Richards scored a power play goal in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Hurricanes. The goal was Richards' second of the season, to go along with three assists. He has the ability to put up big numbers, especially on the star-studded Kings and skating on the team's second power play unit, but the production hasn't quite been there yet for Richards this season.

Richards skated as the Kings' top-line left wing at morning skate and figures to slot in at that spot Tuesday versus the Oilers, Jon Rosen of LAKingsInsider.com reports. With Marian Gaborik (upper-body) out Tuesday and deemed day-to-day, Richards is expected to move from his usual role centering the third line up to the top trio with Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. Richards previously skated with those two players for the early part of the 2011-12 season, a role that should grant him an uptick in fantasy relevance while he fills in for Gaborik.

Mike Richards' ability to perform in the clutch is one of the reasons they decided to pass on the opportunity to use a compliance buyout on him. "No question," said Kings GM Dean Lombardi. "That's what you'd rather have, if you have a choice you'll always take the playoff big-game player over the regular-season guy. But you still need to get both particularly when you have a financial commitment under the cap; you can't just write it off." Lombardi also took into account that Richards played a key role in them winning the Cup in 2011 and liked what he heard from Richards during his exit meeting. Richards is coming off a down season where he recorded just 41 points in 82 games. He comes with a $5.75 million cap hit annually through 2019-20.

The Los Angeles Kings have confirmed that they won't buy out Mike Richards. Richards' role has diminished to the point where his $5.75 million cap hit through 2019-20 looks bad, but we can understand why the Kings wouldn't want to rock the boat after winning the Stanley Cup in two of the last three years. He had 11 goals and 41 points in 82 games during the 2013-14 regular season.

TSN's Darren Dreger reports that the Kings aren't planning to use a buyout on Mike Richards, but that doesn't mean that he's guaranteed to be on the roster next year. It shouldn't come as a surprise that he doesn't want to be a fourth-line center next season, but the Kings don't want to be faced the proposition of trying to replace him. Dreger reports: "The Kings are expected to push Richards in the off-season to improve his conditions and get a little bit stronger. But we also know that Richards is a strong and confident young man and he may not want to follow the path that the Kings want him to follow. So this could get very interesting."

Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press believes the Jets should target Mike Richards if he becomes available. There's been plenty of speculation that the Kings might buy out Richards this off-season and if they do then the two-way center is sure to attract plenty of interest. An unnamed NHL GM had this to say about Richards on Tuesday: "He still has that predator mentality. Maybe he can't cover 200 feet like he once could, but he's still a very good third-line center. He can still nullify good players. He can kill penalties and win draws. He adds strength and depth down the middle. At the right price, Richards is still a good piece. L.A. has a decision to make. I know the coaching staff won't be happy to see him leave if that's the way they decide to go."

Mike Richards found the back of the net in the Kings' 3-0 victory Monday night. Richards now has three goals and 10 points in 24 playoff contests. He got off to a slow start offensively in the postseason, but he has been held off the scoresheet in just two of the Kings' last six games.

Mike Richards continues to contribute to the Kings success, albeit on the fourth line. Richards was a big factor offensively in the Kings march to the Stanley Cup in 2012 but that is not his role this season. "[Richards] has a track record of winning and for sure understanding what his role is," coach Darryl Sutter said. "Basically he just wins. He's had to accept roles. ... The only reward for somebody like Mike Richards in all this is just winning."

Mike Richards could be a buyout or trade candidate this off-season. He has six years left on his deal at a salary cap hit of $5.75 million per season, which is too much money to be spending on a player who spends some of his time on the fourth line. "He's still smart, still a gamer, not lazy in his game," said TSN hockey analyst Ray Ferraro. "He's not really a fourth-line center, and plays important roles on penalty kill and power play." If the Kings want to keep Marian Gaborik, which they should, then someone may have to go make room and that person could be Richards.

Mike Richards had 11 goals and 41 points, his lowest production since he had 32 points in 59 games for the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2006-07 season. In addition, the Kings' veteran center was a team-worst minus-6 defensively. The old Richards has resurfaced in the playoffs, though. Centering the fourth line between Dwight King and Trevor Lewis, Richards has won 52.7 per cent of his faceoffs, has scored two goals and six points and has shown plenty of jump in his game. "He's got an elite skill set and when he steps his game up you really notice," King said of Richards. "He's just a little harder in all those areas that are noticeable in the playoffs, and those are big areas for any team. When you've been through as many tournaments and playoffs as he has, he knows what he needs to bring to be effective. And right now he's on the right path for sure." Richards went 23 games without a goal, from late November through mid-January. "I feel a lot better now," he said. "I'm playing more loose, just kind of doing my thing out there instead of worrying too much and overthinking situations."