Mike Richards - Signs New Contract

A little more than a year after Rick DiPietro's landmark, 15-year deal earned guffaws across the league, the Flyers are pulling the trigger on a deal that's likely to surpass the $67.5-million given to the Islanders goaltender. TSN's Bob McKenzie is reporting Richards's deal to be worth between $5.5- and $6-million, which is along the lines of the large, multiyear offers we've been seeing dealt to young players in the years under the new CBA. What we haven't seen is a contract length in the double digits offered by anyone other than Long Island. Richards will be 23 years old in February, and has already posted career numbers through just 28 games. He's on pace to finish as one of the league's leaders in goals and points, projected to have more than 40 goals and nearly 100 points. He's also in the final year of his entry-level contract, and would have been eligible to receive a Dustin Penner like offer sheet this summer. And that, friends, is what's happening here. A look at big-time contracts signed by young players in the past few months: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh, 20, five years, $43.5-million (8.7/yr) Thomas Vanek, Buffalo, 23, seven years, $50-million (7.14/yr) Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim, 22, five years, $26.625-million (5.325/yr) Milan Michalek, San Jose, 23, six years, $26-million (4.33/yr) Dustin Penner, Edmonton, 25, five years, $21.25-million (4.25/yr) Derek Roy, Buffalo, 24, six years, $24-million (4.0/yr) Ryan Whitney, Pittsburgh, 24, six years, $24-million (4.0/yr) Zach Parise, New Jersey, 23, four years, $12.5-million (3.125/yr) Stephen Weiss, Florida, 24, six years, $18.6-million (3.1/yr) Thoughts?