5th year center Tanner Richard(71) leaves a 2nd restricted free agency on the table with Tampa Bay Lightning after putting up a career high 14 goals with affiliate Syracuse Crunch and getting his first NHL recall for three games in which he recorded no points with a -2 rating.
In 4+ years, he’s played 261 AHL games scoring 40 goals and 106 assists.
The 24-year old will return home to Switzerland to join Geneve-Servette HC of the NLA for 2017/2018.
He’ll likely be given a qualifying offer to retain his rights but we might not see him return.
Tanner Richard(71) Syracuse Crunch
Tampa Bay Lightning‘ 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft (#71 overall) Canadian/Swiss center Tanner Richard(71) is off to a decent start in his rookie season with a team that knows they’re under-performing in 2013/2014.
In 57 AHL games with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch he only has a couple of markers but a decent 15 assists and plays a gritty tough to play against style, which on the downside often ends him up doing time in the penalty box.
When the 6′ 187 lbs. finds his spots on the ice he is going to add potentially dangerous offensive threat to his game like he did in two years of juniors in the OHL with Guelph Storm. He was a better than point-per-game player before he signed a contract to turn pro a season after he was selected.
He also had four years of elite hockey experience as a youngster in Switzerland, where he grew up as his father Mike Richard was playing hockey for Rapperswil of the NLA.
As a 17-year old he got to play 4 games with his dad’s former team and played world juniors competition for the country.
Currently almost a 21-year old, he is signed to a 3-year entry level deal through 2016.