At times, Todd Richards just has to pinch himself.
There are only 30 people who can say they're a head coach in the best hockey league in the world, and Richards is one of them.
That comes with fringe benefits sometimes, like a roundtable the Wild coach took part in back in November with Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis and Gophers hoops coach Tubby Smith.
Conducted by Fox Sports North's Anthony LaPanta, the casual conversation in front of a fireplace at TCF Bank Stadium will be aired in three episodes on the network Jan. 3, 6 and 8 at 9 p.m. The mini-series is called "Unscripted: Coaches/Manager."
"It was great for me. Very humbling experience for me," Richards said. "The position I'm at, I don't take things for granted at all. I'm very, very privileged and lucky to be doing what I'm doing in the city that I'm doing it.
"I had a blast just listening to those guys talk. I was like kid in candy store, I really was."
If you knew Richards, you'd understand how much he soaked in. He's a sports nut, one who just loves going to and watching sporting events. In Finland, he spent one night watching a Jets game at a hotel bar, analyzing Jets coach Rex Ryan's every move.
"It was just an overwhelming experience, the whole thing," Richards said of talking with Gardenhire, Rambis and Smith. "Anthony did a great job running the talk, and it was a great experience to sit down with three others sports minds and leaders and just listen to what they have to say."
Richards loves seeing how others conduct themselves and prepare. Earlier this season, he spent a day at Winter Park in Eden Prairie shadowing the Vikings and has spent time this season with Gophers hockey coach Don Lucia.
He says he even learns stuff by watching his kid's youth coaches and how they simplify drills.
"You definitely take things away," Richards said.
