Michael Richards Named Bracket Challenge Winner

Published on June 1, 2020 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release

On May 4th, we asked #RTown who they thought was the best Kitchener Rangers player of all time. After four weeks of fan voting on our team Twitter page, former captain Michael Richards has been named the winner of the Rangers Bracket Challenge!

Taking on Al MacInnis in a three-day final vote, Richards came out victorious by a 68%-32% margin.

The two players were among sixty-four alumni originally selected (after much time and consideration) and divided into four divisions representing the 15-season period in which they played (1963-1978, 1978-1993, 1993-2008, 2008-2020).

Players in each division were randomly paired in one-on-one daily fan polls on our Twitter page. The player who received the highest percentage of votes in each pairing advanced to the next round.

Richards and MacInnis advanced to the final after defeating fellow division finalists Jeff Skinner and Dwight Foster, respectively.

A former team captain and an OHL and Memorial Cup champion, Richards stood out in the memories of fans for many reasons. He was a former team Rookie of the Year, two-time team scoring champion, and team MVP.

Drafted 24th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the summer of 2003, Richards still ranks in the Rangers' all-time top ten for total assists (183) and points (292).

As the other finalist, MacInnis stood out for helping lead the Rangers to two OHL titles and the 1982 Memorial Cup Championship. He was also named the OHL's best defenceman that season.

Before being selected 15th overall by Calgary in the 1981 NHL Draft, he rose to the top five all-time for goals, points, and points per game by a Rangers defenceman.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 1, 2020

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• Spitfires' Corcoran Signs with Golden Knights - Windsor Spitfires
• 2020 2nd Round Pick Kyle Downey Commits to the Spitfires - Windsor Spitfires
• Michael Richards Named Bracket Challenge Winner - Kitchener Rangers
• Declan Chisholm Signs Entry-Level Contract with Winnipeg Jets - Peterborough Petes
• Guskov Landed from London - North Bay Battalion
• Guskov Traded To North Bay - London Knights
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