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Washington Capitals to sign Mike Richards to one-year contract
The Washington Capitals have agreed to a one-year, $1 million pro-rated contract with Mike Richards, meaning he will carry a roughly $500,000 cap hit.
Richards, 30, met with NHL officials earlier today and has been cleared to play, per the Capitals press release.
Richards, who most recently played for the Los Angeles Kings, has 179 goals and 303 assists in 710 career games.
The Kings terminated Richards' contract due to a violation of personal conduct. Richards had five years remaining on his contract, which carried a $5.75 million cap hit.
"I targeted him probably at the end of summer as a possibility," Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said. "I think we wanted to monitor the situation as it moved forward with the Kings organization and whatever was happening off the ice. I think we've kind of kept track of where he was at, and what the situation was. As it became clearer, and the possibility of him playing in the NHL (seemed likely), we pursued him more aggressively."
The signing comes a week after center Jay Beagle was ruled out for at least six weeks with a hand injury. The Capitals will most likely use Richards in a bottom-six role to add further depth to their group of centers.
"I think we are going to be open-minded," MacLellan said. "We are going to see where he's at playing-wise. He's been a number one center in this league. He's been a third-line center, a two-way guy, he's been a fourth-line center. We are going to see where he's at physically and mentally and try to incorporate him into our lineup where we see fit. He could be a third-line center, he could be a fourth-line center. We will just kind of play it by ear and see where it goes."
Richards won a Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2012 and 2014. He's recorded 87 points in 127 playoff games. He will join former Kings team mate Justin Williams on the Capitals.
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