The 10 best trades in the history of the New York Rangers

Canadian professional hockey player Mark Messier of the New York Rangers hoists the Stanley Cup championship award trophy over his head as teammates American Brian Noonan (#16) and Canadian Glenn Healy (#30) look on during the opening night of the 1995 NHL season, Madison Square Garden, New York, January 20, 1995. The 1994-95 Season was shortened to the 1995 Season because of a lockout in Fall 1994. The Rangers opening game was against the Buffalo Sabres and they lost 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
Canadian professional hockey player Mark Messier of the New York Rangers hoists the Stanley Cup championship award trophy over his head as teammates American Brian Noonan (#16) and Canadian Glenn Healy (#30) look on during the opening night of the 1995 NHL season, Madison Square Garden, New York, January 20, 1995. The 1994-95 Season was shortened to the 1995 Season because of a lockout in Fall 1994. The Rangers opening game was against the Buffalo Sabres and they lost 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
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Canadian professional hockey player Mark Messier of the New York Rangers hoists the Stanley Cup championship award trophy over his head as teammates American Brian Noonan (#16) and Canadian Glenn Healy (#30) look on during the opening night of the 1995 NHL season, Madison Square Garden, New York, January 20, 1995. The 1994-95 Season was shortened to the 1995 Season because of a lockout in Fall 1994. The Rangers opening game was against the Buffalo Sabres and they lost 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
Canadian professional hockey player Mark Messier of the New York Rangers hoists the Stanley Cup championship award trophy over his head as teammates American Brian Noonan (#16) and Canadian Glenn Healy (#30) look on during the opening night of the 1995 NHL season, Madison Square Garden, New York, January 20, 1995. The 1994-95 Season was shortened to the 1995 Season because of a lockout in Fall 1994. The Rangers opening game was against the Buffalo Sabres and they lost 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)

There’s nothing better than a great trade and the New York Rangers have had their fair share. Here’s a list of the ten best trades ever made by the franchise.

In analyzing trades, deals don’t necessarily have to be one-sided. Outright steals are extremely rare in this league so results matter. A good trade can propel a team to tremendous heights just like a terrible trade could bury a franchise for years. The New York Rangers have experienced both of these in their 90+ year history.

One example of the former, the swapfest of March 1994, resulted in a Stanley Cup victory for the Blueshirts, but none of those deals will make the list due of the franchises’ best trades due to the long-term results– the team being set in a downward spiral that resulted in mediocrity for the better part of the next decade.

Being an Original Six team, the Rangers have been in the trading business for almost a hundred years and some of these trades may seem like ancient history, but deserve a place on this list.

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