Probe of Stanley Cup champ a myst ery

Canadian authorities have remained tight-lipped since it was reported a two-time Stanley Cup champion was under investigation for an off-ice incident.

ESPN.com published a story Tuesday stating that Mike Richards, whose contract with the Los Angeles Kings was terminated Monday, was being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba and the Canada Border Services Agency.

In an emailed statement to the National Post, RCMP Manitoba spokeswoman Tara Seel said, “It is not the RCMP’s practice to confirm or deny who or what may or may not be the subject of an investigation. To do so may infringe on the privacy of individuals directly or indirectly, and also to do so could jeopardize the integrity of any possible ongoing investigation.

“That being said, the R CMP have not laid charges against Mike Richards.” The CBSA was similarly guarded.

“It is not the practice of the CBSA to confirm or deny any interaction with a traveller or entity,” spokesman Luke Reimer said in an email.

“Canada’s Privacy Act and Customs Act provide very strict parameters concerning what the CBSA may and may not say. We are bound by this legislation and can only speak to what is in the public domain.”

News of the investigation broke a day after the Kings terminated Richards’s contract for a “material breach” of the requirements in his contract.

The team was made aware of the situation involving Canadian authorities on Friday, about an hour after the first round of the 2015 National Hockey League draft had begun, ESPN.com reported, citing multiple sources.

Separately, sportsnet.ca reported that the incident that triggered the investigation occurred on or around June 17.

The 30-year-old centre was earning $5.75 million a season and had five years left on his contract. He had been demoted to the minors for a short period this year because of declining production.

Supporters in Richards’s hometown of Kenora, Ont., said they hoped the investigation would not tarnish his reputation.

“Hopefully, it’s nothing bad, he’s an awesome kid,” said Jim Gustafson, a family friend. He noted, however, Richards had become “worn out” in recent years.

“The kid’s played more hockey than anyone in the world.”

One of Richards’s relatives said he had no information to offer when reached by phone.