After just two days of free agency, Brad Richards has found a new team: the New York Rangers. Richards agreed to a nine-year contract reportedly worth $6.5 million per year. The Rangers also signed Mike Rupp to a three-year, $4.5 million contract and re-signed Ruslan Fedotenko for one year at $1.4 million.
Richards played for the Dallas Stars last season, generating 77 points in 72 games. He will immediately become the Rangers’ #1 center and will likely pair up with Marian Gaborik once the season commences.
The Kings, Maple Leafs, Lightning, Flyers, and Flames were also in the running for Richards, bu the former Conn Smythe Trophy winner (and Stanley Cup champion) eventually chose the Rangers. Despite not persuading Richards to choose the city of Angels, at least Los Angeles can now focus on re-signing defenseman Drew Doughty.
Richards has played 772 NHL games in his 11-year career, tallying 716 points. He won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.
Other notable transactions:
Jaromir Jagr to the Philadelphia Flyers
Troy Brouwer, Joel Ward, Jeff Halpern, and Roman Hamrlik to the Washington Capitals
Semyon Varlamov to the Colorado Avalanche
Ville Leino to the Buffalo Sabres: 6 years, $27 million
Christian Ehrhoff to the Buffalo Sabres: 10 years, $40 million
James Wisniewski to the Columbus Blue Jackets: 6 years, $33 million
Erik Cole and Peter Budaj to the Montreal Canadiens
Sean Bergenheim, Ed Jovanovski, Jose Theodore, Tomas Fleischmann, Scottie Upshall, Marcel Goc, Nolan Yonkman, Kris Versteeg, and Brian Campbell to the Florida Panthers
Michael Ryder, Vernon Fiddler, Jake Dowell, Radek Dvorak, Sheldon Souray, and Adam Pardy to the Dallas Stars
Michal Handzus to the San Jose Sharks
Raffi Torres, Boyd Gordon, and Mike Smith to Phoenix Coyotes
Brian Boucher to the Carolina Hurricanes
Mathieu Garon to the Tampa Bay Lightning
Ben Eager, Eric Belanger, Cam Barker, and Andy Sutton to the Edmonton Oilers
Kurtis Foster to the Anaheim Ducks
Maxime Talbot to the Philadelphia Flyers
