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Five greatest defense pairs in Rangers team history

By Steve Paulus

2004 Season: Player Brian Leetch of the New York Rangers. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
2004 Season: Player Brian Leetch of the New York Rangers. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) /
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MONTREAL, CANADA – CIRCA 1980: Barry Beck #5 of the New York Rangers follows the play after having his helmet knocked off against Montreal Canadiens Circa 1980 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, CANADA – CIRCA 1980: Barry Beck #5 of the New York Rangers follows the play after having his helmet knocked off against Montreal Canadiens Circa 1980 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images) /

#4  Barry Beck and Reijo Ruotsalainen

If any defense pairing could be called the odd couple, it was Beck and Ruotsalainen, simply because of their difference in size.   Beck was a behemoth at 6’3″, 216 pounds.  Ruotsalainen was 5’8″, 170 pounds.

They played together for five years with Beck playing the role of the stay-at-home defenseman while Ruotsalainen (known as Rexi) would embark on end-to-end rushes. Rexi topped the 20 goal mark twice with a high of 28 in 1985.  Beck had scored 22 goals as a rookie for the Colorado Rockies, but as Ruotsalainen’s partner, never topped 12 goals.

BOSTON, MA. – 1980’s: Reijo Ruotsalainen #29 of the New York Rangers skates against the Boston Bruins in game at the Boston Garden. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA. – 1980’s: Reijo Ruotsalainen #29 of the New York Rangers skates against the Boston Bruins in game at the Boston Garden. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The team made the playoffs every year from 1981 to 1986 when they were a pair, but they had the misfortune of running into an Islander dynasty the first three years and made it to the Conference Finals in 1986, but lost to Montreal.

Ruotsalainen was a catalyst for the Herb Brooks coached Rangers teams, known for their “Smurfs.” Flyers coach Bob McCammon gave the Rangers that name due to their smaller players like Ruotsalainen, Mark Pavelich, Mike Rogers and Rob McClanahan.  Beck was the anti-Smurf, but his teaming up with Ruotsalainen was very effective.

What’s notable about the duo is that both Beck and Ruotsalainen quit on the team after the  1985-86 season. Despite the team’s success, they had issues with coach Ted Sator who had taken over for Brooks and after the season,  Ruotsalainen signed with a Swiss team and Beck effectively retired, citing his differences with Sator.

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