The Los Angeles Kings placed former Flyers captain Mike Richards on waivers on Monday.

No NHL team claimed Richards and he was subsequently demoted to the Manchester (New Hampshire) Monarchs of the American Hockey League.

I have a feeling that Flyers fans are hoping that Richards’ connections with Flyers GM Ron Hextall will induce the Flyers to bring Richards back to Philly. But I don’t see that happening – nor does Justin Bourne.

In case you’re not familiar with Justin Bourne, he’s got a great hockey pedigree. He’s a former collegiate and minor league hockey player who is currently the hockey editor of The Score hockey blog. He’s also the son of Bob Bourne – who won the Stanley Cup four times with the New York Islanders – and he’s married to Clark Gillies’ daughter Brianna. So he’s been around hockey his entire life.

Justin Bourne has this to say about Mike Richards:

“He’s moved out of his scoring prime, which for offensive players is roughly the 22-27 range, and he’s played a ton of hockey compared to most 29-year-olds. He’s laced up the skates for 758 NHL games including 101 brutally physical post-season battles (over only eight NHL seasons), most of which have come towards the latter half of his career. And, that style he’s played isn’t exactly one that’s allowed him to float around and get through many games without contact. He’s never been the most fleet-of-foot guy in the league, so losing a half-step is bound to affect his game more than most.”

Even if Ron Hextall was swayed by nostalgia and auld  lang syne, Richards’ NHL contract looks a little too stiff to take a flyer – play on words intended – on Richards.

But who knows? The Flyers are desperate. But are they that desperate?

Barry Bowe is the author of 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant.