He didn’t sign a new, glamorous contract. His job wasn’t threatened. So how does one explain Flyers center Mike Richards’ blistering start to the season? In today’s sports world, it seems like only a ridiculously large deal with 19 zeros on the end of it will motivate an athlete to bring their ‘A’ game day in and day out. For Richards, it’s just a way of life. And that’s what Flyers management saw back in 2003 when they drafted him in the first round of the draft, 24th overall.
Flyers center Mike Richards has done it all for the Flyers this year - score, dig for the puck in the corners, pound players' faces in.
Through his first two-plus seasons with the Flyers, his leadership qualities have stood out above anything else – part of the reason he is now one of the Flyers’ alternate captains at just 22 years old – much more than I ever accomplished at that age. That bastard. Anyhoo, Richards has found something this season that has been missing for the most part in seasons past – the scoring touch. His offense wasn’t much of a factor for the Flyers in his first two years. This season is a different story.
Through 14 games this season, he already has a team-leading nine goals, just two short of his career high. He is second on the team in points with 15, one behind Danny Briere. Richards is well on pace to annihilate his career-high 34 from his rookie campaign. And even better news for the Flyers, Richards is putting the puck in the net in any situation – even strength, power play and shorthanded. He has capitalized on the man-advantage three times this season. He also knows how to embarrass the other team’s power play. He has such great ability to read the play and intercept a pass and take it down the ice for a scoring chance. He has already struck twice on the PK this season.
He’s beating guys to the puck, beating goalies glove side and stick side, and beating guys with his fists when the team needs a momentum shift. He has become the player the Flyers expected him to become. He’s bringing back memories of former fan favorites like Mark Recchi, Rod Brind’ Amour and Keith Primeau. Around the league, people have noticed #18 and his game-changing ability. The Flyers and their fans needed someone like Richards to come along.
The media has flocked to the western part of the state ever since Sidney “Flop King” Crosby entered the league in 2005. With all due respect to Sid the Kid… you know what, eff it. No respect to him. He has an unbelievable amount of talent but his acting gets old. Real old. Especially for Philly fans who appreciate a hardworking, passionate player like Richards. Crosby loves flopping and crying for penalties when a player merely brushes by him to get to a puck. We might be only a few acting classes away from seeing him take a dive during a pregame handshake. A player like Richards can hopefully start to take the media’s focus off that attention whore in Pittsburgh.
And it already has in some ways. You might remember last season. You know, the year in which it looked like the team was ruphied before every game and struggled to get a franchise-worst 56 points on the season. A year in which the franchise had no choice but to completely overhaul the coaching and management in place after a humiliating 9-1 loss in Buffalo just six games in. Since then, GM Paul Holmgren has transformed this team into a respectable squad again – one that leads the Atlantic Division. New faces like Briere have been a crucial part to the team’s turnaround. But the newfound confidence in some of the younger veterans has been an enormous lift for this team and the league has taken notice. Richards has anchored this confident attitude and it shows by the way he carries himself on and off the ice.
The Flyers couldn’t be happier right now with Richards’ resurgence. He has been a key player in each of their games and has helped the team to a 9-5 start. What a change from a 3-11 record through 14 games last year. With Richards’ leadership and offensive and defensive presence, the Flyers can look forward to having a talent who can guide the team to success now and in the future. And who knows, maybe a parade down Broad Street is not too far off. But who am I kiddin’? This is Philly.
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