
Category:Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winners
Category:Memorial Cup winners
Category:New York Rangers players
Category:Rimouski Océanic players
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Tampa Bay Lightning players