Brad Richards will wear number 19 when he makes his New York Rangers' debut next season. Ruslan Fedotenko, who wore the number last year for the Blueshirts, will switch to 26 and Erik Christensen will change to No. 40 to accommodate Fedotenko. In other number news, free agent signing Michael Rupp will don the number 71 sweater.

The Calgary Flames are believed to be the runner-up in the Brad Richards sweepstakes, according to GM Jay Feaster. "Based on what I was told today, I believe the decision came down to the Calgary Flames and the New York Rangers," said Feaster on Saturday evening. "I really do." The Flames offer of $65 million over nine years was $5 million more than the front-loaded contract he took from New York, but the Rangers were always considered the favorite to end up getting him to sign on the dotted line. Playing on the East Coast was definitely a draw for Richards because of the travel and for family reasons. Toronto, Tampa Bay, and Los Angeles were also in the mix.

Brad Richards' nine-year/$58.5 million contract will reportedly be heavily frontloaded. Richards will make $12 million in each of the next two seasons, $9 million in 2013-14, $8.5 million annually in 2014-15 and 2015-16, $7 million in 2016-17, and $1 million annually for the final three years of the contract. Frontloaded contracts like that are the norm for star players and although NHL's fight over the Ilya Kovalchuk contract resulted in some rule changes, it didn't stop the trend.

It is now official: Brad Richards is a Ranger. It took $58.5 million over nine seasons to lure Richards to the Big Apple, but the Rangers have now signed the top free agent available this off-season. The deal is front-loaded so that Richards will make $50 million in the first five seasons. Marian Gaborik is just about the happiest person in New York State at this moment as he now has a supreme playmaker to set him up. Richards is a big-time player and will likely not be intimidated by New York and all that goes with living in Manhattan. Although it was insanely expensive, score a big win for Ranger management here.

It is not official, but Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that Brad Richards is going to the Rangers. He has apparently agreed to a nine-year deal worth $6.5 million per season. More shortly.

Steve Zipay is reporting that the Brad Richards decision will come down Saturday around noon. It looks as if it has come down to the Rangers or the Kings. Stay tuned.

There is some speculation that the Rangers and the Kings are the finalists to sign Brad Richards. The Flames made a very generous offer Friday and the Maple Leafs are said to be hot in pursuit of Richards. Yet, many hockey experts think it has come down to New York or LA. Stay tuned. An announcement should be coming shortly.

There will be no decision tonight as to where Brad Richards will take his talents. Richards was expected to decide on Friday but needs to take a step back and sort through all his offers. It is assumed at this time that the Rangers are the favorites for Richards services, but the Kings, Flames and Maple Leafs are still in the equation. There should be a decision on Saturday so stay tuned.

It is being reported that the Calgary Flames have offered Brad Richards a nine year deal worth $64 million. The Flames GM Jay Feaster was the GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the Brad Richards years and that cannot hurt their cause. It is believed that the Flames have bid the highest for Richards but he may not go to the highest bidder. Should Richards sign with Calgary, the Flames would put him between Jarome Iginla and Alex Tanguay in what would be one of the top lines in the NHL. Stay tuned as the Richards signing is the biggest thing during free agency at this time.

Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said that his club is no longer pursuing free agent Brad Richards. It would have been interesting to see Richards return to Tampa Bay, especially after the Lightning made it to the Eastern Conference finals last season, but signing Richards never made much sense from a cap perspective. The Lightning still have to lock up restricted free agent Steve Stamkos and they have to make sure there's cap room left for when Steve Downie and Victor Hedman become restricted free agents next summer.