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Rumors Running Rampant Regarding Richards

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By ERIC ERLENDSSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 24, 2008

TAMPA - What started out earlier in the week as a smoke signal has turned into one of the hottest rumors burning up cyberspace and newsprint across North America.

When word out of the general managers' meetings Monday indicated that Tampa Bay was putting out feelers for C Brad Richards, it seemed every rumor Web site and newspaper jumped on the story. Now it's one of the biggest discussions around the NHL leading up to Tuesday's trade deadline.

Richards' name has been most often linked to Columbus and Vancouver, with Montreal, Philadelphia and Edmonton also believed to have interest in acquiring the 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, with Columbus believed to be the front-runner should Tampa Bay decided to trade Richards.

As of Saturday, however, the rumors remained just that - speculation.

Pat Morris, Richards' agent, said Saturday his client has not been asked to waive the no-trade clause in his contract.

"We have taken the road that there is nothing to comment on if nothing is happening," Morris said. "Why would we want to put the family and Brad and everybody else involved through that if there is nothing concrete to discuss?"

With Saturday the last game before the trade deadline for the Bolts, things were ominously quiet on the rumor front, other than a Web site report claiming Richards had agreed to waive his no-trade clause. And there were no scouts in the press box.

But with this the final weekend before the deadline, teams typically gather their hockey operations staff for meetings, including Tampa Bay, for what should be a busy two days. Lightning director of player personnel Bill Barber and assistant general manager Claude Loiselle are in town to meet with GM Jay Feaster.

The contract status of pending free agent D Dan Boyle is also up in the air, but his name has cooled on the trade front as the two sides continue to work on an extension. And though word on negotiations is being kept close to the vest, indications are progress is being made, with deals from six to eight years worth

$40 million to $60 million believed to be at the forefront of the talks.

But if a deal can't be reached by Monday, it's a good bet Boyle could be traded in order to prevent potentially losing him as a free agent without compensation.

FIVE-MAN UNIT: The Bolts dressed 13 forwards Saturday as Coach John Tortorella opted to scratch D Doug Janik and play five defensemen.

Tortorella said he wanted to keep C Andreas Karlsson in the lineup while also giving LW Andre Roy a chance to get back in after he was a healthy scratch in Thursday's game. That left Janik, who has played sparingly - getting five minutes or less ice time a game since D Brad Lukowich got hurt - as the odd man out.

NUTS AND BOLTS: LW Vinny Prospal scored his 37th power-play goal with the Lightning, tying Brian Bradley for fifth on the franchise list. ... The team is set to practice today at 10:45 a.m. at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon. ... LW Mathieu Darche scored his first career short-handed goal in the first period, which also snapped a 32-game goalless stretch dating to Dec. 4.

Erik Erlendsson

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