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New York Rangers: 10 worst free agent signings in team history

By Steve Paulus

NEW YORK - MARCH 14: Wade Redden #6 of the New York Rangers skates with the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on March 14, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - MARCH 14: Wade Redden #6 of the New York Rangers skates with the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on March 14, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA – JANUARY 07: Donald Brashear #87 of the New York Rangers against the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena on January 7, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA – JANUARY 07: Donald Brashear #87 of the New York Rangers against the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena on January 7, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

#10 – Donald Brashear (2009)

The New York Rangers seem to be on a perpetual hunt for tough guys. This summer’s re-signing of Cody McLeod is just another example of enforcer free agent signings that include Nick Fotiu, Darren Langdon, Derek Boogard and Jay Caufield. The biggest bust of all was Donald Brashear.

Rangers fans went nuts when Glen Sather inked Brashear to a two-year deal worth $2.8 million. This was just weeks after Brashear, in the first round of the playoffs as a Washington Capital, blindsided Rangers center Blair Betts with a hit that knocked him out cold and broke his eye socket. Brashear was suspended six games for that hit and for trying to start a fight with Colton Orr in pre-game warmups.

Though Brashear tried to win over the New York fans, he was never accepted and his lousy play only furthered his bad reputation.

He averaged six minutes a game in 36 games and had one measly assist along with 73 penalty minutes and a plus minus rating of -9. Sather acknowledged that the signing was a big mistake by banishing him to the AHL, then trading him to Atlanta where he was waived. That was the end of Brashear’s NHL career.

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