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Kenora residents stand by NHLer Mike Richards amid drug charge

Hockey fans in Mike Richards's hometown of Kenora, Ont., say they're standing behind their hometown NHL hero as he faces a drug-related charge.

Former L.A. Kings centre charged with possessing controlled substance after oxycodone seized

CBC News ·

Kenora residents stand by NHLer Mike Richards amid drug charge

9 years ago
Duration 2:13
Hockey fans in Mike Richards's hometown of Kenora, Ont., say they're standing behind their hometown NHL hero as he faces a drug-related charge.
Garry Socholotuck, a family friend of Mike Richards in Kenora, Ont., says he believes most people in the northwestern Ontario city see through the NHL player's recent troubles and are hoping for the best for him. (CBC)
Hockey fans in Mike Richards's hometown of Kenora, Ont., say they're standing behind their hometown NHL hero as he faces a drug-related charge.

The 30-year-old centre and two-time Stanley Cup champion, who is originally from the northwestern Ontario city, has been charged with possessing a controlled substance.

He was arrested on June 17 after the controlled substance, which court documents confirm was oxycodone, was intercepted by border officials in Emerson, Man., as he entered Canada from the United States.

He was formally charged on Tuesday and will appear in Emerson provincial court on Sept. 10.

A street in Kenora, Ont., is named after Mike Richards, who has won the Stanley Cup twice in his NHL career. (CBC)
People in Kenora, which has a street named after Richards, say they will continue to root for the hockey star.

"I feel sorry for him," Garry Socholotuck, a family friend of Richards, told CBC News on Friday.

"Most people see through this and are hoping for the best for Mike and that we see him on the ice again soon."

Kings terminated contract

The Los Angeles Kings terminated Richards's contract in late June for what they called "a material breach of the requirements" of the contract.

Richards had a 12-year, $69-million US contract. He had five years, worth $22 million, remaining on it when it was terminated.

Jamey Rosdobutko, who has followed Richards's hockey career, said he doesn't agree with how the Kings handled the situation.

The NHL Players' Association has filed a grievance on behalf of former L.A. Kings forward Mike Richards, who had the final five years of his contract terminated by the team in late June "for a material breach of the requirements of his standard player's contract." Richards had five years and $22 million US left on his contract. (Tom Mihalek/The Associated Press)
"His play is declining but, you know, there could be a lot of reasons behind that. Maybe he's suffering with an injury that hasn't come out yet, and it's kind of like, 'OK, here's an escape to get out of paying him,'" he said.

"After all he's done, you know, that's not right."

John Percy said he has learned a lot from Richards at his hockey camps, both on and off the ice.

As well, he credited Richards with boosting Kenora's profile in the sports world.

"It gives Kenora a big name, you know. It represents Lake of the Woods and Kenora, Ontario, as an awesome hockey community and a sports community in itself," Percy said.

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