Now that Brad Richards and his nine-year, $60 million contract with the New York Rangers has been subject to the compliance buyout process and effectively terminated, the 34-year-old center will head into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

Richards is clearly slowing down somewhat and beginning to incur some diminishing returns to his two-way effectiveness. He's remained a productive offensive player, however, tallying over 50 points this past season and over 150 points over the past three years. Combine that level of production with Richards' experience and big game reputation, and he should have a plethora of suitors on the open market come July.

Could one of those suitors be the Tampa Bay Lightning, the franchise that Richards won a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy with a decade ago? That's something Richards might find intriguing his agent Pat Morris told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times on Friday evening:

Agent for @BRichards_1991 says veteran would "certainly respond positively to interest from Tampa." Unclear, however, if Richards is a fit — Joe Smith (@TBTimes_JSmith) June 21, 2014

The Lightning would appear to be set down the middle of their forward group with Steven Stamkos, Valtteri Filppula, Tyler Johnson and Nate Thompson all under contract for next season. If Tampa Bay were keen to make room for Richards though, several of those natural centerman - Filppula, Stamkos and Johnson included - have also demonstrated an ability to perform effectively along the wall.