If there’s anyone that can relate to what John Tavares is going through right now it’s former NHLer Brad Richards.
Flashback to the 2011 off-season when Richards was the biggest fish on the market. Much like CAA offices in Los Angeles, media members were camped outside Newport Sports Agency in Mississauga, Ontario, watching and waiting for NHL executives to show up and make their pitch in hopes of landing the star centre.
The former member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars at the time eventually opted for the New York Rangers by signing a nine-year $60 million.
Richards was a guest on TSN 1050’s OverDrive on Wednesday and was asked to flashback to the summer of 2011, so he explained what it was like to have teams making presentations in hopes of luring him to their respective clubs.
“We didn’t have that five day period. I wish I would’ve had that; It would’ve been a lot nicer to take your time – we went right at 12:01 am. It was uncomfortable, I don’t think it was a finer moment of my career.”
One of the more compelling offers he received was from the Los Angeles Kings, in which the team used Wayne Gretzky and Kobe Bryant to help out in the pitch.
“They tried to make it interesting. They tried to find out about you and tried to guide their pitch to your interests.”
According to Richards, Kobe showed Richards a video on the Lakers winning championships. The Rangers did the same thing by showing the Prince Edward Island native footage of the 1994 Stanley Cup parade, and special messages from New York-based actors.
“There were four teams that were really in it, and I decided between L.A. and New York. They both had great offers and great teams. L.A. ended up winning two cups, so maybe I chose wrong. But I’m very happy that I chose New York: I met my wife here, and we started our family here. I have no regrets – those are such decisions. You don’t know what was about to happen.”
Richards and the Rangers lost to the Kings in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
You can listen to the full interview below.
