Dennis Schneidler-Imagn ImagesAsked by author ("Raising Stanley") Ross Bernstein what winning the Stanley Cup in 1994 meant to him, goalie Mike Richter offered these thoughts:
"It meant everything I imagined what it would be like as a little kid, and when it finally happened, it was even better than I had imagined. The minute it happened, that was the new standard by which you measured yourself.
"It was almost like anything but 'that' would never feel right again. As an individual playing on a team sport, this is it. This is the pinnacle. This is what you have grown up dreaming about doing. It's what you're working for your entire life.
"Beyond that, it is what you have been entrusted to do by the organization that signs your paycheck; and it is the expectation of the fans who pay to watch you day in and day out. It's a big deal. It makes you appreciate everything so much more too!"