New York Rangers Look Back: The spare tires

We will be taking an occasional look back at New York Rangers history by focusing on former players, mostly obscure, who have some kind of distinction.  In our first installment, we will be profiling two of the more famous “spare tires” in hockey history.

The term “spare tire” when in connection with an NHL trade was coined by former Ranger Joe Zanussi.   He was immortalized on November 7, 1975 when he was part of one of the biggest trades in NHL history.  Rangers GM  Emile Francis and Bruins GM Harry Sinden shocked the hockey world when they traded a pair of franchise centers for each other.  Boston sent Phil Esposito and defenseman Carol Vadnais to New York in exchange for Jean Ratelle, Brad Park and Zanussi.

While the other four players were hockey household names, Zanussi immediately proclaimed himself “the biggest spare tire in NHL history.”  He wasn’t wrong

At the time of the deal, Zanussi was a 28-year old defenseman who had played all of eight games in the NHL, all with the Rangers, with two assists.  He had played two full seasons with Winnipeg in the WHA putting up good numbers.  His rights were owned by the Rangers and he signed with them in time for the 1974-75 season.

Why did the Bruins insist on Zanussi being included in the deal?  He had scored 22 goals and had 58 points in 64 games with the Rangers’ AHL farm team the previous year. Esposito was the key acquisition in the deal as he had averaged 56 goals over the previous eight seasons.   While Vadnais was solid defenseman, the Rangers gave up two all-stars in Ratelle and Park and had to include Zanussi in the deal.  In hindsight, the Rangers gave up more than they got though Zanussi never panned out as an NHLer.

One more bit of trivia regarding Zanussi. He was the first Ranger player with a last name starting with the letter “Z.”

A throw-in with the Great One

Eddie Mio was a goaltender who played two seasons with the Rangers, winning 29 of 64 games. His  Ranger GAA was 3.50 and his save percentage was .884. He had been acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in 1981 and ultimately ended up being traded to Detroit (with Ron Duguay) in 1983.

What makes Ed Mio distinctive?  He was included in the trade that sent Wayne Gretzky from the Indianapolis Racers to the Edmonton Oilers on November 2, 1978.  It wasn’t really a trade, as no players went the other way.  Racers owner Nelson Skalbania was short of cash and agreed to sell Gretzky, Mio and a forward named Peter Driscoll to his friend and owner of the Oilers, Peter Pocklington, for $700,000 and “future considerations.”

In making the trade, Gretzky ended up an Edmonton Oiler instead of becoming a Chicago Black Hawk.  The Hawks owned his  NHL rights at the time of the demise of the WHA and would have added “The Great One” to a roster that included Stan Mikita, Bobby Orr and Tony Esposito.

How did Mio get included in this transaction?  There’s a simple answer.  He was Wayne Gretzky’s best friend.  He was actually the best man at Gretzky’s wedding to Janet Jones in 1988.

A bit of useless trivia about Ed Mio as a New York Rangers.  He has the shortest last name of any New York Ranger, tied with Paul Cyr, Bill Dea and Bill Moe.   If you use the first name “Ed” instead of “Eddie,”  he has the distinction of owning the shortest first and last name in Ranger history, at five letters.