Mike Richter

Mike Richter
Born	September 22, 1966 (1966-09-22) Abington, PA, USA
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	New York Rangers
National team	United States
NHL Draft	28th overall, 1985 New York Rangers
Playing career	1989–2003

Michael Thomas Richter (born September 22, 1966) is a former ice hockey goaltender. One of the most successful American-born goaltenders in history, he is best known for having led the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup title in 1994 and for repeatedly representing the United States in international play. Due to his success, Richter was a part of the Class of 2008 in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, alongside his former Rangers and U.S. teammate Brian Leetch.

Playing career

Richter grew up in Flourtown, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, and idolized Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Bernie Parent. He attended and played for Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania and then Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York, graduating in 1985. He also played at the Wissahickon Skating Club. After playing for the United States in the World Junior championships in 1985, Richter played for the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1985–1987, and the Rangers made him the 28th overall pick in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. He again represented the U.S.A. in the World Junior championships, as well as the World Championships and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, before making his NHL debut in the 1989 playoffs. Though he lost the one game in which he played, he was soon a regular member of the Rangers, posting 12 wins against 5 losses in his rookie season as the club's backup goaltender. Over the next two seasons, Richter split goaltending duties with the Rangers' veteran starter, John Vanbiesbrouck, and was selected to play for the U.S. in the 1991 Canada Cup tournament.

The Rangers traded Vanbiesbrouck to the Vancouver Canucks before the 1993–94 season, and Richter had his first campaign as the team's number-one goaltender. He posted a career-best 42 wins and 2.57 goals-against average as the Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy as the league's top regular-season team for the second time in three years. He was also named Most Valuable Player of the NHL All-Star Game, which the Rangers hosted at Madison Square Garden that year. In the playoffs, he ramped up his play, becoming the eighth goaltender to post four shutouts in one playoff season. The Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Finals against the Canucks, and Richter earned a career highlight in Game 4, stopping Vancouver sniper Pavel Bure on a penalty shot. The Rangers defeated the Canucks in seven games to win their first Stanley Cup since 1940.

Over the next few years, Richter would be consistently ranked among the world's top goaltenders. He led the United States to victory in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, with his efforts earning him tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Injuries plagued much of his career with everything from MCL sprains, ACL sprains and concussions. At some points they occurred together, but he worked hard to rehabilitate his injuries to always make the return to the ice.

Richter's style of play was very acrobatic and quick. For a small goalie he made himself look big by using his lightning quick reflexes to make saves. He was rarely out of position and always square to his shooters. He was known for making plenty of desperation and sometimes unbelievable saves using his focus, flexibility, and athleticism. Long time teammate and Hall of Fame Ranger defenseman Brian Leetch once said this about Richter:

"I have never seen anyone more focused than he was. As the game got tougher, he got better. If a goal was ever scored on him I was always surprised."

His last appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs would be 1997, as a series of knee injuries and a string of mediocre Ranger teams saw his personal statistics suffer. Nevertheless, he was selected as the top goalie for Team USA in the 1998 and 2002 Olympics, winning a silver medal in the 2002 Games. A year later a skull fracture and concussion forced him to retire, but not until after he became the first Ranger to record 300 wins. He finished his career as the Rangers all-time leader in wins.

Post-retirement

Richter's jersey (#35) became the third number retired by the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on February 4, 2004. Though he played his entire career for the Rangers, he twice changed teams between seasons due to a quirk in the NHL rules of free agency, returning to the Rangers each time. Upon his retirement and having played his entire career in New York, the Rangers posted the quote of "Once a Ranger Always a Ranger" from everything to posters, websites, bill boards and arenas. The phrase is still seen all over the place in and near Madison Square Garden.

Richter returned to college in 2004 and graduated in 2008 with a BA from Yale University, entering the university through the highly competitive Eli Whitney Students Program, Yale College's admissions program for non-traditional students. He majored in Ethics, Politics & Economics (EP&E). Richter volunteered as a coach for the Yale men's hockey team alongside head coach Keith Allain; Allain was an assistant coach for Team USA in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

In 2007 the Rothenberg Political Report reported that Richter, who lives in Guilford, Connecticut, was considering running for U.S. Congress under Connecticut's 4th congressional district in 2008 as a Democrat. However, on March 23, 2007, he stated that he would not run, despite still expressing interest in seeking public office one day.

Richter competed in the Ironman Triathlon at Lake Placid on July 22, 2007. The triathlon involves a 2.4-mile (3.9 km) swim, 112-mile (180 km) bike ride, and a 42.195-kilometre (26.219 mi) run. He completed the grueling race in 12 hours 49 minutes 10 seconds.

