| Mike Richter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Richter lifting theStanley Cup in1994 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1966-09-22)September 22, 1966 (age 59) 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
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Michael Thomas Richter (born September 22, 1966) is an American former professionalice hockeygoaltender. He played his entireNational Hockey League career, from 1989 to 2002, with theNew York Rangers organization, and led the team to theStanley Cup in1994. He also represented theUnited States in international play on several occasions. Richter was named to theU.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, alongside his former Rangers and U.S. teammateBrian Leetch, in 2008.
Richter grew up inFlourtown, Pennsylvania, nearPhiladelphia, and idolizedPhiladelphia Flyers goaltenderBernie Parent. He attended and played forGermantown Academy inFort Washington, Pennsylvania, and thenNorthwood School inLake Placid, New York, graduating in 1985. He also played at theWissahickon Skating Club. After playing for the United States in theWorld Junior Championships in1985, Richter played for theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison from 1985 to 1987, and the Rangers made him the 28th overall pick in the1985 NHL Entry Draft. He again represented the US in the1986 World Junior Championships, as well as theWorld Championships and the1988 Winter Olympics inCalgary, before making his NHL debut in the1989 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'sbackup 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 the1991 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 thePresidents' Trophy as the league's top regular season team for the second time in three years. He was also named Most Valuable Player of theNHL All-Star Game, which the Rangers hosted atMadison 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 theStanley Cup Finals against the Canucks, and Richter earned a career highlight in Game 4, famously stopping Vancouver sniperPavel Bure on a penalty shot. The Rangers defeated the Canucks in seven games to win their first Stanley Cupsince 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 the1996 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 defensemanBrian 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 the1998 and2002 Olympics, winning a silver medal in the 2002 Games.
Richter was selected by theNashville Predators in the1998 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 theEdmonton 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 record300 wins. He finished his career as the Rangers all-time leader in wins, later surpassed byHenrik Lundqvist.
Richter's jersey (#35) became the third number retired by the Rangers atMadison 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.
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 eitherConnecticut's 4th congressional district orNew York's 20th congressional district special election, 2009.[5]
After retiring from the NHL, Richter enrolled inYale University, entering through the highly competitiveEli 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 millionprivate equity fund focusing on resource efficiency.[7] Richter serves on the board of trustees for the AdirondackNature Conservancy, and sits as a member of the National Advisory Council for theSierra Club.[8] He recently began collaborating with theNatural 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 aUN Environment Programme-sponsored hockey game near the North Pole in April 2019.[10] The idea for the game was conceived by Russian hockey legendViacheslav Fetisov, and was intended to raise awareness of receding ice in polar regions due toclimate change.
Richter has three sons, all of whom grew up playing ice hockey in their hometown of Greenwich, Connecticut.[11]
| 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 | ||||
| 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 | — | |||
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| All-WCHASecond Team | 1986–87 | [12] |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | WCHA Freshman of the Year 1985–86 | Succeeded by |
