Brad Richards
Two-time Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
Bradley Ray Richards (born May 2, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, and Detroit Red Wings. He is notable as a two-time Stanley Cup champion, winning in 2004 with the Lightning and in 2015 with the Blackhawks, and as the recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2004.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1980-05-02
- Birth Place
- Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island, Canada
- Position
- Centre
- Shoots
- Left
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 0
- Weight Lb
- 198
- Played For
- Tampa Bay Lightning / Dallas Stars / New York Rangers / Chicago Blackhawks / Detroit Red Wings / Ak Bars Kazan
- Ntl Team
- Canada
- Draft
- 64th overall
- Draft Year
- 1998
- Draft Team
- Tampa Bay Lightning
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Richards was born and raised in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island. At age 14, he met Vincent Lecavalier at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, and they became roommates and close friends. They later played together for the Rimouski Océanic in the QMJHL and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Lecavalier suggested to Lightning management that they draft Richards after they had drafted Lecavalier. In his final season with Rimouski, Richards won the Jean Béliveau Trophy, Telus Cup, QMJHL and CHL Plus/Minus Awards, was a First-Team All-Star in both leagues, and was named CHL Player of the Year and Leading Scorer. He also won the Guy Lafleur Trophy as QMJHL playoff MVP and the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as Memorial Cup MVP, as the Océanic won both titles.
Reader's Guide
Richards' significance lies in his unique playoff record: he is one of eight players to play in a game seven of a Stanley Cup playoff eight times, the most in league history, and he was on the winning side of each game, a feat matched by no other player. His 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy win included a record seven game-winning goals in the playoffs, surpassing Joe Sakic and Joe Nieuwendyk. He also won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy that season. Later, he won the World Cup of Hockey Championship with Team Canada. His career included a trade to the Dallas Stars in 2008, where he set a franchise record with five assists in his debut game. He signed a nine-year, $60 million contract with the New York Rangers in 2011, reuniting with coach John Tortorella. After a compliance buyout in 2014, he joined the Chicago Blackhawks and won his second Stanley Cup in 2015, assisting on Patrick Kane's game-winning goal in the deciding game. He finished his career with the Detroit Red Wings in 2015–16.
Did You Know?
- He was on the winning side of each of those eight game sevens, a feat matched by no other player.
- In the 2004 playoffs, he set a record with seven game-winning goals, surpassing Joe Sakic and Joe Nieuwendyk.
- He wore number 91 for the Chicago Blackhawks, the first player in team history to do so.
More in NHL Trophy Winners, Part 2 1-24
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