Mike Richter

Michael Thomas "Mike" Richter (born September 22, 1966 in Abington, Pennsylvania) is a former National Hockey League (NHL) 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.

He attended and played for Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. After playing for the United States in the World Junior championships in 1985, he 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 would again represent the US in the World Junior championships, World championships, and the 1988 Calgary Olympics 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 club, posting 12 wins against 5 losses in his rookie season as the Rangers' backup goaltender. The next two seasons, he would split playing time with the Rangers' veteran goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, he was selected to represent the U.S. in the Canada Cup.

Vanbiesbrouck was traded before the 1993-94 season and Richter had his first season as the team's number one goaltender, posting a career-best 42 wins and 2.57 goals-against average as the Rangers won the Presidents Trophy. His play was a key factor in the Rangers' Stanley Cup championship win over the Vancouver Canucks. He become the eighth goaltender in history to post four shutouts in one playoff season, and over the next few years he would consistently be 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 Most Valuable Player honors.

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.

His jersey (#35) became the third number retired by the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on February 4 2004, joining Rod Gilbert and Ed Giacomin. 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.

Mike Richter returned to college in 2004 and will graduate in 2007 from Yale University. He is majoring in Ethics, Politics & Economics (EP&E). Richter entered Yale through the Eli Whitney Students Program. His admission was notable in that Yale admits very few older students into the College and he was among this highly select group in 2004. Richter also volunteers as a coach for Yale's men's hockey team coaching alongside head Keith Allain. Allain was an assistant coach for Team USA in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

According to Nathan Gonzales of the Rothenberg Political Report, Richter, who lives in Guilford, Connecticut is considering running for U.S. Congress in 2008 as a Democrat. Among the seats Richter is considering contesting is Connecticut's 4th congressional district, currently held by Republican Chris Shays. However, on March 23, 2007, he stated that he would not run.

Richter competed in Ironman Lake Placid on July 22, 2007. The triathlon involves a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run. He completed the grueling race in 12 hours 49 minutes 10 seconds.

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

Transactions

 * June 15, 1985- New York Rangers second round choice, 28th overall in the 1985 NHL entry draft

Career highlights

 * 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

Records

 * NYR Club Record, Games Played, Career: 666
 * NYR Club Record, Wins, Career: 301
 * NYR Club Record, Games Played, Single Season: 72 (1997-98)
 * NYR Club Record, Wins, Single Season: 42 (1993-94)
 * NYR Club Record, Save Percentage, Single Season: .917 (1996-97)

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)