Unheralded New York Rangers: Dominic Moore

New York Rangers center Dominic Moore was not a superstar but was key to their success.

Through all of the New York Rangers deep runs in the playoffs there have been unsung heroes that rose to the occasion. These unheralded players continuously get overlooked, but now we’ll be diving into those Ranger squads and remembering those who have been overlooked, starting with Dominic Moore.

You would be hard-pressed to find a more kind and down-to-earth pro than Moore. As a youth hockey player, I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to the forward during his first stint with the Rangers in 2005-2006. Although he was in a hurry, he still took the time to talk with me and wish me the best of luck in my future. It was an encounter that will stick with me for the rest of my life.

The NHL journeyman spent his 13-year career with 10 different franchises, giving every new destination the same work ethic as the previous one. A third-round pick by the Blueshirts in the 2000 draft out of Harvard, the six-foot center made his NHL debut as a Ranger during the 2003-04 season.

In his first pro season, Moore had a brief mid-season five-game stint with the Rangers but spent most of the season in Hartford.   While there, Moore had to persevere through a personal challenge.

On March 8, 2004, Steve Moore, Dominic’s brother, had his brief NHL career ended by Todd Bertuzzi, who assaulted him in a savage on-ice attack. Moore sustained broken vertebrae and a concussion and Bertuzzi pleaded guilty to criminal assault.

The significant injury to a close family member and former Harvard teammate could not have been easy for the young center to deal with, and after spending the whole 2004-05 season in the AHL, Moore finally cracked the Rangers roster again in 2005-06. After tallying 18 points in 82 games and playing all four playoff games against the Devils, the Thornhill, Canada native started his voyage around the league when the Blueshirts dealt him to Nashville.

Although never a dynamic scorer he was an excellent defensive forward and was outstanding on faceoffs.  That led to him being a trade deadline acquisition four times over the next six seasons.

Tragedy to Triumph

In 2013, tragedy struck the Moore family again, as Dom’s wife Katie passed away from a nine-month battle with cancer. The NHL world mourned with the veteran who took the 2012-13 season off to be with his ailing wife.

Six months after losing Katie, Dominic decided to return to hockey and signed with the Rangers.

The resurgent forward would spend the next three seasons in New York contributing to what would wind up being an extremely formidable fourth line throughout the regular season and playoffs. After an 18-point regular season which saw Moore dominate the faceoff circle to a tune of 54.6%, the center would play a key role in driving the Blueshirts to the Stanley Cup Final.

He registered eight points (3G, 5A) in the 2014 postseason, scoring the biggest goal of his NHL career in the Rangers’ 1-0 win in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals, a win that would propel the Blueshirts into the Stanley Cup Finals.

After the season, Moore would receive the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an award given to a player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

The crafty veteran would put together one of his most complete campaigns the following season, registering 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points en route to the Blueshirts securing the President’s Trophy as the best team in the league.

Moore would register just three points in 19 postseason games, but all would occur during pivotal situations. The center would pick up a primary assist on Carl Hagelin’s OT winner in round one against Pittsburgh as well as a game-winning goal against Tampa in the Conference Finals. He also led the team with a spectacular faceoff winning percentage of 55.9%.

Moore would finish his Rangers career after recording 15 points during the 2015-2016 season and would play his last NHL game two years after that with Toronto. After playing 897 games with grit and determination, the resilient center would retire after having scored 106 goals and 282 total points.

Moore achieved his career highs in games (322), goals (31) and points (81) with the Rangers. He also played more playoff games (53) with the Blueshirts than with any other team, winning almost 54% of his faceoffs.

Behind every leading scorer is a gritty fourth liner who does the dirty things well and for those Rangers teams, that player was Dominic Moore. His exemplary leadership coupled with his genuine personality were complemented by his ferociousness on the ice. His points may not have come in bunches, but he sacrificed the quantity for the quality, putting the Rangers on his back in pivotal situations.

Now that his career has ended, Moore’s name has been relegated to the annals of Blueshirt’s history, but the man who persevered through so many obstacles deserves to be remembered as one of the most unheralded players in New York Ranger’s history.

Have a player in mind that was an unheralded hero for the Rangers that you think we should write about? Make any suggestions below, and if that player deserves the recognition, we will feature him on our unheralded Rangers series.