A year to remember just got even better for Teddy Richards.

The native of Wilkes-Barre, who spent 11 years working his way up the ranks with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and then the last three years in Pittsburgh, has accepted a job to become the head equipment manager for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League.

At 33, Richards, who got his start parking cars outside Mohegan Sun Arena while his late father drove the inaugural team bus, is now the NHL's youngest head equipment manager.

"I basically reached my dream when I got to Pittsburgh," said the former GAR football star, whose brother, Josh, also serves as an assistant equipment manager for the Dallas Stars. "To be in the NHL is what all of us equipment managers and trainers set out to be, and I was able to hit that dream three years ago. But to be at the elite status, to be a manager in the NHL, I don't know if words can describe it. I'm one of just 30."

The next youngest head equipment manager in the NHL is the Ottawa Senators' John Forget, who was hired last year and is three years Richards' senior.

Because there are just 30 (soon to be 31 with expansion for the 2017-18 season) head equipment manager positions in the NHL, word got around pretty quickly following the season that Florida was looking to make a change.

"Once you make a decision that this is a job you want to pursue, a job like that is what you're striving for," said Richards, who will now oversee three full-time employees, as well as coordinate with visiting teams. "We decided as a family that Florida is a place that we would be comfortable calling home."

In pursuing the job, Richards made sure to go through all the proper channels and was floored by the support he received from the Pittsburgh Penguins' brass, when both general manager Jim Rutherford and vice president of hockey operations, Jason Karmanos, put in a good word him.

However, with the joy of the new job came some difficult goodbyes.

"All 14 years of my career were spent with the Pittsburgh organization and now I'm saying goodbye to some of the players that I grew up watching," Richards said. "I don't have one negative thing to say."

When Richards broke the news to Stanley Cup MVP Sidney Crosby, he was touched by the star's response.

"Crosby is a great person and a friend and he was asking me about how this whole process works," Richards said. "I talked to him about how it was a great opportunity for me and my family long term and he congratulated me.

"Then, he came back later and was like, ‘Hey man, c'mon you're not serious are you?' That he took the time to come back and make sure that this was what I wanted to do meant a lot to me."

Officially, Richards started with the Panthers on July 1, but he'll close on his new home on Aug. 1 and that's when the rest of his family is expecting to join him in Florida and his new life will really begin.

"There's no turning back now," he joked. "When I started looking into head equipment manger jobs, I knew I wanted to move to a warmer climate and I think I nailed this one out of the park. I'm excited. I've been a PA guy my whole life, so this is going to be different."

slakso@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2083, @CVSethLakso