Centre Brad Richardson signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Coyotes this afternoon. The deal is worth $2.5 million or $1.25 million per year AAV. Richardson spent his last three seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, performing as a depth centre. Richardson only earned 15 points in 76 games last season.
Confirmed. It's a two-year deal. https://t.co/RKEXZboceR
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) July 3, 2018
League source: Brad Richardson’s contract: 2 years, $1.25M AAV.
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) July 3, 2018
Arizona Coyotes Re-Sign Free Agent Brad Richardson
Richardson’s career has spanned 13 seasons. He’s played for the Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks and finally the Arizona Coyotes. He was originally drafted in 2003 by Colorado in the fifth round, 163rd overall. The 33-year-old saw his best season in Arizona in 2015-16, earning 31 points. This was his best season since 2009-10 with the Kings when he earned 27 points.
It’s surprising that Richardson is back in Arizona. Their May 3rd acquisition of centre Marcus Kruger from the Carolina Hurricanes for Jordan Martinook was thought to make Richardson expendable. His age seemed to make him the easy choice to allow to walk in free agency. Richardson played well with Martinook on the fourth line but with Martinook also gone, it’s not clear where Richardson fits in the lineup.
Richardson earned a Stanley Cup title in 2012 with the Kings. He missed the first two games of that post-season due to an emergency appendectomy. He tallied a single goal in that post-season push. In 50 career post-season games, Richardson only tallied 10 points.
Richardson grew up in Belleville, Ontario playing minor league hockey for the AA Belleville Bobcats and the AAA Quinte Red Devils. Throughout his playing career, Richardson also played for a slew of AHL and OHL teams. These included the Albany River Rats, Manchester Monarchs, the Owen Sound Attack, the Lowell Lock Monsters and Lake Erie Monsters. His strong play in Bantam made him the 10th overall selection in the 2001 OHL Priority Selection by the Owen Sound Attack. His best season ever came in 2004-05 with the Owen Sound Attack. He earned 97 points in 68 games.
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