Welcome to LWOS’ Summer Hockey Series, Best of the Rest. Plenty of sites do a version of a 30 greats in 30 days series, but this year we are doing something a little bit different. We want to look at the best player from each team who is not in the Hockey Hall Of Fame. In order to do this there are some rules. First the player must have been a significant part of this franchise (franchises include their time in a previous city… see Winnipeg/Atlanta) and must be retired for at least 3 years, making them Hall of Fame eligible. To see all the articles in the series, check out the homepage here.
I was six when I got my first taste of hockey. The ’94 playoffs were my introduction and I fell in love with a game I didn’t come close to understanding. I was excited about the “Stephanie Matthew-ew” goal (according to my 6-year-old pronunciation) but one player really separated himself as my official hero: Mike Richter. It was around that time that my dad told me what earthquakes were, and how they were measured by something called the Richter scale, so I was amazed. This guy wears a totally awesome mask, wins games and invented the scale by which we measure earthquakes?! Turns out only two of those things was true but I had already found my new hero.
New York Rangers – Mike Richter
Richter became the unquestioned number one goalie for the Rangers during that famed 93-94 season, using his incredible reflexes and agility to stymie teams and earn himself both an all-star appearance and the all-star game MVP in 1994. Richter started a whopping 68 games, and posted a 2.57 GAA, good for fourth in the NHL that Cup-winning season. In a year when eight of the top ten NHL point-getters broke 100, Richter was a stone wall. Undersized but agile, Richter was known for his focus and ability to rise to the occasion. He posted an incredible .921 save percentage and a 2.07 GAA with four shutouts in the ’94 playoffs. There was also that little thing known only as “Pavel Bure’s penalty shot” in game four of the Stanley Cup Final. Richter and company broke the curse surrounding the team after 1940 in Richter’s first season as a starting goalie, this was to be the start of something beautiful.
Richter continued to play incredibly well for a few more seasons, including leading team USA to a World Cup win in ’96, but the injury bug reared it’s ugly head. Whether it be concussions or ACL injuries, Richter battled through them all. He showed that same focus and toughness on the ice as he did off it while rehabbing. Richter stayed with the Rangers for his whole career, winning 301 regular season games and posting a career save percentage of .904 (3rd all-time in Rangers history). Richter was one of the best in a time where a 2.57 GAA was fourth best in the league. His 666 games played and 17379 saves remain records for Rangers goaltenders, while his record win total was surpassed by Henrik Lundqvist just this past season and his 24 shutouts rank 5th.
Mike Richter was more than stats to Ranger fans, though. He was everything New Yorkers idolize about their city and themselves. He was quick and agile, but he feared nothing. He was undersized, but he was the toughest guy on the ice. He was always ready for anything, but never let his nerves get the better of him. Seeing him between the pipes made you feel better about your chances before the puck even dropped. Rumor has it he also always folds his pizza, hates Times Square because of the tourists, refuses to put ketchup on his hot dog, and knows taxis have to take you to Brooklyn, no matter what they tell you. What Richter really did was help captivate a city, and bring a parade through the Canyon of Heroes, something New Yorkers will always remember.
Messier had “The Guarantee”, Matteau had “The Call”, Leetch had the jaw dropping skills, but Richter had “The Save”. Richter has made the US Hockey Hall of Fame, his jersey is in the MSG rafters, he has a World Cup win, an Olympic Silver Medal, and a Stanley Cup championship ring. It’s a trophy case many hockey players would be envious of, but he won’t be getting a call from the Hall of Fame. Well, at least until he’s eligible for the Geology and it’s effect on Natural Disasters Hall of Fame.
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