<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Mike Richter on 4 Nations Face-Off, 1996 World Cup MVP &amp; Auston Matthews" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N1xN6eMZb6c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p>New York Rangers legend Mike Richter joined Nick Alberga and Carter Hutton on Leafs Morning Take this week, where he reflected on being named MVP of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/mike-richter-raves-about-auston-matthews-ahead-of-the-united-states-4-nations-opener-leafs-morning-take">much more</a>.</p>
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<p>Richter raved about Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/auston-matthews-cool-calm-collected-embracing-the-challenge-leading-team-usa-4-nations-faceoff">who serves as USA&#8217;s captain</a> during the 4 Nations Face-Off. It&#8217;s a tremendous time for U.S. hockey in general, as it stakes a claim to be considered the runaway powerhouse in men&#8217;s international hockey.</p>
<p>The three-time NHL All-Star spoke about a number of topics and provided the behind-the-scenes details of what happened when he captured MVP at the 1996 World Cup, leading USA to victory.</p>
<p>&#8220;Oddly, they were giving out a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. And it was amazing! The tournament happens fast and you ask anybody, all they care about is playing well and winning, and we did that. Then you get this Harley, and we went out and had a few drinks and a party afterwards, and you kind of don&#8217;t think about it. But then at some point, are you going to pick this thing up? And I remember Mess (Mark Messier) going &#8216;hey buddy, you don&#8217;t get a second chance at one of these things, why don&#8217;t we think about giving that baby away?&#8217; And so, we did: we auctioned it off for the New York Fire Department, which was really cool.</p>
<p>&#8220;They gave me one of those FDNY hats with 35 on it, and we created some money for a fire department fund. It was great, people bid it up higher than its normal cost because the charity was a worthy cause. It was a nice thing. I didn&#8217;t crash, someone got a cool motorcycle and there was money made for a charity, so all of it was good.&#8221;</p>
<p>Richter remains a legend in New York, backstopping the Rangers to the Stanley Cup in 1994, while spending the entirety of his 666-game career with the organization. He was named to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008 alongside his Rangers teammate Brian Leetch, two core components of the 1994 Stanley Cup win — Leetch won the Conn Smythe Trophy that year as well for a tour-de-force performance.</p>
<p>You don&#8217;t get to hear behind-the-scenes stories like this too often, and it&#8217;s pretty cool to see that Richter always had community in mind at the peak of his powers. We&#8217;ll be curious to see what Matthews or Connor Hellebuyck does, if they win 4 Nations Face-Off MVP this year!</p>
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1xN6eMZb6c

New York Rangers legend Mike Richter joined Nick Alberga and Carter Hutton on Leafs Morning Take this week, where he reflected on being named MVP of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/mike-richter-raves-about-auston-matthews-ahead-of-the-united-states-4-nations-opener-leafs-morning-take">much more</a>.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2106" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="324"></div>
Richter raved about Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/auston-matthews-cool-calm-collected-embracing-the-challenge-leading-team-usa-4-nations-faceoff">who serves as USA's captain</a> during the 4 Nations Face-Off. It's a tremendous time for U.S. hockey in general, as it stakes a claim to be considered the runaway powerhouse in men's international hockey.

The three-time NHL All-Star spoke about a number of topics and provided the behind-the-scenes details of what happened when he captured MVP at the 1996 World Cup, leading USA to victory.

"Oddly, they were giving out a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. And it was amazing! The tournament happens fast and you ask anybody, all they care about is playing well and winning, and we did that. Then you get this Harley, and we went out and had a few drinks and a party afterwards, and you kind of don't think about it. But then at some point, are you going to pick this thing up? And I remember Mess (Mark Messier) going 'hey buddy, you don't get a second chance at one of these things, why don't we think about giving that baby away?' And so, we did: we auctioned it off for the New York Fire Department, which was really cool.

"They gave me one of those FDNY hats with 35 on it, and we created some money for a fire department fund. It was great, people bid it up higher than its normal cost because the charity was a worthy cause. It was a nice thing. I didn't crash, someone got a cool motorcycle and there was money made for a charity, so all of it was good."

Richter remains a legend in New York, backstopping the Rangers to the Stanley Cup in 1994, while spending the entirety of his 666-game career with the organization. He was named to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008 alongside his Rangers teammate Brian Leetch, two core components of the 1994 Stanley Cup win — Leetch won the Conn Smythe Trophy that year as well for a tour-de-force performance.

You don't get to hear behind-the-scenes stories like this too often, and it's pretty cool to see that Richter always had community in mind at the peak of his powers. We'll be curious to see what Matthews or Connor Hellebuyck does, if they win 4 Nations Face-Off MVP this year!
<h3>Sponsored by bet365</h3>
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Mike Richter takes us behind the scenes after winning MVP of 1996 World Cup of Hockey

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