Blue Line Station
Fansided

New York Rangers all-time top forward lines

By Jim Madden

New York Rangers Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka in action against the Tampa Bay Lighting. New York Rangers defeat the Tampa Bay Lighting 4-2 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York on December 22, 2005. (Photo by Dave Saffran/NHLImages)
New York Rangers Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka in action against the Tampa Bay Lighting. New York Rangers defeat the Tampa Bay Lighting 4-2 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York on December 22, 2005. (Photo by Dave Saffran/NHLImages) /
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2004 Season: Player Petr Nedved of the New York Rangers. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
2004 Season: Player Petr Nedved of the New York Rangers. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images) /

# 9 – The Czechmates

New York Rangers GM Neil Smith struggled to fill the void at center after Mark Messier was allowed to leave after the 1996-97 season.   Needing a second line center with the sudden retirement of Pat Lafontaine, Smith reacquired Petr Nedved from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade for Alex Kovalev in November of 1998.

With the team missing the playoffs in back to back seasons and the retirement of Wayne Gretzky, Smith went to work to give Nedved some wingers and create a number one line.  In June, he acquired left winger Jan Hlavac in a draft day deal with the Calgary Flames and then acquired right winger Radek Dvorak from the San Jose Sharks in December.  Coach John Muckler put the wingers together with their fellow Czech Republic countryman Nedved and the Rangers had a number one line.

The unit became known as “the Czechmates” and quickly became a high flying production line with instant chemistry.  The Rangers who at the time of the Dvorak trade were out of the playoff hunt went on a tear reeling off nine wins in 11 games with Nedved notching two hat tricks within a week and Dvorak scoring another giving them three within their first month together.  The unit maintained its pace as Nedved finished as the team’s leading scorer with 68 points and Hlavac finishing ninth in rookie balloting for the Calder Trophy.

The 2000-01 season was the Czechmates finest showing.  Nedved led the team in goals with 32 and finished second on the team in scoring with 78 points.  Hlavac set career highs in goals (28) and points (64) and notched his first two NHL hat tricks and he led the team with six game winning goals.  Dvorak also set career bests with 31 goals and 67 points and three game winners.  Overall the Czechmates scored 91 goals with 14 of them game winning goals.

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