For the first time in recent memory, the New York Rangers do not have an agitator on the roster. This is an ode to some of the more colorful characters on recent teams.
NHL teams for the most part no longer employ a goon or agitator. In the salary cap era, every single dollar is valuable and allocating cap space to a player with limited ability is bad business. Every roster spot needs to be able to contribute in both ends of the ice.
A player like Jesper Fast is infinitely more valuable to the Rangers than Tanner Glass. However, there is something to be said for the old guard of enforcers like Glass. They didn’t contribute on the score sheet but found ways to change the dynamic of the game.
It’s not art, but pissing someone off or winning a fight can swing a hockey game. Baiting someone into taking a penalty is an art and a good agitator can always get their team a power play. This list is dedicated to the Rangers who went to the dirty areas and had more penalty minutes than points