"The question is whether Richter will show up. Richter was at the top of his game in 1993-94, not as good in '95, and very close to top form again in '95-96. But Richter's season was hampered when he suffered a torn groin muscle in December. He sat out until mid-February, played 11 minutes, then reinjured it. When Richter finally got back to health, he quickly picked up where he left off. But the feeling was that disaster was always one quick lateral move away. (The Sporting News Hockey Yearbook 1996-97, p. 68)

"Richter has a knack for playing well in big games (just ask Team Canada). He did that again this year in the playoffs against Florida and New Jersey, but the Rangers needed a 4'x6' sheet of plywood in front of the net against Philly. (The Sports Forecaster Hockey '97-'98, p. 127)

"The Rangers' most obvious strength is in goal, where they have reliable Richter, who has turned into superman at crucial times in his career - the 1994 playoffs, the World Cup, the 1997 playoffs. (The Hockey News 1997-98 Yearbook, p. 139)

"The acrobatic Mike Richter has had great seasons and also had seasons in which he was less than great. The Rangers should be better defensively this year and perhaps less reliant on Richter's heroics night after night. But he must stay healthy and be playing well at playoff time. (The Hockey News 1997-98 Yearbook, p. 139)

"Turned down big free-agent offers from the Flyers and Panthers a year ago to re-sign with the Rangers. Remained steady despite the team's woes. Led the Rangers to the 1994 Stanley Cup and the United States team to the 1996 World Cup. There's no reason to doubt that Richter won't perform like he has over his ten-year career. Great reflexes. When he's on, there are few better in the clutch. Incredibly consistent, he's still the No. 1 man in Manhattan. (The Sports Forecaster 1999-2000, p. 110)

"Richter will come a long way out of the net to challenge. If his teammates don't have coverage down low, goals can be scored on him when he's a long way out of the net...But I think he's changed his game somewhat depending on who he's playing against. (Brian Engblom, ESPN.com, 2/2/2000)

"Richter, who played in his 500th career game last season, will always be remembered as the goalie who stoned Canada during the 1996 World Cup. A lifelong Ranger, he set the club record for wins with 42 back in 1993-94 but has most recently endured three consecutive losing seasons. Richter, who began the 1999-2000 [season] on a high note, suffered seven straight losses to close out the season just before requiring reconstructive surgery to repair a torn ACL. Richter can be as hot as any other netminder alive. Can he rebound, given his age and now his knee injury? We think he can. (The Sports Forecaster 2000-01, p. 99)

"For the second consecutive season, Richter tore an ACL in kis knee. This time, it was the right knee that ended his season - after the veteran netminder was almost fully healed from hurting his left knee the previous year. The longtime Ranger gutted it out for a sub-par New York team, though, finishing with a 20-21-3 record in 45 games. When Richter is playing well, the Rangers are usually in every contest. A true warrior and team leader, the 12-year veteran now faces another comeback from a serious knee injury. Richter should be 100 per cent when training camp rolls around. Therefore, look for him to appear in no more than 45-50 games. Definite trade bait. (The Sports Forecaster 2001-02, p. 101)

"Richter's best games last season were as a member of the U.S. Olympic team. However, he did post solid numbers for the also-ran Rangers once again. Knee injuries have slowed him down the past two seasons but he is still capable of stealing a victory for his squad now and then. His wealth of experience in pressure situations is still a valuable commodity. However, he is no longer capable of handling a huge workload. With a great rapport with young Dan Blackburn, Richter returns to the only team for which he's ever played. He will serve as Blackburn's mentor in 2002-03 and continue to hand over the reins." (The Sports Forecaster 2002-03, p. 99)

• Selected by New York Rangers in second round (second Rangers pick, 28th overall) of National Hockey League Entry Draft, June 15, 1985.
• Signed as restricted free agent to one-year, $500,000 contract with Rangers, October 6, 1991.
• Selected by Nashville Predators in National Hockey League expansion draft, June 26, 1998.
• Signed as free agent to four year, $21.8 million contract with New York Rangers, July 15, 1998.
• Traded by Rangers to Edmonton Oilers for future considerations, June 30, 2002.
• Signed as free agent (two years, $8.0 million) with New York Rangers, July 4, 2002.
• Announced retirement from professional hockey, September 4, 2003.

• Winner, Western Collegiate Hockey Association Rookie of the Year award, 1985-86.
• Named to Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Star second team, 1986-87.
• Named to Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic Team, 1986-87.
• Starting goaltender for United States Olympic Ice Hockey team, 1988.
• Member, United States Olympic Team, 1987-88.
• Winner, Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award as top Rangers rookie in training camp, September 1988.
• Named National Hockey League Rookie of the Month, January 1990.
• Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1992.
• Rated #22 in Hockey Stars Presents "The Top 50 Netminders in Pro Hockey", November 1993.
• Named National Hockey League Player of the Month, November 1993.
• Most Valuable Player, National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1994.
• Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1994.
• Member of Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers, 1993-94.
• Named second-best goaltender, The Sporting News 1994-95 Hockey Yearbook.
• Rated #4 in Hockey Stars Presents "The Top 50 Netminders in Pro Hockey", November 1994.
• Rated #6 in Hockey Stars Presents "The Top 50 Netminders in Pro Hockey", November 1995.
• Most Valuable Player, World Cup of Hockey, 1996. As MVP, Mike received a Harley Davidson motorcycle, which he auctioned off to raise money for pediatric patients at the New York Hospital / Cornell Medical Center.
• Finished fifth in voting for Vezina Trophy, 1996-97.
• Goaltender for United States Olympic Team, February 1998.
• Named National Hockey League Player of the Week (3-0-0, 1.33 GAA, 95.8% sv), January 24, 2000.
• Named National Hockey League Player of the Week, December 3, 2001.
• Member of silver medal-winning United States Olympic Team, 2002.
• On February 4, 2004, Mike became just the third member of the New York Rangers hockey club to have his sweater number retired (joining Rod Gilbert and Ed Giacomin) when his #35 was raised to the Madison Square Garden rafters. Former Rangers goaltender and current colour analyst on MSG Network John Davidson served as the master of ceremonies for the event.

