In the prime of his career there wasn’t a single NHL team that wouldn’t have loved to have Mike Richards on its roster.
The centerman could score, topping out 80 points in 2008-09 and a pair of 30-goal seasons in 2008-09 and 2009-10. He could defend, as a close runner-up for the Selke Trophy in 2009. He could hit, often using his body as a heat-seeking missile to deliver a game-changing blow (just ask David Booth). He could lead, too, as the Flyers tabbed him as their captain just before the 2008-09 season, culminating in a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010.