Mike Richter to annouce retirement!

[cmw00]

Can't find anything official on the net to post up but ESPN just annouced that he is going to annouce it in a press conference, I assume tomorrow.....

Hmmm can you say Cujo to NY?

[cmw00]

Ok Espn.com has somthing up about it now!

Goalie backstopped Rangers to '94 Cup
ESPN.com news services

One Stanley Cup, three NHL All-Star appearances and 15 seasons later, Mike Richter is finally calling it a career.

Mike Richter
Goaltender
New York Rangers
Profile
2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS
GM W L T SV% GAA
13 5 6 1 .897 2.94

The New York Rangers goaltender plans to announce his retirement Thursday, according to ESPN The Magazine's E.J. Hradek.

Not only did Richter -- who turns 37 later this month -- backstop the Rangers to the Stanley Cup in 1994, he also provide solid goaltending for Team USA in international competition. Richter helped the U.S. to the silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. He also played in the 1988 Olympics and won the MVP award in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

Drafted in the second round by the Rangers (28th overall) in 1985, Richter made his first career start in the 1989 playoffs. He set a Rangers record with 42 wins in the 1993-94 season, and not only was instrumental in the Rangers' Cup win that season, but also earned All-Star Game MVP honors.

On Jan. 18, 2001, Richter set a Rangers' record with 272 career wins, bettering the mark previously held by Ed Giacomin.

Last season, Richter suffered a concussion on Nov. 5 against Edmonton and was sidelined for the rest of the season.

The 5-10, 190-pound goalie registered a 301-258-73 record, along with a 2.89 goals against average and a .904 save percentage in his 15 seasons.

Next question, he's been had a very good career but is he HOF bound?

I have my doubts...

[Turbulence]

Looks like the concussion got the best of him...
...here's a predicament...Team USA has lost 2 of their 3 best goalies. Richter and Barasso have both retired...leaving Dunham. Ryan Miller played at the World Championships this year, but surely we have a better goalie than that! Who will be the goalies for the US now?....

As far as HOF bound, I dunno. He won a cup...and had a long and, for the most part, successful career, but he wasn't an ever-present dominating force ala Brodeur or Roy. He was good, but not HOF good.

[StormShaman]

As far as HOF bound, I dunno. He won a cup...and had a long and, for the most part, successful career, but he wasn't an ever-present dominating force ala Brodeur or Roy. He was good, but not HOF good.

It's one of those things where you have to look at his whole career, not just the NHL part. On the international scene he was consistently the US' best goaltender.

Is he first-ballot material? Of course not--that's something for guys like Marty Brodeur and Patrick Roy and Vladislav Tretiak (who, though he never played in the NHL--despite being drafted by the Habs as a young man--is one of the best goalies who's ever lived). But I think he'll be there.

[Turbulence]

Is it the hockey hall of fame or the NHL hall of fame?
Sounds like it's hockey as a whole...so I don't know. He was the goalie for Team USA for many years. I guess we'll see.

[AbNormal27]

I think he will get in. He is the winningest goalie in the history of the most storied American NHL franchise. He may not have Roy or Brodeur kind of numbers, but he is an American, and that should hold some water when it comes to consideration from the election committee.

Remember, there are some players who didn't have GERAT NHL numbers, but they are deservedly in because they had great numbers for an American born player and are in the HOF (Joe Mullen comes to mind), JMHO.

Aaryn

[Jillsdad]

Regardless of what you think of the Rangers personally, everyone here has to admit that Mike Richter was a class act. Being a Ranger fan i am sad to see him go but i will never forget that he did backstop the Rangers to the 94 cup thus ending the 54 year curse. Thanks for everything Richter.

[StormShaman]

Is it the hockey hall of fame or the NHL hall of fame?

It's the Hockey Hall of Fame. That's why Vladislav Tretiak is in there, even though he never played a single second in the NHL. Same with Hobey Baker--who was the greatest college player ever, and for whom the Hobey Baker Award is named. He never played in the NHL, and he's in the HHOF.