Washington Capitals center Mike Richards will not appear in court in Manitoba on Thursday as his trial on the charge of possession of a controlled substance has been adjourned to Feb. 25.
Toronto-based lawyer David M. Humphrey wrote in an email that government officials asked to push back Richards’ court date because it is awaiting the results of an investigation that was requested by the defense.
Richards was arrested when the Canada Border Services Agency at the North Dakota-Manitoba border caught him with a controlled substance crossing into Emerson, Manitoba, on June 17. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police charged Richards in August.
That hearing was originally scheduled for Sept. 10, then was delayed to Dec. 8, before being again delayed to Thursday.
The Los Angeles Kings terminated the remaining five years and $22 million of Richards’ contract over the summer, citing a “material breach” of that contract. After the NHL Players’ Association filed a grievance, the Kings and Richards reached a settlement on the terms of his contract in mid-October.
Richards met with Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan and coach Barry Trotz in Toronto in November and had been skating with his junior team to stay in shape. The 30-year-old from Kenora, Ontario, signed a $1 million deal with the Capitals in early January that would last through this season.
The Capitals signing Richards occurred only after he met with league officials, who gave him permission to resume his career.
Richards has played in three games for Washington and has yet to register a point.
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