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Los Angeles Kings centre Mike Richards cleared waivers on Tuesday and will be sent to Manchester of the American Hockey League. A member of Cup-winning teams with the Kings in both 2012 and last season, Richards is in the seventh year of a 12-year deal that comes with an annual cap hit of $5.75 million per season. Hes being paid $7 million this season, with $6 million, $5.5 million, $4.5 million, $3 million and $3 million in each year. Theres still time here. He knows what he has to do. That part I am not questioning, Kings general manager Dean Lombardi told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun on Monday. The way the schedule is down there, it allows him to get his innings in and conceivably he could be back here. Thats the way were approaching this. Thats the short term. On the long term, he could be a different player. If you remember when Teemu Selanne when he went to Colorado it looked like he was done. He looked done. But all of sudden things changed. He went on for a longer career. Theyre different players but I see no reason why this cant happen here, either. Richards has been a key part of the Kings two Stanley Cup championship teams in the past three seasons, playing a responsible two-way role and providing leadership. But his plummeting offensive production hasnt matched his exorbitant contract for years in Los Angeles, which acquired him from Philadelphia in 2011. Richards, who turns 30 next month, has only five goals and 10 assists in 47 games with Los Angeles this season. He has a minus-7 rating and has won only 48 per cent of his faceoffs while playing on a depth line with the Kings — not the numbers expected of a player with a $5.75 million annual salary cap hit for the next six seasons. Nolan Ryan Jersey . The Thornhill, Ont., native, who is ranked 11th in the world, said hed hoped he would be ready when Canada begins its World Group first-round tie against Japan in Tokyo on Friday. Jake Marisnick Jersey . Torres calmly stroked a 51st-minute spot kick down the middle with goalkeeper Romel Quinonez diving right to convert a penalty earned by Javi Martinez. Spain controlled play at the Sanchez Pizjuan but found it hard to convert against a well-organized Bolivian team before Iniesta charged forward to curl around Quinonez in the 84th to seal victory. http://www.astrosteamproshop.com/Astros-Craig-Biggio-Kids-Jersey/ . The Austrian ski federation said Morgenstern was "conscious and well responsive" and his condition would be monitored in the intensive care unit of a Salzburg hospital for the next 72 hours. The federation said it was "way too early" to judge Morgensterns chances of competing in Sochi, and that an update on his condition was not expected before Monday. Josh Reddick Jersey . A-Rod is also disqualified from any post-season play. So at the tender age of 38, he will miss all of next season. As a result of missing the coming season, hes also out $25 million (which coincidentally is my hourly rate). Jose Cruz Jr. Jersey . Goergl, the 2011 world champion, started 28th after the other top contenders had already gone down but had the fastest time at each interval. Goergl finished the demanding 3-kilometre Kaelberloch course in 1 minute, 47.Midweek Premier League action in the books: so many talking points to get to. Bring on the Musings. - Harsh. Manchester City was fortunate in a 5-1 win over Spurs at White Hart Lane. Sounds weird, doesnt it? The score-line was inflated by the sending off of Danny Rose. Down 1-0, the Spurs left back was sent off early in the second half, deemed to have fouled Edin Dzeko on a clear-cut goal scoring opportunity. Red. Penalty. Converted. Game over. Rose actually got the ball on his challenge and very little of Dzeko. Not a foul or a sending off. Referee Andre Marriner didnt point to the spot; his linesman made the call. Although the call was wrong, whenever a player lets an attacking player get goal-side inside the eighteen, its grounds for disaster. Diving challenges from behind as such will almost always be called. Harsh on Rose. Its ridiculous the rule sends the player off in that circumstance. Isnt the penalty enough of a punishment? Disappointing, as Spurs did well getting back into the match with physical, determined play. - Stat of the Day, Part 1 courtesy Rob Harris (Associated Press): Citys financial loss announced Wednesday was £51.60m. They beat Spurs 5-1, 6-0 this season. Creepy. - City has 68 goals on the season through 23 matches. They scored 66 all last season. They have 15 games to go. Simply incredible. - No player is as dominant in attacking areas, with the ball on his right foot, than Sergio Aguero. The finish on his opener was exquisite, putting it past Hugo Lloris on the angle, as delicate as can be. He hit one off the post from a ridiculous angle earlier on his right foot with power and precision. Defenders need to cheat Aguero; playing him to his left and hope for the best. Aguero limped off at the start of the second half with a hamstring injury, he had just returned from a calf issue. The extent of the injury will be determined Thursday, anxious times. The team is a powerhouse, but Aguero is a difference maker. Without the Argentine for a prolonged stretch, a true assault on trophies in all four competitions is a reach. - City is now top the table, but will face a motivated Chelsea Monday who dropped points in a 0-0 home draw against lowly West Ham. Chelsea dominated but simply couldnt score, incredibly outshooting the Hammers 39-1. Manager Jose Mourinho took out his frustration post-match, hitting out at West Hams style. "This is not Premier League; this is not the best league in the world. This is football from the 19th century." The