Mike Richards' Captaincy

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Richards was named captain on September 17, 2008, taking over from Jason Smith. In his first season as captain, 2008–09, he finished second in team scoring with 80 points and led the league with seven shorthanded goals. He became the first player in NHL history to score three career three-on-five shorthanded goals on February 15, 2009, and scored a shorthanded goal in three consecutive games six days later, though Bill Barber had previously achieved this feat for the Flyers in 1976. The 2009–10 season saw Richards score his 100th career NHL goal on February 1, 2010, and lead the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost 4–2 to the Chicago Blackhawks. During the 2010 playoffs, Flyers fans celebrated 'The Shift' in game seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Bruins, a sequence that led to a goal by Simon Gagné. In 2010–11, Richards recorded 23 goals and 43 assists as the Flyers earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference. On June 23, 2011, Richards and Rob Bordson were traded to the Los Angeles Kings for Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn, and a 2012 second-round draft pick, with the Kings retaining a portion of Richards' salary.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with tension as Richards skated toward center ice for the faceoff. The crowd noise faded into a dull roar behind him; all that mattered was the puck drop. He gritted his teeth, gripping his stick tightly, embodying the relentless energy demanded of a captain in Philadelphia. Every shift was a battle, every check a statement to the opposition that this team would not be pushed around.

Reader's Guide

Richards' captaincy began with high expectations after he signed a 12-year, $69 million contract extension on December 13, 2007. He was selected to the 2008 NHL All-Star Game, his first, where he registered an assist. In the 2008 playoffs, he scored his first playoff goal on a penalty shot against Washington's Cristobal Huet, becoming just the second player in NHL history to do so. The Flyers defeated the Capitals in seven games and the Montreal Canadiens before falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final. Richards finished that playoff run with 14 points in 17 games. The 2009 playoffs saw the Flyers eliminated by the Penguins again, with Richards adding five points in six games. After the season, he required surgery on both shoulders, having felt discomfort since training camp and taking anti-inflammatory medication throughout the season. The 2010 playoffs were the highlight of his captaincy, as the Flyers barely made the playoffs but went on a remarkable run to the Stanley Cup Final. Richards scored important goals and cemented his captaincy, drawing comparisons to Bobby Clarke. The run ended in game six of the Final against the Chicago Blackhawks. In 2011, the Flyers eliminated the Buffalo Sabres in seven games before being swept by the Boston Bruins in the second round. Richards recorded one goal and six assists in the 2011 playoffs.

Did You Know?

• Richards was named the 17th captain in Flyers history on September 17, 2008, succeeding Jason Smith.
• He became the first player in NHL history to score three career three-on-five shorthanded goals on February 15, 2009.
• He scored his 100th career NHL goal on February 1, 2010.
• Richards scored a shorthanded goal in three consecutive games on February 21, 2009, though Bill Barber had previously achieved this for the Flyers in 1976.