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Five players that you completely forgot were New York Rangers

By John Williams

NEW YORK - APRIL 20: Markus Naslund #91 of the New York Rangers controls the puck against the Washington Capitals during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 20, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Capitals defeat the Rangers 4-0. (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - APRIL 20: Markus Naslund #91 of the New York Rangers controls the puck against the Washington Capitals during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 20, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Capitals defeat the Rangers 4-0. (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK – APRIL 20: Markus Naslund #91 of the New York Rangers controls the puck against the Washington Capitals during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 20, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Capitals defeat the Rangers 4-0. (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK – APRIL 20: Markus Naslund #91 of the New York Rangers controls the puck against the Washington Capitals during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 20, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Capitals defeat the Rangers 4-0. (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Markus Naslund

After spending a majority of his career with the Vancouver Canucks, Naslund signed with the Rangers on a one-year deal in 2008-09.

Naslund, 35 at the time start of the season, was coming off of a wildly successful run in Vancouver where he scored 60 points or more in eight of his last nine seasons. That stretch included a 105-point season, an 90 point season, a 84 point season and a 70 point season. He broke the streak in 2007-08 but still tallied 55 points in that stretch.

In his only season with the Rangers, the former first round pick of Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft played very well, notching 24 goals and 22 assists in all 82 games.

Naslund also provided loads of leadership.

He was the captain of the Canucks for seven years before coming to New York. He bolstered a solid leadership group in the Big Apple, wearing an ‘A’ alongside Scott Gomez and under Chris Drury, the captain at the time.

In a time where the Rangers were still beginning to infuse young players into the lineup, Naslund, at least for a season, provided some stability, especially once Tom Renney was fired and John Tortorella came in.

Many were surprised when Naslund called it quits after the season. Because of that, he likely won’t stay on the Hall of Fame ballot too long and he certainly won’t be remembered as a Ranger.

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