statement by Mourinho is entirely hypocritical and embarrassing from a manager renowned for playing dull, defensive football away from home. Yes, extraordinary defensive commitment in blocking shots and standout goalkeeping from Adrian stole a point, but Mourinho parked the bus at Old Trafford and the Emirates this year. He has done so countless times while at Inter and Real Madrid. Mourinho came off as a bitter, desperate man Wednesday. Poor form. - Juan Matas Manchester United debut was unsurprisingly impressive, especially considering he hadnt played since January 1st and trained sparsely since his transfer became inevitable. Mata lined up behind Robin van Persie in the 2-0 win over Cardiff, pressing high when need be but finding comfort in dropping deep to play a ball possession, play-making role. His passing was reminiscent of Paul Scholes, particularly starting the movement on the first goal. His confidence and composure on fills a need. The signing of the 25-year-old is an absolute coup for United. Manuel Pellegrini and Arsene Wenger hitting out at Chelseas decision to transfer Mata within the Premier League speaks to the threat United will always be, the rest of this year and beyond. - Reports say United manager David Moyes is intent of adding five more Matas to his current group. Its a scary proposition, and a premature one. United paid a club record £37m for Mata. The club has now only spent over £20m on a player five times in the last decade. Manchester City spent over £20m each on four players last summer, and 15 players overall in that span. Chelsea has purchased 12 players over that number.dddddddddddd. Is United finally willing to go where other big clubs have been for years? - £300,000 per week is a steep, but necessary price to pay Wayne Rooney to keep him at Old Trafford. The terms of a new contract are reported, but not official. The 28-year-old has been sensational this campaign, putting the clouds of uncertainty and distraction of last summer behind him. The captains armband seems right with no other suitable heir apparent and Rooney on course to become Uniteds all-time scoring leader. A focus Rooney leads by example on the field. - Adam Lallana for England? Ill unveil my prospective England World Cup team in the coming weeks. But Southamptons Lallana makes the side. His sixth goal coming in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal is testament to the quality and work-rate of the midfielder. How about Luke Shaw for England as well? Should it matter if hes just 18? Ashley Coles form has been poor. And Shaw is that good. Already. - Time for Wenger to get Kieran Gibbs back in the starting XI. Gibbs strong season was derailed through injury over the holidays. The drop-off between Gibbs and Nacho Monreal is significant. Although its been admirable of Wenger to reward Monreal for his work, Gibbs has to start. The back four is a strength with Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. - Daniel Sturridge 3-0 goal for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby was the goal of the week. With a searching long-ball looped over his head, Sturridge looks over both shoulders on the run before volleying over the oncoming Tim Howard. Sensational balance, focus and a sweet finish that shouldnt be overlooked by an ugly penalty miss. No Englishman not named Lampard, Gerrard or Baines can be trusted from the spot. Sturridge was also called greedy as he searched for the hat trick. The criticism is unfair. Hes paid to score goals and up 4-0 is as good a time as any. Leave him be. - Stat of the Day, Part 2 courtesy ESPN FC: three top goal scorers in the BPL – Suarez, Aguero, and Sturridge – have missed 19 games combined. Theyve scored 51 goals. Wow. - Everton manager Roberto Martinez has revealed star striker Romelu Lukakus ankle injury isnt as bad as originally feared. It looked ugly when teammate Gareth Barry toppled over him. Lukaku is expected to miss weeks, not months. Spurs are their toughest opponent in the next three, and Lukaku cannot play February 22nd against Chelsea anyway. So perhaps, in a weird way, Everton catch a break. - Ive been calling a Sunderland revival for weeks. The team is not only in the Capital One Cup Final but also out of the bottom three. There is talent in the side, especially in the back and in the midfield. Heaps of credit to manager Gus Poyet for making sense of a mish-mashed squad. While I predicted Sunderlands ascension, I did not foresee Crystal Palace climbing out of the relegation zone. The fight and work rate in Palace has been phenomenal all season. Questions remain whether they can find enough goals in the final months. - Aston Villa can all of a sudden score goals. Eight goals in the last four games and Villa have picked up seven points in the process. In the previous five, they scored two and only picked up a point. - Yohan Cabaye to PSG is a loss for Newcastle. But with or without the Frenchman, they are still a mid-table club. Expect a step back in the coming weeks with talisman 11-goal man Loic Remy suspended for the next three after his sending off at Norwich City. The next three games against Sunderland, at Chelsea, and Spurs is a massive challenge and test of character. - Cardiff City is last in the table on 18 points, but is hardly the weakest side. Three of their last four have come against Arsenal and the two Manchester sides. Baptism by fire for new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who took over during this nightmare run of fixtures. The additions of Wilfried Zaha on-loan and Fabio from Manchester United, as well as Kenwyne Jones from Stoke should help. There is enough in this team to climb out of the bottom. - Transfer window closes Friday. Enjoy the madness. ' ' '