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Capitals Sign Mike Richards for One Year, $1 Million

By Patrick Holden

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January 6, 2016 6:22 pm

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The Washington Capitals have signed 30-year-old free agent center Mike Richards. The deal is for one year with a pro-rated $1 million price tag.

This past summer, Richards parted ways with the Los Angeles Kings after he was arrested for drug possession along the Canadian border. His reinstatement comes with the approval of the league, specifically Gary Bettman, with whom Richards reportedly met earlier on Tuesday.

Richards won championships with the Kings in 2012 and 2014. He has scored 178 goals in his career and recorded 30 goals a season twice, both times with the Philadelphia Flyers.

In June Richards was arrested at the Canadian border for transporting the opioid OxyCodone without a prescription. Shortly after, the Kings terminated his contract due to a “material breach.” In August, Richards was charged for possession. Hearings for those charges have been repeatedly pushed back, and it seems unlikely Richards will appear in court for the next hearing, scheduled for the end of this month.

Last month, we wrote about the possibility of Richards signing with the Caps. I’m skeptical as to what Richards has left in the tank, but he’s not yet 31 years old, so a fresh start may reveal the good hockey left in him.

Richards’ signing gives Barry Trotz more options at center depth while the team manages the absence of Jay Beagle, who will lose the next six weeks to an arm injury.

I’m rooting for Richards. He was thrown to the curb by the Kings because of what could be an addiction issue. I’d love to see him redeem himself. Seeing him do it with the Caps would be extra sweet.