Mike Richter

Michael Thomas Richter (born September 22, 1966) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played his entire National Hockey League career, from 1989 to 2002, with the New York Rangers organization, and led the team to the Stanley Cup in 1994. He also represented the United States in international play on several occasions. Richter was named to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, alongside his former Rangers and U.S. teammate Brian Leetch, in 2008.

Mike Richter
Richter lifting the Stanley Cup in 1994
Born	(1966-09-22) September 22, 1966 (age 58) Abington, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
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
Medal record Men's ice hockey Representing  United States Olympic Games 2002 Salt Lake City Ice hockey World Cup 1996 World Cup of Hockey Ice hockey World Junior Championships 1986 Hamilton Ice hockey

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 to 1987, and the Rangers made him the 28th overall pick in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. He again represented the US in the 1986 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.

Vanbiesbrouck was traded to the Vancouver Canucks^[1] prior to being selected by the Florida Panthers in the 1993-94 NHL expansion draft. Richter then 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. 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, famously 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, including MCL sprains, ACL sprains, and concussions.

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 saves using his focus, flexibility, and athleticism. Longtime teammate and Hall of Fame Ranger defenseman Brian Leetch once said 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."^[2]

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.

Richter was selected by the Nashville Predators in the 1998 NHL Expansion Draft, but as a UFA chose to eventually return to the Rangers that summer.

On June 30, 2002, Richter's rights were traded to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for future considerations.^[3] The Oilers were unable to sign Richter, and he returned to the Rangers on a new contract a few days later on July 4.^[3] 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, later surpassed by Henrik Lundqvist.

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.

Post-retirement

Richter is currently the President of Brightcore Energy.^[4]

In 2007 and 2009, Richter stated that he would be interested in running for Congress as a Democrat in either Connecticut's 4th congressional district or New York's 20th congressional district special election, 2009.^[5]

After retiring from the NHL, Richter enrolled in Yale University, entering through the highly competitive Eli Whitney Students Program, Yale College's admissions program for non-traditional students.^[6] He received his degree in Ethics, Politics, and Economics with a concentration in Environmental Policy (EP&E).

He was previously a founding partner at Healthy Planet Partners, a sustainable power finance and consulting group, and Environmental Capital Partners, a $100 million private equity fund focusing on resource efficiency.^[7] Richter serves on the Board of Trustees for the Adirondack Nature Conservancy, and sits as a member of the National Advisory Council for the Sierra Club.^[8] He recently began collaborating with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in their effort to bring the best ecological practices to the sports industry. He also launched Athletes for a Healthy Planet, an organization dedicated to fostering an understanding of the connections between environmental issues, human health, economy, social justice, and well-being.^[9]

Richter, together with other retired NHL players, played in a UN Environment Programme-sponsored hockey game near the North Pole in April 2019.^[10] The idea for the game was conceived by Russian hockey legend Viacheslav Fetisov, and was intended to raise awareness of receding ice in polar regions due to climate change.

Richter has three sons, all of whom grew up playing ice hockey in their hometown of Greenwich, Connecticut.^[11]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season										Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1982–83	Germantown Academy	HS-PA		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Philadelphia Jr. Flyers	NEJHL		36	23	10	3	2160	94	—	2.61	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1984–85	Northwood School	HS-Prep		18	—	—	—	1374	52	2	2.27	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	University of Wisconsin	WCHA		24	14	9	0	1394	92	0	3.96	.886		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	University of Wisconsin	WCHA		36	19	16	1	2136	126	0	3.54	.901		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	United States National Team	Intl		29	17	7	2	1559	86	—	3.31	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Colorado Rangers	IHL		22	16	5	0	1298	68	0	3.14	.902		10	5	3	536	35	0	3.92	—
1988–89	Denver Rangers	IHL		57	23	26	0	3031	217	1	4.30	—		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		23	12	5	5	1320	66	0	3.00	.904		6	3	2	330	19	0	3.45	.896
1989–90	Flint Spirits	IHL		13	7	4	2	782	49	0	3.76	.900		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	New York Rangers	NHL		45	21	13	7	2596	135	0	3.12	.903		6	2	4	313	14	1	2.68	.923
1991–92	New York Rangers	NHL		41	23	12	2	2298	119	3	3.11	.901		7	4	2	412	24	1	3.50	.894
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		23	16	7	1417	49	4	2.07	.921
1994–95	New York Rangers	NHL		35	14	17	2	1993	97	2	2.92	.890		7	2	5	384	23	0	3.59	.878
1995–96	New York Rangers	NHL		41	24	13	3	2396	107	3	2.68	.912		11	5	6	662	36	0	3.26	.883
1996–97	New York Rangers	NHL		61	33	22	6	3598	161	4	2.68	.917		15	9	6	939	33	3	2.11	.932
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	1,840	24	2.89	.904		76	41	33	4,515	202	9	2.68	.909

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1985	United States	WJC		3	—	—	—	43	6	0	8.37	—
1986	United States	WJC		4	3	1	0	208	9	0	2.60	—
1986	United States	WC		1	0	1	0	53	5	0	5.66	—
1987	United States	WC		2	0	2	0	80	8	0	6.00	—
1988	United States	OLY		4	2	2	0	230	15	0	3.91	.802
1991	United States	CC		7	4	3	0	420	22	0	3.14	.904
1993	United States	WC		4	1	1	2	237	13	0	3.29	—
1996	United States	WCH		6	4	2	0	371	15	0	2.43	.923
1998	United States	OLY		4	1	3	0	237	14	0	3.54	.849
2002	United States	OLY		4	2	1	1	240	9	1	2.25	.932
Junior totals				7	—	—	—	251	15	0	3.59	—
Senior totals				32	14	15	3	1868	101	1	3.24	—

Awards and honors

Award	Year
All-WCHA Second Team	1986–87	[12]

• NHL All-Star Game: 1992 NHL All-Star Game, 1994 NHL All-Star Game (MVP), 2000 NHL All-Star Game
• Stanley Cup champion: 1994
• Won gold medal at 1996 World Cup of Hockey (MVP)
• Won silver medal at 2002 Winter Olympics
• Number 35 jersey retired by the New York Rangers in 2004
• Inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008
• Received the 2009 Lester Patrick Award alongside Mark Messier and Jim Devellano
• In the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats, ranked No. 3 all-time of the 901 New York Rangers (and ranked highest of the 74 who were goaltenders) who had played during the team's first 82 seasons^[13]
• Inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2014

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" (1988)^[14]
• Player's Player Award (1991, 2000)
• Team Rookie of the Year (1991)
• Team MVP (2000, 2002)

Rangers' team records

• Single season wins: 42 (1993–94)