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The New York Rangers and the “Miracle on Ice”

By Steve Paulus

LAKE PLACID, NY - FEBRUARY 22: The United States Hockey team celebrates after they defeated the Soviet Union during a metal round game of the Winter Olympics February 22, 1980 at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York. The game was named "The Miracle On Ice" as the United States defeated the Soviet Union 4-3. . (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
LAKE PLACID, NY - FEBRUARY 22: The United States Hockey team celebrates after they defeated the Soviet Union during a metal round game of the Winter Olympics February 22, 1980 at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York. The game was named "The Miracle On Ice" as the United States defeated the Soviet Union 4-3. . (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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22 Feb 1980: General view of teams from the United States and the Soviet Union shaking hands after the semifinal hockey game during the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The United States won the game 4-3. The game was dubbed The Miracle On Ice.
22 Feb 1980: General view of teams from the United States and the Soviet Union shaking hands after the semifinal hockey game during the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The United States won the game 4-3. The game was dubbed The Miracle On Ice. /

The players

Four former Olympians eventually found their way to the New York Rangers.  Only one was actually drafted by the team with the Rangers signing one as a free agent and trading for the other two.

None of them were the biggest names on the Olympic team and a number of other players had longer and more illustrious careers but no other team had more Olympians playing together.

Pavelich, McClanahan and Baker would have never become Rangers if not for Herb Brooks .  The one year all four Olympians played together was 1982-83, the year of the Smurfs and their upset of the Flyers in in the playoffs.  There was magic at Madison Square Garden as this team of underdogs was led by the greatest overachievers of all time.

Mark Pavelich

Considered too small to play in the NHL, Mark Pavelich was playing in Switzerland when  Herb Brooks insisted that the Rangers sign the diminutive forward .  He went on to play five seasons for the Rangers, leading them in goals in 1982-83 and in points in 1983-84.   He scored 133 goals and had 319 points in 341 games.

In his first season he set a team rookie record for points (76) and assists (43)  and  he tied Bill Cook’s rookie record of 33 goals.   His 76 points still stand as the record for points by a Ranger rookie.

Pavelich was also the last Rangers to score five goals in a game.  He did it at home on February 23, 1983 in an 11-3 romp over the Hartford Whalers.  With his five goals he tied the team record set by Don Murdoch in 1976.

Rob McClanahan

Rob McClanahan was a speedy center whose relationship with Herb Brooks started when he played  on the Brooks-coached 1979 NCAA championship University of Minnesota team.  Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 1978, after the Olympics he played parts of two seasons with the Sabres before he was claimed on waivers by Hartford.  The Whalers traded him to the Rangers in February 1982 and he played parts of three seasons in New York.

His best season was 1982-83 when he scored 22 goals and had 48 points, reunited with Herb Brooks.  McClanahan was one of the Smurfs that spring and excelled playing again with three former Olympic teammates.

McClanahan is best know as Brooks’ whipping boy whose courage was challenged by the coach when he sustained an injury in the first game of the Olympics against Sweden.  McClanahan returned to the game and ended up the top goal scorer for Team USA in the Olympics with five goals.

Dave Silk

Dave Silk was drafted by the Rangers before the Olympics and was signed by the team weeks after the Olympics were over.  He actually preceded Herb Brooks in New York and he played parts of three seasons with the Rangers before being traded to the Boston Bruins, his childhood dream.

Silk ended up playing professionally for over 11 years with the Rangers, Bruins, Red Wings and Jets, finishing his career in Europe.  His best two seasons were his first two in New York when he scored 14 and 15 goals. Silk is Mike Milbury‘s cousin, something we won’t hold against him.

Bill Baker

Bill Baker’s claim to fame is that he scored the tying goal against Sweden with 27 seconds left in the first game of the 1980 Olympics.  He was on the ice as an extra skater with the goalie pulled and if Baker had not scored, it’s very possible that the results of the Olympics would have been very different.

Baker’s connection to Brooks goes back to the University of Minnesota NCAA championship team in 1979 where he was the team captain.   Drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, Baker bounced from Montreal to Colorado to St. Louis before being reunited with Brooks and this three former Olympics teammates for one season with the Rangers.  He scored four goals and added 14 assists in that one season.

Madison Square Garden

Most people don’t remember, but Madison Square Garden played a crucial role in the year of the Miracle on Ice. On February 9, 1980 the United States Olympic team played the Soviet Olympic team in an exhibition, their last game before the Olympics began.  The Russians absolutely crush Team USA 10-3.

It was reported later that Soviet coach Viktor Tikhonov said that the one-sided victory caused his players to underestimate the Americans, a factor that played a role in the upset.

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