Thread: Hipcheck's Corner- Breaking down the Mike Richards trade

I was on my way back from a couple of days camping when I got a text alert informing me of the trade. Funny how after 90 degree days hiking in the sun and swimming in cool river waters a blockbuster NHL trade featuring the Kings was the farthest thing from my mind. Shocking trade but spending the next couple of hours driving home gave me time to digest it and I have to say-this trade is a no brainer for any GM.

Any time there is a blockbuster trade the questions we ask are
A) Who got the best player and
B) Which team has made itself better at the end of the day.

Without question....The Kings have made themselves a much better team for the next 5 or 6 seasons.

As much as I liked both Simmonds and Schenn....


Schenn- I really hate to see him guy but his upside is that of Richards. If Schenn developed into Richards you would do backflips.
Schenn is younger but yet to show he can do it. I still like Schenns potential for sure but its just that....potential.

Simmonds- Was amazing when he was in full puck pursuit mode as we saw in his first couple of seasons but last season it just wasnt there. There were glimpes but it wasnt like it was his first 2 seasons on the team. Class Player and Good Guy....but at the end of the day hes a 3rd liner on a good team with 20 goal potential and maybe 100 pims and an underrated fighter for sure. A friend said of Simmonds play this season "he looks like a guy who knows hes made the NHL."

Looking at the trade from the outside and based solely on the roster at the end of the day the Kings have added Mike Richards and lost Wayne Simmonds. Is there one GM in the league that would not have pulled the trigger on that deal?

We dealt from a position a strength in we parlayed a high draft pick in Schenn and a great 2nd rd pick in Simmonds into a 26 year old Marquee Centermen who was nominated for a Selke, was an All Star, Won the Memorial Cup, Won the Calder Cup, and signed to what is by todays standards a pretty good long term cap friendly deal and also a member of the legendary 2003 draft. The fact he had his strongest seasons playing with Stevens and TMurray as coaches bodes well....and Im not there are too many players you can actually say that about.

Once again...the Flyers had to move quality players for cap space for signing Bryzgalov. The Kings had the ingredients to make it happen.
Ive read it on these boards in the past how many people wanted a player like Kesler on the team...well now we do. Judging by reading Flyers fans comments I can say I feel far better about the trade as there is not 1 of them who thinks they won the trade with most being heartbroken.

Once again...we have every player on the roster now that we had last season but we added Mike Richards and lost Simmonds. Really-how can anyone be disappointed in that? Others have mentioned how Stoll is now one of the leagues best 3rd line centers and that is some mad depth up the middle-something that is critical to succeed.

Hate to lose quality players and potential but you are getting a guy who is going to solidify our position at Center for the next 5 or 6 years. Kopitar and Richards give us a 1-2 punch that very few teams in the NHL have apart from Crosby/Malkin and a handful of others.

I really dont see how anyone, taking away the emotional aspect bonding with certain players, can think this was a bad move for the team.

Absofrekinlutly. 100% correct.