On November 4, 2007 Richter ran in his first New York City Marathon finishing with a time of 3:54:35.

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1986–87	UW–Madison	WCHA		36	19	16	1	2136	126	0	3.53	.901
1987–88	Colorado Rangers	IHL		22	16	5	0	1298	68	0	3.14	—
1988–89	Denver Rangers	IHL		57	23	26	3	3031	217	1	4.30	—
1989–90	New York Rangers	NHL		23	12	5	5	1320	66	0	3.00	.904
1989–90	Flint Spirits	IHL		13	7	4	2	782	49	0	3.76	—
1990–91	New York Rangers	NHL		45	21	13	7	2596	135	0	3.12	.903
1991–92	New York Rangers	NHL		41	23	12	2	2298	119	3	3.11	.901
1992–93	New York Rangers	NHL		38	13	19	3	2105	134	1	3.82	.886
1992–93	Binghamton Rangers	AHL		5	4	0	1	305	6	0	1.18	.964
1993–94	New York Rangers	NHL		68	42	12	6	3710	159	5	2.57	.910
1994–95	New York Rangers	NHL		35	14	17	2	1993	97	2	2.92	.890
1995–96	New York Rangers	NHL		41	24	13	3	2396	107	3	2.68	.912
1996–97	New York Rangers	NHL		61	33	22	6	3598	161	4	2.68	.917
1997–98	New York Rangers	NHL		72	21	31	15	4143	184	0	2.66	.903
1998–99	New York Rangers	NHL		68	27	30	8	3878	170	4	2.63	.910
1999–00	New York Rangers	NHL		61	22	31	8	3622	173	0	2.87	.905
2000–01	New York Rangers	NHL		45	20	21	3	2635	144	0	3.28	.893
2001–02	New York Rangers	NHL		55	24	26	4	3195	157	2	2.95	.906
2002–03	New York Rangers	NHL		13	5	6	1	694	34	0	2.94	.897
NHL totals				666	301	258	73	38,183	1840	24	2.89	.904

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1987–88	Colorado Rangers	IHL		10	5	3	536	35	0	3.92	—
1988–89	Denver Rangers	IHL		4	0	4	210	21	0	6.00	—
1988–89	New York Rangers	NHL		1	0	1	58	4	0	4.14	.867
1989–90	New York Rangers	NHL		6	3	2	330	19	0	3.45	.896
1990–91	New York Rangers	NHL		6	2	4	313	14	1	2.68	.923
1991–92	New York Rangers	NHL		7	4	2	412	24	1	3.50	.894
1993–94	New York Rangers	NHL		23	16	7	1417	49	4	2.07	.921
1994–95	New York Rangers	NHL		7	2	5	384	23	0	3.59	.878
1995–96	New York Rangers	NHL		11	5	6	662	36	0	3.26	.883
1996–97	New York Rangers	NHL		15	9	6	939	33	3	2.11	.932
NHL totals				76	41	33	4,515	202	9	2.68	.909

Career highlights

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Competitor for United States
Olympic Games
Silver	2002 Salt Lake City	Ice hockey
World Cup
Gold	1996 World Cup of Hockey	Ice hockey

• Named to 1992 NHL All-Star team
• Named to 1994 NHL All-Star team - Awarded Most Valuable Player
• Won 1994 Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers
• Won gold medal at 1996 World Cup of Hockey - Awarded Most Valuable Player
• Named to 2000 NHL All-Star team
• Won silver medal at 2002 Winter Olympics
• Enshrined into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame
• Received the 2009 Lester Patrick Award alongside Mark Messier and Jim Devellano.
• Ranked No. 3 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).

Records

• NHL Record, Wins, Single Postseason: T-1st: 16 (1993–94)
• NYR Club Record, Games Played, Career: 666
• NYR Club Record, Wins, Career: 301
• NYR Club Record, Wins, Single Season: 42 (1993–94)

NY Rangers team awards

• Crumb Bum Award - "For service to New York youngsters" (1997)
• Frank Boucher Trophy - "Most popular player on and off the ice" (1991, 1999, 2000, 2002)
• Good Guy Award - "For cooperation with the media" (1991)
• Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award - "Best rookie of training camp" (1991)
• Player's Player Award (1991, 2000)
• Team Rookie of the Year (1991)
• Team MVP (2000, 2002)

External links

• Mike Richter's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Mike's U.S. Olympic Team bio
• hockeygoalies.org bio