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Detroit makes another splash, inks Richards to one-year, $3M deal

2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six

2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six

Getty Images

Shortly after landing one of the biggest UFA prizes in Mike Green, the Red Wings made another big move by signing Brad Richards to a one-year deal worth $3 million.

For Richards, 35, it’s his second straight one-year pact. Last year he inked with Chicago and enjoyed a good bounce-back campaign after getting bought out by the Rangers.

Richards’ regular season was solid -- 12 goals and 37 points in 76 games -- and he stepped up in the playoffs, emerging as a solid contributor in Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup run by scoring 14 points in 23 games, averaging close to 17 minutes a night.

In Detroit, he’ll look to fill the second-line center void that Stephen Weiss was never able to fill.

The Red Wings bought out the former Panthers pivot yesterday, putting Richards in a group of centers that includes youngsters Riley Sheahan and Luke Glendening. Should Richards emerge as Detroit’s 2C, it’ll allow new head coach Jeff Blashill to keep Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg together on the club’s top line.

As for the team Richards left, there was some thought Chicago would have interest in retaining his services. But that possibility was ruled out yesterday when the team acquired center Artem Anisimov in the Brandon Saad trade,
then inked Anisimov to a long-term extension.

Brad Richards’ playoff bonus is $250,000 for winning one round, another $750,000 for winning two rounds. #TSN

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 1, 2015

Related: As Weiss struggles, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are split up