New York Rangers: An All-Star history
By Steve Paulus
The 2020 All-Star Game is here and for the sixth straight year, the New York Rangers have one representative at the game. Chris Kreider gets to strut his stuff in St. Louis.
It’s been a long time since someone not named Lundqvist or McDonagh is representing the New York Rangers at the All-Star Game. It was five years ago that Rick Nash was the Rangers representative, the last time the Blueshirts sent a forward to the game.
Of course, Artemi Panarin was the Ranger selected to go, but after suffering an upper body injury that made him miss his last game, he is taking the nine days off to fully recuperate. So, Kreider was deemed the player to represent New York City at the player’s showcase.
The best year
2012 was one of the biggest years for the Rangers at the All-Star Game. They actually sent three representatives to the game in Marian Gaborik, Dan Girardi and Lundqvist. That year they also had an all-rookie team and Carl Hagelin made the trip to Ottawa.
The year before it was Marc Staal and Lundqvist. As Ranger fans bemoan the big contracts Glen Sather bestowed on Lundqvist, Girardi and Staal, it’s worth remembering that they were considered among the elite that their positions in those days.
Fading into our distant memories are the days when the all-star players were names Scott Gomez, Jaromir Jagr and Mark Messier in the first few years of this century.
Skills Competition
The Rangers haven’t fared very well at the Skills Competition. The NHL added the Skills Competition in 1990 to extend the all-star hoopla an extra day. Last season it was a last all-star hurrah for Henrik Lundqvist as he won the “Longest Save Streak” competition with 12 straight stops against the best shooters in the world.
Mike Richter was named the best goalie in the Skills Competition in 1992 and 2000. That award is no longer given and it was for the best all-around performance by a goalie in the various events.
Other winners include Mike Gartner as the “Fastest Skater” in 1993. Carl Hagelin also won that competition in 2012 when he was there for the all-rookie team.
There have been two events held every year since 1990. They include the “Hardest Shot” and the “Shooting Accuracy” competition which was won by Mark Messier in 1996. No Ranger has ever won the “Hardest Shot” competition. It figures.