NHL legend Mike Richter -- one of the best U.S. goalies EVER -- is pleading with Donald Trump to take climate change seriously ... telling TMZ Sports the crisis is real and it's affecting hockey!!
Richter was in Washington D.C. this week giving a speech to the Senate Committee about climate change when we got him out and asked why he's so passionate about the cause.
That's when he told us he believes everyday life is being affected by the changes ... including people who want to play pond hockey in America!