Brad Richards is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 15 seasons. He was born on May 2, 1980, in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Richards began his hockey career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Rimouski Oceanic in 1996. He played for Rimouski for four seasons, during which he was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice and led the team to a Memorial Cup championship in 2000.
Richards was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Lightning in 2000 and quickly established himself as one of the team's top players. In his second season, he helped lead the Lightning to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship, scoring 12 goals and 26 points in 23 playoff games and earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.
Richards continued to be a key player for the Lightning over the next several seasons, earning All-Star honors twice and leading the team in scoring four times. In 2007, he signed a five-year, $39 million contract with the Lightning, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league at the time.
In 2008, Richards was traded to the Dallas Stars, where he played for five seasons. He continued to be a productive player for the Stars, leading the team in scoring in three of his five seasons there and earning All-Star honors in 2009. In 2011, he was traded to the New York Rangers, where he played for three seasons.
Richards had a successful stint with the Rangers, helping lead the team to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014. He was also named an alternate captain for the team and was a key leader both on and off the ice. However, after the 2013-14 season, the Rangers bought out the remaining six years of his contract, making him a free agent.
Richards signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2014-15 season. He played a key role in the team's run to the Stanley Cup championship, scoring five goals and 18 points in 23 playoff games. However, due to salary cap constraints, the Blackhawks were unable to re-sign Richards for the following season.
Richards signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings for the 2015-16 season. He played in 68 games for the team, scoring 10 goals and 28 points. However, the Red Wings missed the playoffs for the first time in 25 years, and Richards announced his retirement from the NHL in July 2016.
Overall, Brad Richards had a successful NHL career, scoring 298 goals and 932 points in 1,126 regular-season games. He also scored 105 points in 146 playoff games and won two Stanley Cup championships. Richards was known for his leadership, playmaking ability, and clutch performances in big games.
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