Free agent Brad Richards declines offer to return to Tampa Bay Lightning

LOL

When the Kings on Friday visited with free agent center Brad Richards, they came with eight people and a video the Los Angeles Times reported included Lakers star Kobe Bryant extolling the virtues of living in L.A.

Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman had no such bells or whistles when it was his turn.

"Unfortunately," Yzerman said, laughing over the phone from Mississauga, Ontario, where the meeting took place. "I just showed up by myself." :mosoly:

And light in the wallet, as it turned out. Richards, the most coveted free agent forward on the market, declined Tampa Bay's offer to return to the team with which he began his NHL career and was MVP of its 2004 Stanley Cup run.

The hometown discount Richards had indicated he might be willing to give was not enough.

"I knew going in with the salary structure of some of the other teams that were potential suitors that this was going to be a little difficult for us," Yzerman said. "I went in and talked to him and explained our situation. 'This is what I can do. We'd love to have you.' I suspected full well what is potentially out there (financially), and it's just too big of a bridge to gap."

"All the respect in the world," Richards wrote in a text about the Lightning. "I have many offers, and they just couldn't be in that range. We had a great talk. No need for me to handcuff the team."

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így is van rendjén, legalább mi sem kötjük meg az összes kezünket. viszont Stamkos most már alávakarhatá a nevét