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The best and worst draft classes of the 1980s

By Scott Esposito

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 17: Brian Leetch #2 of the New York Rangers holds the Stanley Cup Trophy as his teammates Mark Messier #11 and goalie Mike Richter #35 ride along with him during the New York Rangers Stanley Cup Ticker-Tape Parade on June 17, 1994 after they defeated the Vancouver Canucks in New York, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 17: Brian Leetch #2 of the New York Rangers holds the Stanley Cup Trophy as his teammates Mark Messier #11 and goalie Mike Richter #35 ride along with him during the New York Rangers Stanley Cup Ticker-Tape Parade on June 17, 1994 after they defeated the Vancouver Canucks in New York, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) /
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Goaltender Mike Richter of the New York Rangers. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images/NHLI)
Goaltender Mike Richter of the New York Rangers. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images/NHLI) /

A VeryClose runner-up: Class of 1985

Standouts

Ulf Dahlen (1st round, 7th overall, forward)

Mike Richter (2nd round, 28th overall, goalie)

Notable

Rudy Poeschek (12th round, 288th overall, defense)

Analysis

This class could be considered the “best” depending on how much stock one puts into a player’s position, stats and records.

Goaltending is the most important position in hockey. Doesn’t matter how many goals a team scores; if it can’t prevent the opposition from doing it more, it doesn’t win.

Just ask members of the 1994 Islanders, Capitals, Devils and Canucks. They were robbed countless times by Richter during that season’s playoffs.

In the opening round against the Islanders, he posted back-to-back shutouts in the first two games, and allowed three goals total in the next two for a series goals-against average of 0.75 and .967 save percentage.

In the conference semis versus the Capitals, he recorded the third of his four shutouts that postseason.

Richter saved his best work for the conference and Stanley Cup finals.

Facing elimination in Game Six in the Meadowlands, the Rangers trailed by two after the first 38 minutes.

Richter held the deficit to two, stymieing four 2-on-1 Devils rushes in the middle period during. Those saves energized his teammates, who responded with a late-period goal to pull within 2-1, and three more in the final period to even the series.

In Game Seven, Richter held the Devils off the scoreboard and led 1-0 before the Devils tied it with 7.7 seconds remaining in regulation. From there, he made several spectacular stops before Stephane Matteau scored, sending the Rangers to the Finals.

No. 35 was just as clutch in the Finals. Particularly in Game Four at Pacific Coliseum. “The Save” on Pavel Bure‘s penalty shot in the middle period kept the Canucks’ lead at 2-1, while his six stops on as many shots in a 25-second span enabled the Rangers to rally for a 4-2 win.

Richter’s heroics in the ’94 playoffs are reflected by his 16 wins, 2.07 goals-against average, .921 save percentage.

However, he also was the backbone of New York’s series wins over Montreal in the 1996 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (particularly his triple save in Game Four), as well as over Florida and the Devils in the ’97 postseason.

He finished his 14-year NHL career, all with the Rangers, with 301 wins, a 2.89 goals-against average, save percentage of .904, 24 shutouts, and 17,379 saves in 666 games.

Among all-time Rangers goaltenders, Richter ranks:

  • 2nd in wins (behind Henrik Lundqvist)
  • 2nd in saves (Lundqvist)
  • 2nd in appearances (Lundqvist)
  • 5th in shutouts (tied with Chuck Rayner and Gump Worsley)

Richter holds the franchise records for wins in a single regular season (42 in 1994), wins in a season including playoffs (58, also in ’94) and saves in one game (59 in a 3-3 tie at Vancouver in 1991).

He never won the Vezina, Trophy but in fairness, Richter played in the same era as Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy and some guy called “Marty” across the Hudson River.

And a valid argument could be made that he deserved the Conn Smythe Trophy in ’94 because, without Richter, the Rangers probably don’t win the conference title, let alone the Stanley Cup.

new york rangers
Ulf Dahlen of the New York Rangers  (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Meanwhile, Dahlen served the Rangers in similar fashion as Turcotte did.

The Swedish-born winger posted 131 points in 189 games for the Blueshirts, including 71 goals, 32 of them on the power play. In 1990, he was traded (with a draft pick) to the Minnesota North Stars for speedy sniper Mike Gartner.

Gartner scored 40 or more goals in each of his first three seasons in New York, leading the team each year and peaking with 49 goals in 1991. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in March 1994 for future Hall of Fame winger Glenn Anderson.

Anderson had already helped the Edmonton Oilers win five Stanley Cup championships, and the experience that came with doing so is an ingredient Keenan valued over the speed and scoring ability of Gartner, who had never played in the playoffs beyond the conference semis.

Anderson delivered the game-winning goals for the Rangers in Games Three and Four of the Finals.

Poeschek had 256 penalty minutes in three seasons with the Rangers.

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