Editing Mike Richter (section)

==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 (Lake Placid, New York)|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 [[IIHF World Junior Championship|World Junior Championships]] in [[1985 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships|1985]], Richter played for the [[Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey|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 Ice Hockey Championships|1986 World Junior Championships]], as well as the [[Ice Hockey World Championships|World Championships]] and the [[Ice Hockey at the 1988 Winter Olympics|1988 Winter Olympics]] in [[Calgary]], before making his NHL debut in the [[1989 Stanley Cup Playoffs|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<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_player/Vanbiesbrouck,John|title=John Vanbiesbrouck trades - NHL Trade Tracker|website=nhltradetracker.com|access-date=2018-04-28}}</ref> 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 [[45th National Hockey League All-Star Game|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 [[Curse of 1940|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."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Top 10 List: #3 Mike Richter|url=https://bluelinestation.com/2013/08/11/top-10-list-3-mike-richter/|last=Andrew Graziano|date=2013-08-11|website=Blue Line Station|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-27}}</ref>

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 Winter Olympics|1998]] and [[2002 Winter Olympics|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.<ref name="Trade">{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/offseason-nhl-transactions-1.324288|title=Offseason NHL transactions | publisher = [[CBC Sports]]| date = October 2, 2002 | access-date = January 22, 2022}}</ref> The Oilers were unable to sign Richter, and he returned to the Rangers on a new contract a few days later on July 4.<ref name="Trade"/> A year later a skull fracture and concussion forced him to retire, but not until after he became the first Ranger to record [[List of NHL goaltenders with 300 wins|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.