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The best of the “bests”: Ranking the top draft classes of each decade

By Scott Esposito

11 JUN 1994: CANUCKS FORWARD JOHN MCINTYRE IS DUMPED BY RANGERS DEFENSEMAN BRIAN LEETCH DURING THE SECOND PERIOD OF GAME SIX OF THE STANLEY CUP FINALS IN VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell/ALLSPORT
11 JUN 1994: CANUCKS FORWARD JOHN MCINTYRE IS DUMPED BY RANGERS DEFENSEMAN BRIAN LEETCH DURING THE SECOND PERIOD OF GAME SIX OF THE STANLEY CUP FINALS IN VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell/ALLSPORT /
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NOVEMBER 2003: Mark Messier #11 of the New York Rangers celebrates after a teammate scores against the Dallas Stars on November 4, 2003 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. Messier would score two goals as he passes Gordie Howe to become 2nd all time in NHL points. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
NOVEMBER 2003: Mark Messier #11 of the New York Rangers celebrates after a teammate scores against the Dallas Stars on November 4, 2003 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. Messier would score two goals as he passes Gordie Howe to become 2nd all time in NHL points. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) /

We’ve ranked the New York Rangers’ drafts of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Now, let’s see which is tops among the best from each decade.

Determining the best and worst New York Rangers’ entry drafts in each of four decades was a task that proved both nostalgic and challenging.

The research portion refreshed childhood memories.

The “ooh-la-la” flows sported by Ron Duguay, Dave Maloney, Phil Esposito and teammates in those Sasson jeans commercials of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Dennis Potvin sitting on the ice in Madison Square Garden, slumped against the boards in dejection after the Rangers upset the first-place and heavily-favored New York Islanders in the Stanley Cup semifinals in 1979.

The Smurf Line, “Beezer”, and the unexpected run to the conference finals.

“The Guarantee”, “Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!” and “The Save”.

Ah, the memories.

The biggest challenge was defining the measurement(s) of each draft’s success. For direction, we considered:

• the Rangers’ draft position and how many selections they had;
• the number of other teams included;
• whether those the Rangers picked even made the NHL and, if so, reviewed their production and longevity;
• which players moved on to NHL stardom after being passed over by the Blueshirts and drafted by another team?

Ultimately, the answers to those questions became the measurements and led to the best drafts of each decade as being the classes of 1978, 1986, 1990 and 2000.

However, to compare those four drafts with one another is an entirely different and far greater. The aforementioned measurements still apply, but other criteria must be considered. Specifically:

• the style of play during each era;
• the berth and development of NHL Central Scouting;
• NHL expansion
• the growth of college hockey in the United States;
• NHL rules changes;
• the increased focus on nutrition and training;
• innovations in technology.

Let’s take a closer look at each.

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