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New York Rangers: The best undrafted players in franchise history

By Steve Paulus

TAMPA, FL - MAY 22: Martin St. Louis
TAMPA, FL - MAY 22: Martin St. Louis /
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NEW YORK, NY – 1972: Stan Mikita #21 of the Chicago Blackhawks and Walt Tkzczuk #18 of the New York Rangers follow the puck circa 1972 at the Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Melchior DiGiacomo/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – 1972: Stan Mikita #21 of the Chicago Blackhawks and Walt Tkzczuk #18 of the New York Rangers follow the puck circa 1972 at the Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Melchior DiGiacomo/Getty Images) /

#1 – Walt Tkaczuk

Walt Tkaczuk was a scoring machine in the Ontario Hockey Association for the Kitchener Rangers, but remained undrafted after five years. In the spring of 1968, the Rangers offered him a contract and he was held scoreless in two games for the team, becoming the first German-born player in NHL history.

In the 1968-69 season he lit up the AHL with Buffalo scoring nine points in five games and was promoted to the big club. He went on to play 14 seasons in New York as one of the top defensive players in the game as the center of the “Bulldog Line” with Bill Fairbairn and Dave Balon. Known as one of the strongest players in the NHL, Tkaczuk finished up with 227 goals and 678 points in 945 games.

The highlight of his career was the Stanley Cup Final in 1972 against the Boston Bruins. Playing for a Rangers team crippled by injuries to Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert and Eddie Giacomin, Tkaczuk took over as one of the team leaders. He was given the job of shutting down Phil Esposito who had scored 66 goals that season and was averaging a goal a game in the playoffs.  Tkaczuk held Esposito scoreless in the six game series, one of the greatest defensive performances in Stanley Cup Final history.

An All-Star and one of the greatest Rangers of all times, Tkaczuk made another Finals appearance in 1979 when they lost to Montreal.  Tkaczuk is the only player in the post-expansion era to play in two Stanley Cup Finals for the Rangers.

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