Something like three thousand times a season, a professional hockey player will say he controls what he can control.
The majority of these occurrences illustrate the fact that outside of their own performance, a player has no power over their ice time or usage, or even their future in the organization.
On July 1, Anthony Richard controlled what he could control. Leaving the Montreal Canadiens to join the Boston Bruins.
This decision, he says, was not made on a whim. He loved his one-year stay in the organization, both with the big club and with the Laval Rocket. Negotiations took place until the last minute, and he could see himself staying longer. But he knows how to count. This is what makes him say that “from the business side, it was an easy decision”.
Richard knows full well that his chances of starting the season in Montreal would have been virtually nil. The CH has 14 attackers with a one-way contract from the NHL.
In Boston, nothing is guaranteed to him. But Anthony Richard feels like he’ll have a real shot at earning his place in training camp. Only 12 forwards have one-way contracts, which also includes fringe players in their thirties – Patrick Brown, Jayson Megna… A return of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci would obviously change the organization chart, but that assumption seems less and less likely to materialize.
“I didn’t want to let the performance of others dictate my chances of making the team or not,” Anthony Richard said in an interview with La Presse on Saturday. Alongside players from the NHL and the American League, the Trifluvien took part in the Classic KR, a charity event whose profits are donated to Leucan.
At the Canadian, the surplus of personnel is such that even Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, who however largely proved himself last season, could still be ceded to the Rocket since he is one of the only attackers who will not have to go through waivers, if he is sent back to the minors.
“It shows the complexity of the situation in Montreal,” summarizes Richard. They have so many contracts! Adding to this the heaviness of some of them, which makes it difficult to try to liquidate them, the formation is likely to look a lot like last year.
So the time had come to “turn around”. And set sail for Boston.
The Bruins, says Anthony Richard, made him an offer he “couldn’t refuse.” If he plays in the NHL, he will certainly earn the minimum wage in force according to the collective agreement – ​​$775,000. However, if he is sold to the Bruins of Providence, he will pocket $ 450,000, an increase of 50% compared to his salary in Laval in 2022-2023.
However, the conversations he had with the organization encouraged him. General manager Don Sweeney presented him with the argument of a staff limited by his limited budget. With just $5 million wiggle room, the manager has yet to come to terms with goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Skaters at low prices will therefore be welcome.
Head coach Jim Montgomery instead emphasized that he was looking for speed on offense. It is certainly not the return of Milan Lucic that will get him!
Good news: this is Anthony Richard’s greatest asset. Now, can he prove, for the first time in his career, that he deserves a spot on an NHL team this October? The answer is his alone.
Montgomery also strongly suggested that he arrive in Boston about ten days before training camp to familiarize himself with the group of players and with the coaching staff.
“He had heard good deals about me and he told me he wanted to see me at camp, that would determine my place in the roster. »
The proximity of Boston and Providence to Quebec also allowed him not to stray too far from his family.
Despite his enthusiasm, Anthony Richard obviously remains cautious in his expectations. However, for now, the plan he has established with his agent “is going wonderfully”.
It now needs to continue until mid-October.
The eighth KR Classic, presented Saturday at the Sports Rousseau Center of Excellence in Boisbriand, raised $60,000 which was donated to Leucan. The event, mainly organized by host Kevin Raphaël, began with a women’s hockey game, during which retired stars Caroline Ouellette and Julie Chu notably returned to service. A four-on-four challenge and breakaway contest followed. The highlight of the day was a match between two teams made up of Quebec professional hockey players (men and women) as well as public figures.
Born on December 20, 1996 in Trois-Rivières
Drafted in the 4th round in 2015 by the Nashville Predators
He signed a one-year contract with the Canadiens in July 2022.
He scored three goals, including his first in the NHL, in 13 games in Montreal.
Laval Rocket leading scorer in 2022-23 (67 points in 60 games)
He signed a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins in July 2023.