At the NHL's entry draft in Minnesota this past summer, the Philadelphia Flyers changed the identity of their entire franchise by moving the big contracts of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter to the aforementioned Kings and Blue Jackets. At the time of the trade, the pair was but a year removed from leading the charge to a Stanley Cup Final appearance, but after a disappointing 2011 Playoffs when goaltending was more of an issue more than anything, the Flyers brass decided that the team needed a change. With the moving of the two top forwards, Philadelphia was able to acquire Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek and a draft pick that turned into Sean Couturier. In addition, the Flyers were able to afford a big contract to sign Ilya Bryzgalov who was to bring stability to the Philly crease, however the jury is still out on whether that has happened.
When together in Philadelphia by all accounts, Richards and Carter were the best of friends on and off the ice. Even before playing with the Flyers they had a history with each other, winning World Junior and Calder Cup championships together over the course of only a few years. The six years that they spent playing in the City of Brotherly Love had their ups and downs: they both would finish in the upper percentile of league scoring every year and were beloved by fans. They were exciting young stars leading the charge for a team with a lot of Championship potential.
However, through their time in Philadelphia there was always a rumoured divide in the Flyers dressing room. The Flyers' acquisition of Chris Pronger two summers ago changed the dynamic of the young team. In Pronger, they had a savvy, experienced, workhorse who would do anything to win. Pronger is the type of player who would be a great captain on any team and perhaps that's where the friction in Philly came from. Mike Richards was the captain in Philadelphia, and it never really seemed like the two saw eye to eye on how to lead the team. While Richards, Carter, and company enjoyed the Philadelphia nightlife to its full potential, Pronger took a more professional and quiet approach to his free time. The two types of personalities leading the Flyers, in GM Paul Holmgren's mind were not going to work; so a change was made. The veterans won, and the party boys moved on.
Now they're reunited. In Los Angeles. If the rumours are true, then Richards and Carter have been thrown into their dream situation: playing hockey together in one of the most star-studded towns in the NHL. Only time will tell if their off-ice accolades will be as prominent this time around.
Of course, partying is nothing new for any NHLer and you'd be kidding yourself if you think the league's all time greats didn't take part in such activities either. We live in an age of hand held technology and social media, so it is easier than ever to publicize what used to happen behind the scenes. The pair just cannot allow their personal lives to become a bigger story than their team, that's when the media will eat them alive.
This truly could be one of those trades that work out well for both teams. The Blue Jackets received a good, young defenceman in Jack Johnson and it never hurts to have extra first round picks, especially for teams in the position that the Jackets find themselves in.
The winner of this trade will really be determined by how Carter gels with the Kings. The Kings have a much different demographic than that of the Flyers, so the extracurricular activities of the duo may not affect the team as much. Because of the nature of their contracts, they will be the guys that the team looks to for offence and success. As well, the Kings don't have a player like Pronger to rock the boat. They're a more youth-based team than the Flyers and they have a great hard nosed coach in Darryl Sutter to keep them honest; it's the right combination for a team of this make up.
Of course it's also very possible that their personal lives will not be a story at all.
As it is with many trades, only time will tell. The Kings should have more pop offensively (their Saturday night results certainly suggest that) and as the Blue Jackets once again return to the drawing board, their acquisitions from the move should help moving forward. If all of the question marks have the right answers, there very well could be sunny futures on the horizons for both clubs.
However, through their time in Philadelphia there was always a rumoured divide in the Flyers dressing room. The Flyers' acquisition of Chris Pronger two summers ago changed the dynamic of the young team. In Pronger, they had a savvy, experienced, workhorse who would do anything to win. Pronger is the type of player who would be a great captain on any team and perhaps that's where the friction in Philly came from. Mike Richards was the captain in Philadelphia, and it never really seemed like the two saw eye to eye on how to lead the team. While Richards, Carter, and company enjoyed the Philadelphia nightlife to its full potential, Pronger took a more professional and quiet approach to his free time. The two types of personalities leading the Flyers, in GM Paul Holmgren's mind were not going to work; so a change was made. The veterans won, and the party boys moved on.
Now they're reunited. In Los Angeles. If the rumours are true, then Richards and Carter have been thrown into their dream situation: playing hockey together in one of the most star-studded towns in the NHL. Only time will tell if their off-ice accolades will be as prominent this time around.
Of course, partying is nothing new for any NHLer and you'd be kidding yourself if you think the league's all time greats didn't take part in such activities either. We live in an age of hand held technology and social media, so it is easier than ever to publicize what used to happen behind the scenes. The pair just cannot allow their personal lives to become a bigger story than their team, that's when the media will eat them alive.
This truly could be one of those trades that work out well for both teams. The Blue Jackets received a good, young defenceman in Jack Johnson and it never hurts to have extra first round picks, especially for teams in the position that the Jackets find themselves in.
The winner of this trade will really be determined by how Carter gels with the Kings. The Kings have a much different demographic than that of the Flyers, so the extracurricular activities of the duo may not affect the team as much. Because of the nature of their contracts, they will be the guys that the team looks to for offence and success. As well, the Kings don't have a player like Pronger to rock the boat. They're a more youth-based team than the Flyers and they have a great hard nosed coach in Darryl Sutter to keep them honest; it's the right combination for a team of this make up.
Of course it's also very possible that their personal lives will not be a story at all.
As it is with many trades, only time will tell. The Kings should have more pop offensively (their Saturday night results certainly suggest that) and as the Blue Jackets once again return to the drawing board, their acquisitions from the move should help moving forward. If all of the question marks have the right answers, there very well could be sunny futures on the horizons for both clubs.
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