Jan 23, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the ice rink prior to the game between the New York Rangers and the St. Louis Blues at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Tomas Sandsrom – 2nd round (36th overall), 1982
The Finnish-born Sandstrom, taken in the 2nd round of the 1982 NHL Draft, would not make his debut until two years later, but his impact was immediate. As a 20-year-old rookie, Sandstrom would tally 29 goals and 58 points, showing a rough side to his game that most Europeans had not to that point.
Two seasons later, Sandstrom looked like a star in the making after registering 40 goals and 74 points in just 64 games as a 22-year-old in 1986-87. Even during the early stage of his career, his bruising, physical style began to take a toll on him and he would never suit up for a full 82-game season.
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Over the course of his six seasons in New York, he never scored fewer than 25 goals and hit the 30 goal mark three times, posting back-to-back 32-goal seasons in 1988-90 and 1989-90. That ’89-90 season would be his last in New York, though.
In January 1990, still in his mid-20s, Sandstrom was traded aong with Tony Granato to the Los Angeles Kings for former 70-goal scorer Bernie Nicholls. Sandstrom would go on to have a couple of highly productive seasons in Los Angeles with Gretzky, but his bruising style would really limit him going forward and he would only post one more 30-goal effort after his 45 goals in his first full year in L.A.
Sandstrom amassed just 407 games in New York, but netted 173 goals and 380 points over that time. He was one of the better power forwards in the game and appeared to begin finding his nose for the net when injuries began to become an issue.
He is one of the more prominent “what if?” cases in Rangers history, as many were left to wonder what he could have done with improved health and more time in the Big Apple.
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