I've been talking it out with some coworkers this morning - the best reason we can think of for the gag order on the news (no one is releasing any info, and some have made it sound like they can't release any info) is that a minor might be involved.

I am 100% speculating here, but if he was up on Lake of the Woods... Minnesota is full of Puck Bunnies, and partying up at the lake was a cornerstone of my youth (Minnesotan here). I can imagine a scenario easily playing out where a group of girls meet Mike on the lake, he tells them he's an NHLer, and they think it would be fun to party with him and convince him they're all of age...

A few hours later, a call from a concerned parent sets the border patrol into motion, they find the girls on the wrong side of the border, maybe one of them is found in a compromising position or makes some accusation. Things play out in pretty much the way you would expect, except maybe there is the additional spice of sex trafficking charges because of the border.

Drugs could still be the case, but the scenario above fits all of the info we have so far: It would definitely be a "border incident", the comments from some in the know who say it's "icky", and the complete lack of any official confirmation of an arrest or even an incident at the border (which would be done in a case where a minor is involved).

It seems pretty far-fetched, but the same basic narrative happens all the time during Cabin Season up here in Minnesota. When you mix in an international border things could get really dicey, and it's easy to boost your minor crimes to severe felony status. This scenario also creates the potential for Richards to be barred from entering the US, which is why the Kings would feel the need to terminate the contract.