New York Rangers all-time top forward lines
By Jim Madden
#8 – The Bread and butter line
Over the course of the three seasons (1987 to 1990) the Rangers relied upon their top line to regain respectability and a return to post season. Center Kelly Kisio had arrived via trade from the Detroit Red Wings in June of 1986 while GM Phil Esposito went out and acquired wingers John Ogrodnick from the Quebec Nordiques and native New Yorker Brian Mullen from the Winnipeg Jets. The trio was put together to assemble what became known as “the Bread and Butter line”.
The trio received their name from their workman-like approach and their gritty play in the tough areas of the ice. Mullen and Kisio were tough nosed scrappers while the quick and slender Ogrodnick was a breakaway threat who took advantage of the space created by his line mates. He also had a knack for getting to lose pucks, especially on the power play.
The “Bread and butter line” had their best season during the 1988-89 campaign which was also the furthest the Rangers got in the post season in their 3 seasons together. Ogrodnick was the Rangers leading scorer and topped all Rangers with 43 goals, the fourth time he topped the 40 goal plateau in his career. Nineteen goals were on the power play, and he had a team leading eight game winners. It was an all star season for Ogrodnick who added 6 goals in the playoffs.
Mullen had his third consecutive 25 goal season and finished second in scoring with 68 points. Mullen had seven goals on the power play and three game winners. Captain Kisio finished fourth in scoring with 66 points despite missing 12 games. Of his 22 goals, seven of those were on the power play and finished third in playoff scoring with 10 points. The trio combined for 92 goals and 12 game winning tallies.