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Hey, Rangers: Park ‘Gresch’ and Brad in the rafters

By Scott Esposito

Canadian ice hockey player Ron Greschner of the New York Rangers raises his stick in celebration of a goal during a game against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, March 1984. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
Canadian ice hockey player Ron Greschner of the New York Rangers raises his stick in celebration of a goal during a game against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, March 1984. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – 1972: Brad Park #2 of the Rangers tries to fight Terry O’Reilly #24 of the Boston Bruins. (Photo by Melchior DiGiacomo/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – 1972: Brad Park #2 of the Rangers tries to fight Terry O’Reilly #24 of the Boston Bruins. (Photo by Melchior DiGiacomo/Getty Images) /

Stay the course

Whenever fans are welcomed back to NHL barns sometime after the league resumes play, the Rangers should continue correcting the mistakes made by the team’s past leadership.

There’s no shame in backtracking to do what’s right. The travesty would be the Rangers resuming play and not raising banners for Park and Greschner, who meant so much to the franchise, the city and fans.

That Park played in a few more regular-season games (and 27 additional playoff contests) with the Boston Bruins shouldn’t preclude him from being honored by the Rangers.

Park didn’t ask to be traded with Ratelle and (trivia-answer) Joe Zanussi for Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais on Nov. 7, 1975. He was a casualty of “housecleaning” made by the Rangers, who had been struggling and felt changes were needed.

Park’s sendoff occurred less than two weeks after Giacomin was placed on waivers by the Rangers and soon thereafter claimed by the Detroit Red Wings. Park has since maintained that he never wanted to leave New York.

In fact, as a Rangers player, he hated the Bruins. Just check out some of what Park had to say in the book he coauthored with the great Stan Fischler in 1971: Play the Man.

Of Orr, Park said: “Another myth about Bobby Orr is that he is a gentlemanly and a clean player. Actually, Orr can be a hatchet man just like some of his Boston teammates.”

Park called Derek Sanderson “a flake”, labeled John McKenzie as “a guy who hits people from behind and then runs away”, and said of Esposito: “…an extraordinary stick handler and superb shooter, but he doesn’t have any guts. He’s carried in that department but the animals on the Boston team.”

Boston’s fans responded to the book’s release by threatening Park to the extent that  the defenseman required FBI protection at Boston Garden. However, years later, when Park arrived in Boston to join the Bruins, Orr is said to have been the first Bruins player to welcome him with a handshake.

BOSTON, MA – 1975: From left, Boston Bruins players Brad Park, Bobby Orr and Jean Ratelle during a Bruins practice. Park hated the Bruins while playing for the Rangers, but after being traded to Boston he fit in well thanks largely to Orr’s leadership. (Photo by Frank O’Brien/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – 1975: From left, Boston Bruins players Brad Park, Bobby Orr and Jean Ratelle during a Bruins practice. Park hated the Bruins while playing for the Rangers, but after being traded to Boston he fit in well thanks largely to Orr’s leadership. (Photo by Frank O’Brien/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

Greschner played his entire 16-year NHL career for the Rangers. He recorded four seasons of at least 20 goals, including a career-best 27 in 1980-81. He also posted 40 points ten times, with a personal-best of 72 in 1977-78, and had 100 or more PIMs in five campaigns.

His first NHL goal came on Dec. 8, 1974, off Hall of Famer Ken Dryden in a 3-3 tie with the Montreal Canadiens – part of his eight-goal, 45-point rookie season. And in helping the Rangers to the 1979 Stanley Cup Finals, he had seven goals and five assists in 18 playoff matches.

In the 1978-79 Quarterfinals against Philadelphia, Greschner scored twice, including the winner, in Game Two to even the series, which the Rangers would win in five.

In a 2-1 series-clinching win in Game Six of the Semifinals versus the Islanders, he beat Glen Resch at 8:45 of the second period to break a 1-1 tie.

NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 2009: (l-r) Former New York Ranger players Harry Howell and Andy Bathgate have their numbers retired by the team. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 2009: (l-r) Former New York Ranger players Harry Howell and Andy Bathgate have their numbers retired by the team. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

What do you think?

Should Park and Greschner have their numbers retired by the Rangers? Is there another player you believe has been overlooked and deserves the honor?

light. Hot. Is David Quinn a developmental coach?

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