9/3/2003
NEW YORK (AP) - New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter, the team's career victories leader, will announce his retirement Thursday, according to published reports.
The Rangers have scheduled what they call a "major player announcement" for Thursday afternoon.
The announcement comes because Richter has still not been cleared to play after sustaining his second concussion in eight months last November, according to reports Wednesday.
Richter, who will turn 37 on Sept. 22, was kneed in the head during a game against Edmonton on Nov. 5, 2002 _ the final victory of his career. That injury came after Richter missed the final nine games of the previous season because of a skull fracture, which occurred when he was struck in the mask by a shot.
Richter played all 14 of his NHL seasons with the Rangers, and was in goal for the team's 1994 Stanley Cup championship. He compiled a record of 301-258-73 in a franchise-record 666 games in net. He also holds the club record for minutes played with 38,185.
A three-time all-star, Richter was also a member of the 1998 and 2002 U.S. Olympic hockey teams, the latter of which won the silver medal in Salt Lake City, and was the goalie on the U.S. team that won the World Cup in 1996.
He was named the MVP of the 1994 NHL all-star game, and holds eight Rangers' regular-season records and five post-season records.
TSN.ca