Lightning assistant coach fond of days with Thunder

Richards played defense for Las Vegas’ IHL team

TAMPA, Fla. — Todd Richards never looked at himself as a pioneer. But he played a part in laying the foundation for pro hockey in Las Vegas.

Richards, an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning, was an original member of the Las Vegas Thunder, which played from 1993 to 1999 in the International Hockey League. Back then, he could only dream that one day Las Vegas would be an NHL city.

“I think it’s great,” Richards said of the Golden Knights prior to Thursday’s game at Amalie Arena. “I remember with the Thunder we had great crowds at the Thomas & Mack, and the fans were great to us.

But nobody was thinking of Vegas as an NHL city back then.”

Richards, a defenseman, played two seasons with the Thunder and loved his time in Las Vegas.

“I brought my boat to Lake Mead and I’d hang out with Clint Malarchuk at his ranch where he had emus and we’d ride horses,” Richards said. “We had a really good team that first year, and I’ve got nothing but great memories of my time with the Thunder.”

Celebrating O’ree

Thursday marked the 60th anniversary of Willie O’ree becoming the first black player to compete in an NHL game. O’ree, a forward, played for the Boston Bruins against the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum on Jan. 18, 1958.

“I got to meet him while I was with the Bruins organization, and he was a very impressive guy,” goaltender Malcolm Subban said of O’ree, who is 82 and works for the NHL as its director of youth development. “My