  After opening remarks, Davidson introduced several players who spent their entire career in New York - Walt Tkaczuk, Steve Vickers, Jan Erixon and Ron Greschner, followed by members of the 1994 Stanley Cup team - Glenn Anderson, Nick Kypreos, Stephane Matteau and Adam Graves. Finally, Gilbert and Giacomin were introduced.

  Following a video tribute on GardenVision, Richter led the Rangers from the locker room onto the ice for one final time, whereupon emotional words were spoken by Graves and Mark Messier.

  Richter was then presented with gifts - first, fifty-year Rangers season ticketholders Andrew and Emma Bruno presented Richter with a one-of-a-kind assemblage celebrating his storied career, created by artist Ray Ward. Then, Erixon and Kypreos presented him with a silver goal net, inscribed with the names of all 219 teammates that suited up beside him during his fourteen seasons.

  Thomas Nolan, an 11-year old from Mahopac, New York, and Jordan Schildhaus, a 10-year old from Woodbury, New York, then joined Richter at centre ice to announce the creation of the Mike Richter Scholarship to benefit New York kids.

  Finally, Richter was presented with a 19-foot Cris Craft mahogany boat (circa 1940), crafted in Queensbury, New York an appropriately named "True Blue 35".

  Richter then addressed the sold-out Garden crowd, who showered him with applause. "For the organization that I've always admired to come through with this is absolutely overwhelming. Over this last year, any sense of loss has been replaced with feelings of gratitude and joy, and the realization that this time spent here was nothing short of an amazing gift."

  Richter was then joined on the ice by his wife Veronica and sons Thomas and James. Escorted by Gilbert and Giacomin, the family made their way to the front of the home goal where they watched #35 raised to the rafters.

• Made professional hockey debut (IHL Colorado Rangers), March 1, 1988.
• Made National Hockey League debut in Game Four of first-round playoff series, April 9, 1989.
• Made first National Hockey League regular-season appearance, October 19, 1989.
• Recorded first National Hockey League shutout, November 23, 1991.

• Recorded 100th National Hockey League regular-season victory, February 28, 1994.
• Appeared in 200th National Hockey League regular-season game, March 4, 1994.
• Appeared in 500th National Hockey League regular-season game, October 30, 1999.
• Recorded 250th National Hockey League regular-season victory, February 25, 2000.
• Mike won his 300th National Hockey League regular-season game on October 28, 2002, when his New York Rangers defeated the Phoenix Coyotes, 3-2 in overtime, at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. The Rangers fell behind, 2-0, on goals from Shane Doan and Brian Savage; however, consecutive Pavel Bure markers sent the game to an extra session. With 2:20 gone in overtime, Petr Nedved beat Phoenix netminder Brian Boucher, sealing the win for Richter, who made twenty-nine saves. "On a personal level, it's exciting," said Richter, who won 182 games from 1989-97. "I was hoping to get it earlier in my career. A couple of injuries the last few years and not as many wins as we wanted was a disappointment. But I'm glad I've been able to stay with this organization long enough to set it with one team." "It's really a temporary thing," he said. "It's something you'll dwell on a little bit more after your career is done. There has been a lot of great teams and a lot of great players that I have been associated with. For me, it's a great thing we got 300, but nothing is more important to me than 301."

• Shares National Hockey League single-season playoff record for most wins by a goaltender (16), 1994.
• On May 17, 1994, Richter became the eighth goaltender in National Hockey League history to record four shutouts in one postseason, with a 4-0 victory (16 saves) over the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden. The win evened the Eastern Conference Finals at one game apiece, and the Rangers would go on to win their first Stanley Cup in fifty-four years.
• On January 8, 2001, Mike surpassed Gump Worsley to become the Rangers' all-time leader in games played (598).
• Became New York Rangers' all-time winningest goaltender (267 wins) with a 2-1 overtime victory over Toronto, January 18, 2001.
• At the time of Richter's retirement, he was the Rangers' franchise leader in wins (301), appearances (666), and minutes played (38,185), and was tied for fourth with 24 shutouts.

• Bruised thigh; missed twelve games, January 30, 1992.
• Pulled groin; missed fifteen games, December 30, 1995.
• Reinjured groin; missed eight games, February 18, 1996.
• Seperated left shoulder; missed two games, January 19, 1997.
• Injured back; missed five games, October 2, 1999.
• Sprained left knee; missed two games, February 5, 2000.
• Reinjured left knee; missed two games, February 18, 2000.
• Reinjured left knee; missed one game, March 13, 2000.
• Reinjured left knee; missed four games, March 27, 2000.
• Underwent knee surgery; missed first five games of season, April 5, 2000.
• Suffered torn anterior cruciate ligament in right knee; missed remainder of season, February 19, 2001.
• Tore anterior cruciate ligament in right knee; missed remainder of season, February 19, 2001.
• Suffered slight skull fracture; missed remainder of season, March 22, 2002.

• On September 6, 2005, Mike was named a volunteer coach at Yale University, where Richter was enrolled as a student. He will graduate in December of 2007, and is considering a career in politics.