Former Lightning forward Brad Richards retires after 15 seasons

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Brad Richards is announcing his retirement today from the National Hockey League (NHL), following a decorated career that spanned 15 seasons.

Richards played a total of 1,126 career NHL games with five different teams: Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. The talented and highly skilled forward notched 298 goals and 634 assists for 932 points over the course of his career. He also eclipsed the 100-point plateau in career playoff scoring, registering 105 points in 146 postseason games.

“I want to thank the fans and the five organizations I have played for: Tampa Bay, Dallas, and the three original six teams — the New York Rangers, Chicago, and Detroit. During my time with those teams I met many great people. I also want to thank the staff and management in those organizations for all the help and support they gave me. I appreciate all the trainers who did tireless work to help me play and keep me healthy. I had many amazing teammates and made many great friendships along the way that I truly appreciate, and I will never forget the great times we had together. Thank you to all my coaches for pushing, teaching and giving me the opportunity to play this great game. Winning the Stanley Cups in Tampa Bay and Chicago was the best part of my career and I will never forget those moments. Nothing compares to enjoying that night with your team and knowing what you have accomplished together,” said Brad Richards.

Born in Murray Harbour, P.E.I., on Canada’s Maritime East Coast, Richards played his junior hockey as a member of the Rimouski Oceanic, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He was a star in Rimouski, where he began his junior career skating beside his good friend and future Tampa Bay teammate, Vincent Lecavalier. Richards helped the Oceanic to both the QMJHL and Memorial Cup titles in the 1999-00 season, a year that also saw him win nine CHL/QMJHL individual awards, including the CHL Player of the Year and the Stafford Smythe …

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