On February 5 in NYR history: The most controversial Ranger of all arrives

What happened on February 5 in the history of the New York Rangers

On this date in 2007, the New York Rangers traded for one of the most divisive players in the history of the team.   The Blueshirts sent three players and a draft pick to Los Angeles for Avery and a prospect.

Avery had led the league in penalty minutes the two previous seasons, but had also had been suspended once by the Kings for refusing to do a practice drill.   He wasn’t popular with his teammates and was accused of bullying Dustin Brown.

He finished the 2006-07 season and played the next season in New York with little drama. He was accused of making fun of Toronto’s Jason Blake’s leukemia during a scrum with Darcy Tucker and was fined $2,500.   He didn’t even lead the team in penalty minutes in 2008, finishing behind Colton Orr. In the summer of 2008 he signed a free agent with Dallas.

While in Dallas he got into trouble again, getting into an argument with a fan and then with his “sloppy seconds” comment about Dion Phaneuf for which he was suspended six games by the NHL.  They put him on waivers (sound familiar?) and he was claimed by the Rangers for a second stint in New York.

Though he feuded with coach John Tortorella, he was a  productive player for the Rangers and is best know for creating the “Avery Rule” when he stood in front of Martin Brodeur and intentionally blocked his view during a 2008 playoff game.  The Rangers won that series 4-1 and Avery and Brodeur refused to shake hands and Avery later said of Brodeur, “Fatso forgot to shake my hand.”

By 2011, Avery had worn out his welcome in New York and he was waived.  No team claimed him and even the Connecticut Whale didn’t want him on the team so in March, 2012, Avery retired.

Today’s birthdays

Only 19 NHL players have been born on February 5 and only one has played in he NHL for the Rangers.  One possible future Ranger does have this date as his birthday.

On this date in 2001, Karl Henriksson was born in Malmo, Sweden.  Henriksson was the Rangers’ second round selection in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and the center is currently is playing for Frölunda in the Swedish Hockey League.

Chris Summers was born on this date in 1988 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The defenseman was acquired by New York in the trade that sent Anthony Duclair to Phoenix and Keith Yandle to the Rangers.   He spent most of his time in the organization in Hartford, playing six games in two seasons with the Blueshirts.  He was signed as a free agent by Pittsburgh in 2017 and was last seen playing professionally in Germany.

The numbers

The Rangers have played 41 times on February 5 with an unimpressive .431 points percentage and only 14 wins.

Games: 41
Regulation wins: 14
Regulation losses: 19
Ties: 8
Points percentage: .431

Last year

Rangers 5, Maple Leafs 3

The Rangers rebounded from a bad loss to Dallas with a win over the Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden.  Igor Shesterkin was back in net  and Mika ZIbanejad and Chris Kreider scored goals six seconds apart in the second period for the win.  Auston Matthews scored twice for the Leafs and made it a close 4-3 game late in the third period.

The six seconds between goals was the third fastest in franchise history. Martin St. Louis and Rick Nash scored four seconds apart in October 2014. Several other players scored five seconds apart for the Rangers.