From TSN's Frank Seravali:
One month after the Los Angeles Kings terminated the contract of forward Mike Richards, no charges have been laid and the NHL Players’ Association has yet to make a decision on whether to file a grievance on the matter.
Sgt. Bert Paquet, a spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba, said Thursday there is “still an active investigation” into Richards.
According to a Winnipeg Sun report from June 30, Richards is “under investigation for alleged possession of a restricted substance while attempting to cross the Canada-U.S. border." The Sun reported a man was “held in custody … for at least four hours after allegedly trying to import” prescription painkiller OxyContin on June 17.
The Kings placed Richards on unconditional waivers on June 28, then moved to terminate his contract on June 29, citing a “material breach.” They have yet to discuss the grounds for terminating his contract.
In the month since then, the NHLPA has continued to gather facts and information, but has yet to decide on filing a grievance. Richards and the NHLPA have 60 days to file a grievance contesting the termination, or until Aug. 29. Whether charges are laid could impact the NHLPA decision to move forward with a grievance.
“There is no guarantee charges will be laid,” Paquet, the RCMP spokesman, said. “There has been a lot of interest in this case. If charges were laid, we would likely announce the information publicly.”
Continued...
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