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Mike Keenan – New York Rangers’ angel or demon?

By Brett Schultz

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 08: Former New York Ranger head coach Mike Keenan meets with the media prior to the Rangers game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden on February 08, 2019 in New York City. The Rangers were celebrating the 25th anniversary of their Stanley Cup win in 1994. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 08: Former New York Ranger head coach Mike Keenan meets with the media prior to the Rangers game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden on February 08, 2019 in New York City. The Rangers were celebrating the 25th anniversary of their Stanley Cup win in 1994. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Brian Leetch #2 of the New York Rangers (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images/NHLI)
Brian Leetch #2 of the New York Rangers (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images/NHLI) /

Setting a record, but not a good one

The 1992-93 season was simply a disaster.

It might have just been due to the bad luck suffered by Brian Leetch, limited to 36 games that season, because the team still had a winning record when he played. But a missed check against the Blues took Leetch into the boards and the resulting pinched nerve meant 34 games missed.

But 10 days after he returned, there was another on-ice incident that didn’t take place on a hockey rink. Debate still rages whether ice on the sidewalk was more to blame or possibly the ice in his drinks that night. Either way, he broke his ankle and the Rangers finished the season 2-11-0 without him, losing their last seven games.

Leetch’s presence was missed, but there was more to the team’s discontent. G.M. Neil Smith tried very hard to acquire the rights to newly drafted Eric Lindros and various reports had the team offering Quebec Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, Doug Weight (or Sergei Nemchinov and James Patrick), their choice of John Vanbiesbrouck or Mike Richter, as well as first-round picks in 1993, 1994, and 1996.

AND $12 million.

Twelve million in 1990’s dollars, not post-2000, Kylie Jenner-is-a-billionaire dollars.

Eric Lindros former player of the Oshawa Generals looks on during a ceremony (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
Eric Lindros former player of the Oshawa Generals looks on during a ceremony (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images) /

Naturally, the Nordiques jumped at the deal, but there was a problem. They had already agreed to trade Lindros to Philadelphia. The league had to come in and they ruled that the Flyers transaction was completed first.

So, not only didn’t the Rangers get Kid Concussion, not only were five or more Rangers players upset they had been dangled as trade bait, but their captain was less than enthused about Head Coach Roger Neilson. Right or wrong, it sure looked as if the team followed Messier’s example and tuned out, tanking the second half of the season. The situation didn’t improve even after Neilson was fired and replaced with interim coach Ron Smith.

They finished last in the final year of the old Patrick Division, with a record of 34-39-11. The Blueshirts became the first team in NHL history to win the Presidents Trophy one year and not make the playoffs the following season. Even now, 26 years later, it’s only happened two other times, with Buffalo in 2007-08 and Boston in 2014-15.

“Nine-teen for-ty” rang out more and more often, both at opposing venues and at home. Something needed to change.

Enter: Iron Mike.

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