It was a milestone event for Brad Richards. Game No. 1,000 came in Chicago on Sunday against the Dallas Stars and was an opportunity for reflection and to get his family together to appreciate a long and outstanding career.

But Richards wants to make one thing abundantly clear: He doesn’t believe he’s finished as an impact player in this league.

Sunday’s game was more than a career milestone; it has the potential to be the game that marks his arrival in Chicago.

Richards had two assists, playing on a line with Patrick Kane and Kris Versteeg. His 18:20 of ice time was his biggest total in a game this season by a good two minutes. He also saw 2:31 of power-play ice time. It was the kind of performance everyone anticipated when Richards signed a one-year contract with the Blackhawks on July 1.

“I feel good,” Richards said Friday. “I’m still trying to figure out where I fit on the team and see where it goes. It’s a locker room that’s very established. Day by day, I’m trying to figure things out.”

After a loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, you could still sense frustration from Richards. In that game, he played just 13:03, which was more in line with his season average of 13:10 and more than seven minutes below his career average.

He played primarily with Peter Regin and Jeremy Morin -- quite a difference from playing with Kane.

He knew he had work to do to earn coach Joel Quenneville’s trust.

“He’s got a lot of trust and has had a lot of these guys for a long time,” Richards said. “It’s a one-year shot. It’s a lot different. Both my new teams [in Dallas and New York] were for long-term. You’re pretty ingrained. Not that I’m not here, but you’re trying to do things a little differently.”

Sunday’s game in Chicago was the Blackhawks' last before they hit the road for six games out West, through western Canada and California. Chicago will play 10 of its next 12 games on the road. It’s a chance for Richards to find his place and form bonds on a group that is already tight-knit. It’s also a chance to build off a game on Sunday that suggests he can still make an impact on an impact team.

“I’ve been a go-to guy most of my career. I don’t want that to stop,” Richards said.