New York Rangers: Top five Ryan McDonagh moments
The sweeping changes that New York Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton promised this season are now complete and franchise defenseman and team captain Ryan McDonagh is now a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Let’s take a look back at McDonagh’s top five moments on Broadway.
For a long time, the New York Rangers had a core in place in an effort to win the Stanley Cup. Ryan McDonagh was a focal piece of that core. For eight seasons, McDonagh manned the New York Rangers’ blueline, serving as captain for four of those years.
McDonagh was a huge reason for the Rangers’ 2014 run to the Stanley Cup Final, as well as their President’s Trophy-winning season in 2015.
Ryan McDonagh will forever be remembered for his time as a New York Ranger. He gave the fans so many memories over the past eight years. Here are his top five moments as a New York Ranger.
5. Being named captain
After previous captain Ryan Callahan was traded at the 2014 trade deadline, the Rangers rolled with three alternate captains. There was much speculation about who the next captain would be.
On October 6th, 2014, Ryan McDonagh was named the 27th captain in New York Rangers history. Marc Staal, Martin St. Louis, Derek Stepan, and Dan Girardi were named alternate captains.
McDonagh was the fourth-youngest Rangers captain ever. He was also the 11th defenseman to hold that position.
McDonagh faithfully served the New York Rangers as captain for four years. He will be sorely missed.
4. Toe drag goal vs. Washington
On February 12, 2012, the Rangers were facing off against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden. They were tied 1-1 with a little under seven minutes to go in the second period.
Ryan McDonagh was posted at the left faceoff dot and received a pass from Brian Boyle. He toe-dragged the puck past Jason Chimera and fired it past goaltender Michal Neuvirth for the go-ahead goal.
The Rangers wound up winning the game 3-2. A goal like this showed how capable McDonagh was offensively, despite being known as a stalwart in his own end.
3. Overtime winner vs. Coyotes
On March 23, 2014, the Rangers were facing off against the Phoenix Coyotes at Madison Square Garden. It was the night that the Rangers honored Henrik Lundqvist for breaking the franchise wins and shutouts records.
They trailed 3-2 late in the game when Dan Girardi tied it. The game was headed to overtime.
In overtime, a little less than two minutes in, Brad Richards kicked the puck over to Carl Hagelin.
Hagelin fed Dan Girardi out at the point. Girardi then fired a one-timer at Mike Smith, which he kicked away. Smith kicked it away with his right pad, and the rebound came right out to McDonagh at the top of the crease. McDonagh then fired it into the open net, and raised his arms and pumped his right fist as the Rangers won the game.
The look of pure joy and excitement as McDonagh won the game for the Rangers will stay with fans forever. This goal was a sneak peek of the immeasurable impact that he would make for his team on that year’s playoff run.
2. Entire 2014 Eastern Conference Finals
Ryan McDonagh’s coming out party was the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals. The Rangers faced the Montreal Canadiens, the team that, ironically, traded his draft rights to the Rangers in the first place.
McDonagh was an absolute force in the series, putting up two goals and eight assists in six games. It was incredibly impressive that McDonagh was able to produce over a point per game, and then still shut down Montreal’s top players.
In fact, McDonagh even outproduced P.K. Subban, regarded as the top offensive defenseman on either team. McDonagh may have been the best player on either team. His performance was a huge factor in the Rangers advancing to their first Stanley Cup Final in 20 years.
1. 2015 Game 5 Overtime Winner
Every Ranger fan remembers this one.
The Rangers trailed the Eastern Conference Semifinals three game to one to the Washington Capitals. This led to an elimination game at MSG.
The game was a defensive battle. Then, in the waning stages of the game, Capitals forward Curtis Glencross came in on a breakaway. He got a shot off, and Lundqvist made the save. But, the rebound came back out to him and he scored.
Madison Square Garden was dead. It seemed that this was it, that the Rangers would lose in the second round.
Then, a miracle occurred. With about a minute and 40 seconds left in the game and Lundqvist pulled for the extra attacker, Chris Kreider took a pass from Derek Stepan. Down on one knee, he fired it past Braden Holtby for the tying goal. Suddenly, the Rangers had life.
Then came overtime. Curtis Glencross had the puck in the neutral zone, and Jesper Fast forced a turnover. He fed the puck to Derek Stepan, who then hit McDonagh with a back-pass, which he wired past Holtby for the game-winning goal.
The Garden erupted, and the lasting memory of that moment was the complete joy on Ryan McDonagh’s face as his teammates mobbed him. The Rangers lived to fight for a Game 6 in Washington. Then came Game 7, and a certain overtime series winner from a Wisconsin teammate of McDonagh’s and the rest, as they say, is history.
Next: New York Rangers: Thank you for everything Ryan McDonagh
Ryan McDonagh was an incredible Ranger, and he gave everything he had to the franchise, night in and night out. We’ll always have the memories that he gave us. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for everything MacTruck. It’s been a pleasure.