That moment might as well have been years ago considering all the changes the Predators have made over the past couple of months, and Richardson is now hoping to be just one piece of a very successful puzzle when the puck drops once more.
"It's a great team and a great city, so it just felt like a great fit for me," Richardson said via phone while vacationing in Lake Tahoe. "I've been playing for a while, and I'm getting up there, so it was one of those things where the one-year deal is a good fit. I'm coming to a great team that's had some chances to win, and I think they've done a great job of adding some pieces. Looking at our roster, I love it already, so I'm just excited."
With the exception of goaltender Pekka Rinne, Richardson instantly becomes the most experienced member of that roster, and that's just one of the reasons Preds General Manager David Poile offered the contract to the winger.
"We signed a veteran presence, and a guy that's won a Stanley Cup," Poile said of adding Richardson. "He's played more than 800 games, he's worn a letter in Arizona… and our penalty killing hasn't been as good as we want, and Brad Richardson is an excellent penalty-killer."
Richardson, who won that Cup in 2012 with the Los Angeles Kings, says he fully expects to play the role he's become known for around the League: not only to be an exceptional teammate, but also get the job done on the PK while doing whatever it takes to win.
"They already have some great leadership as it is, so I just want to help where I can with some young guys just add to that leadership group," Richardson said. "I've been around, and I've seen a lot of things over the 15 years I've been in the League, so it's nice you can be there for questions or help guys with little things, whatever it is. They want me to come in and play my usual role, penalty kill, and then add some leadership, so I'm excited about it."
The Belleville, Ontario, native has 808 regular-season games to his name, including stops in Colorado, Los Angeles, Vancouver, and most recently in Arizona. He tallied six goals and 11 points in 59 games last season with the Coyotes, but Richardson potted a career-high 19 goals just two seasons ago.
His 59 games of postseason experience are heighted by that championship with the Kings in 2012, and while the Predators know adding a Cup winner to the roster is hardly a guarantee for prosperity, it never hurts to have someone in the locker room who knows what it takes to get there.
"It's the pinnacle of your hockey career, so you always think about it and you want to do it again," Richardson said. "In my opinion, once you've won it, it's always: 'Let's do it again.' That's how it is, and you don't really talk about it, but you definitely use the experience and can show how you deal with the pressure when the games get big."
He won that Cup in 2012 alongside current Preds Defense Development Coach Rob Scuderi, and Richardson also played with Preds Assistant Coach Dan Hinote in Colorado early in his career, certainly a sign of his longevity in the game that makes him smile.
"When you get up in age a little bit, your friends start becoming coaches," Richardson laughed. "That's a good thing, though, that means you've been in the League a long time."
His journey will continue in Nashville, as he'll get to call yet another NHL city home for a bit, not bad for someone who's got a wealth of knowledge - and an unmatched work ethic - to give.
"It's one of the best cities you can visit when you come in as a road team, and I'm from a small town in Ontario and I've always loved country music, so in that way, it's perfect for me," Richardson said. "And everyone I've talked to has said how they're jealous I'm getting to play in Nashville, so I'm super excited to get there."
