With the combination of
large dollar amount and long contracts being handed out the free agents are flying
off the board very quickly on Day 1 of NHL free agency, but Brad Richards is
still on the board and getting plenty of attention. Richards held a series of in person meetings
with teams and conference calls with others.
Little has come out in
terms of what the teams are offering except for Jesse Spector reporting on what
the Calgary Flames have offered:
Source: Flames offer Richards nine years, $64 million. Other source: "He won't go there."
Those are crazy figures
and the Rangers should not approach anywhere near those numbers to try and
acquire Richards. For the Flames it is a
desperation attempt to add talent to a team that has failed to make anything in
the draft in recent years. It is highly unlikely Richards would sign in Calgary as their chance to win is remote, especially with an aging team that has little reinforcements on the way.
