On June 21 in NYR history: Kaapo Kakko becomes a Ranger

What happened on June 21 in the history of the New York Rangers

On this date in 2019, the New York Rangers had their highest draft slot in post expansion NHL history, selecting Kaapo Kakko with the second overall pick, won in the draft lottery weeks earlier. There was no doubt about who they would take once the New Jersey Devils selected Jack Hughes with the top pick.

It capped an incredible year for the young Finn.  He was the Rookie of the Year in the Finnish Liiga and won a gold medal at the World Junior Championships, scoring the winning goal in the gold medal game.  He was then named to the Finnish National Team at the World Championships and was named one of their top three players, helping to win the gold medal, this just after he turned 18 years old.

Alain Vigneault named coach

On this date in 2013 the Rangers named Alain Vigneault as the team’s new coach, replacing John Tortorella.  Vigneault had been let go by the Vancouver Canucks after the team was swept by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the playoffs.  Vigneault had led the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011, losing to the Bruins in seven games.

Vigneault was a veteran of 11 seasons as an NHL coach, first with Montreal and the last seven with the Canucks.   He had a lot of regular season success in Vancouver, winning two President’s Trophies and finishing first in the Pacific Division in his last year.  He didn’t have the same success in the playoffs, winning only two of their last 12 playoff games, leading to his firing.

Ironically, the Canucks went and hired Tortorella so it was a virtual exchange of coaches between the two teams.  Vigneault’s tenure was much more successful than Tortorella’s, who flamed out after one season in Vancouver.  Vigneault led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and ranks second overall in franchise history in wins with 226 and a winning percentage of .596.

A major rule change

On this date in 1999, the NHL adopted a new rule for the five minute sudden death overtime, going to a 4v4 format instead of the full strength format that had been adopted in 1983 when the NHL restored overtime.  They did this to cut down on the number of tie games.

How did it affect the Rangers?  In the 1998-99 season they had gone to overtime 19 times with 11 of the games ending in a tie.   In 1999-2000, under the new rule, they went to overtime 21 times with 12 games ending in a tie.  The next season, five of 11 overtime games ended as ties.

With the 4v4 overtime not reducing tie games as much as the league wanted, they went to the shootout in 2005.  It wasn’t until 2015 that the NHL went to the 3v3 format in an attempt to cut down on the number of shootouts.

Today’s birthdays

23 NHL players have been born on June 21 including four former Rangers and one former coach.

Buddy O’Connor was born on this date in 1916 in Montreal, Quebec. The center played the last four seasons of a ten-year NHL career in New York. After six years in his hometown, he was traded to the Rangers along with Frank Eddolls in exchange for Joe Bell, Hal Laycoe and George Robertson.  It was one of the best deals ever by the Blueshirts as O’Connor went on to win the Hart Memorial Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy in his first year in New  York, scoring 24 goals and 60 points in 60 games.  While he never achieved those kind of numbers in his last three years, he was a key player on the 1950 team that lost in the Stanley Cup Final to Detroit.  He was inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously in 1988.

Ron Low was born on June 21, 1950 in Birtle, Manitoba.  He was a goaltender who  played 11 seasons in the NHL and after retiring he became a coach.  He led the Edmonton OIlers for five years and was hired by his former coach, Glen Sather, to lead the Rangers in 2000.  He lasted two seasons in New York, missing the playoffs both seasons with a record of 61-89-9-5.

Lucien DeBlois was born on this date in 1957 in  Joliette, Quebec.  A first round pick by the Rangers in 1977 (8th overall), he played two seasons for New York and was on the team that made it to the Final in 1979.  He was traded to Colorado in November 1979 in the blockbuster deal for defenseman Barry Beck. He played 15 years in the NHL and had a return engagement with the Rangers signing with them as a free agent in 1986.  He played three more years with the team as a bottom six center.

Pascal Rheaume was a center who played 17 games for the Rangers in the 203-04 seasons.  He was born on this date in1973 in Quebec City, Quebec.   He had a nine year NHL career for six different teams.  He signed with the Rangers as a free agent in 2003, but was waived after going scoreless in those 17 games.

Alex Gray was a right winger born on this date in 1899 in Glasgow, Scotland.  He grew up in Ontario and signed with the Rangers in 1928, playing on the team that won the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.  He scored seven goals in that rookie season and played in all nine playoff games.   After the season he was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs where he played a handful of games before being sent to the minors, never to return to the NHL.  Gray was the first of six New York Rangers players to be born in Scotland.