Philadelphia Flyers Captain Mike Richards Makes the Little Things Count
Mike Richards is the "ultimate" team captain for the Philadelphia Flyers. It was almost as if then-GM Bobby Clarke created Richards in his own image when he drafted him in 2003. There were 23 other players that went before him, including teammates Jeff Carter and Nikolai Zherdev (drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets )on that summer day. Though this was a talented player pool, Richards has become a key player of this class despite his being drafted 24th.
The Flyers knew that Richards was their guy from the jump. Not long thereafter the draft, many concluded that Richards could and would eventually be captain of the team. This Flyer was a natural leader and his skills have been on display in Philadelphia for the past five years.
His growth and development was a bit of a lengthy process but now Richards is among the elite. The first two years were a work in progress, but ever since, he's really come along nicely. He's one of the most underrated players in the NHL in my opinion. Richards may not always get the recognition but lets his game speak.
From what we in Philadelphia have seen here, there's no denying that he belongs in the upper eschalon of NHL talent. His talents and leadership role have been tested but he's been able to grow stronger because of these challenges. Richards' leadership particularly came to the forefront in last year's playoffs as he led the Flyers to improbable heights.
You know the old adage "that one won't show up in tomorrow's box score." That describes Captain Richards to a tee. The Flyer captain consistently does things that help his team succeed yet never appear in any recap or box score the next day. That's what a captain does, more exclusively though, that's what Mike Richards does on a nightly basis.
Whether he's delivering the big check, drawing the penalty or making the other team hesitate, Richards always seems to make the difference for the Flyers. Trust me, you never want to get caught over the middle of the ice with your head down with Richards on the ice.
