Richter was never the #1 goaltender in the league, he had great competition playing against the likes of Roy, Hasek, Belfour, and Brodeur. In fact, I don't think Richter was ever nominated for a Vezina.
But I agree that when it comes to a goalie in the clutch, Richter was excellent. He was great in '94 but I think he was even better in the '97 playoffs, shutting out the top-seeded Devils and outdueling Marty twice in the semi-finals.
I think Lundqvist is the better goaltender but I give Richter the edge based on playoff performance. However, Richter had a much better team in front of him than Lundqvist during the playoffs, and I think if you put Lundqvist on some of those mid-'90s Rangers' teams, he would be dominant.
That's my opinion. It isn't fact. Richter played amazing during the Cup run and that season. I thought he was hands down, best keeper in the league that year.
Have to call you out like others did on one thing, I love richter, but he was never the #1 goaltender in the league.
Richter gets the edge for the playoff success of course, and the teams playing in front of him post '97 (along with injuries) really held back his career stats. However, Richter also was also sent to the minors in '93 and was battling for his own job with Glenn Healy a bit near the end of '95. These shouldnt be held against him in huge ways (hello, cup in the middle year), but should be mentioned.
If Hank ever matches Richter's cup, this won't even be a contest I think...
Like I said in my post, it is my opinion that he was #1 during the 93-94 season. You need a great keeper to win the Cup and Richter was great that year, no body IMO was better.
Until Hanks brings a cup to NY, Richter will be #1 in my eyes.
He had the MOST wins in the league with 42, 5 more than Belfour, he was top 5 in GAA, top 5 in shutouts, #1 in Goalie points with 90. Im my mind he was #1.
Really depends on the situation. If its a regular season game during the playoff race, I want Lundqvist. If it is Game 7 or an elimination game, I would take Richter every time.
Don't be jealous. Need I remind of you of the 93-94 playoff series? If Richter were healthy, he would have been an all-time great.
I'm not a big fan of Brodeur, but let's be fair--Brodeur was pretty a rookie in the playoffs that year and played magnificantly in that series. Plus, the Devils had lost all 6 games they played against the Rangers during the regular season. The Rangers won because--as a team--they were just a little bit better and completely determined to win.
To go back to the original question: until Lundqvist wins a Stanley Cup, it's Richter. After he matches Richter, we'll talk again. Just hope it's with the Rangers.
Richter was never the #1 goaltender in the league, he had great competition playing against the likes of Roy, Hasek, Belfour, and Brodeur. In fact, I don't think Richter was ever nominated for a Vezina.
If Hank keeps it up for another 10 years and wins at least one Cup, he'll be in the Hall of Fame, which Richter didn't come close to.
But I'd like to see Henrik put up a Richter-like performance in the playoffs. So far, Lundqvist>Richter during the regular season; Lundqvist<Richter during the playoffs.
I say we'll win the Cup in the next 10 years and Lundqvist will be in the Hall. We have too much coming up the system.
Watching Gabby score and then looking at Stepan's playmaking ability makes me want to cry. That pair might be brutal offensively together. Stepan is as good a center (except faceoffs) as any 19-year-old in the Rangers system since I've been watching hockey.
If Hank keeps it up for another 10 years and wins at least one Cup, he'll be in the Hall of Fame, which Richter didn't come close to.
But I'd like to see Henrik put up a Richter-like performance in the playoffs. So far, Lundqvist>Richter during the regular season; Lundqvist<Richter during the playoffs.
I say we'll win the Cup in the next 10 years and Lundqvist will be in the Hall. We have too much coming up the system.
Watching Gabby score and then looking at Stepan's playmaking ability makes me want to cry. That pair might be brutal offensively together. Stepan is as good a center (except faceoffs) as any 19-year-old in the Rangers system since I've been watching hockey.
The frustrating part is, although we have a world-class goalie, our incompetent GM won't be going anywhere during Lundqvist's reign as king of NHL as he and Dolan are in love. The man deserves a cup, and he may feel that his years in the NHL were wasted.
If it's game 7, I'll take my childhood hero over any goaltender that has played this game.
Mike Richter - Clutch
Bigger the game, better he played. There is no chance in hell, the Rangers win the 94' Cup w/o #35. The saves he made in O/T, and D/O/T against the Devils, wasn't human.
I think Henrik is a better 'Tender though. He just doesn't come up big when the game is on the line. Mikey did though.
Are we talking future Lundqvist or current Lundqvist? Future Lundqvist will win 10 stanley cups and easily pass 900 wins no worries.
In all seriousness, if Lundqvist stays healthy and is a ranger for the remainder of his time in the NHL he will without a doubt be the rangers all time winningest goalie.
As per the playoffs, you give Lundqvist-- Messier, Leetch, Graves, Kovalev, Zubov, etc the way the were in 93-94' and we would've won the cup in 3 games, Vancouver wouldn't of even showed up for game 4.
Final point -- the game has changed alot since we won the cup, and to compare these two goalies is flat out impossible (I just did it because it's 2:13 in the morning and I'm bored.)
--Note: I bolded the serious parts just in case anyone was confused.
If it's game 7, I'll take my childhood hero over any goaltender that has played this game.
Mike Richter - Clutch
Bigger the game, better he played. There is no chance in hell, the Rangers win the 94' Cup w/o #35. The saves he made in O/T, and D/O/T against the Devils, wasn't human.
I think Henrik is a better 'Tender though. He just doesn't come up big when the game is on the line. Mikey did though.
Richter had a few real stinkers in some big games. As to Lundqvist not coming up big when the game is on the line, I'll have to assume that you didn't watch the international competion that Hank won.
Like I said in my post, it is my opinion that he was #1 during the 93-94 season. You need a great keeper to win the Cup and Richter was great that year, no body IMO was better.
Until Hanks brings a cup to NY, Richter will be #1 in my eyes.
He had the MOST wins in the league with 42, 5 more than Belfour, he was top 5 in GAA, top 5 in shutouts, #1 in Goalie points with 90. Im my mind he was #1.
At the risk of driving Richter's legions mad, I submit that Richter was the 2nd best goalie in the Finals when they won the Cup.
Watched them both from the time they playe dtheir first games as pros till now ot retired (Richter).
Based on watching them play, Henrik is the more sound techincal goaltender of the two.
Henrik covers the net better than Mike did, but mike was quicker on the lateral movement (which also contributed to 2 leg injuries)
Positionally, I think that Henrik is better and because he's better positionally, he doesn't have to scramble nearly as much as Richter did.
Because Richter got caught out of position and had to scramble more than he should have, he kind of put himself inposition to HAVE to make some highlight reel saves whereas Henrik is much more methodical and safe.
It becomes a tougher choice to make because Richter has won some very important games for this franchise, but as one poster pointed out, the team that played in front of him for the first 7 years of his career was far superior to any team that has played in front of Henrik and Lundqvist has still done something that Richter NEVER did, and that is win 30 games in back to back seasons (actually it's back to back to back to back) And Henrik is on pace for another 30 wins this season.
Richter may have won bigger games than Lundqvist (although a Gold Medal is nothing to sneeze at) but Henrik does a better job of winning games by himself.
Taking in everything that we know about both players, I would choose Henrik Lundqvist.
