Before playing in the NHL, Richards played 1 season with the Notre Dame Hounds of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and 3 seasons with the Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Over his QMJHL career, Richards was able to win the Jean Béliveau Trophy for being the league leader with 186 points, the Telus Cup for being the league's best offensive player, both the QMJHL and Canadian Hockey League Plus/Minus Awards, he was named as a First-Team All-Star in both the Quebec circuit, as well as the CHL and was also named the CHL Player of the Year and Leading Scorer. During the postseason, he was able to win the Guy Lafleur Trophy for being the MVP of the QMJHL playoffs and the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy for being the MVP of the 2000 Memorial Cup after the Océanic won both the QMJHL playoff title and the CHL national championship.