On June 28 in Rangers history: Hall of Fame call for Mark Messier

What happened on June 28 in the history of the New York Rangers

On this date in 2007, Mark Messier got the phone call that everyone knew was coming.  He was told that he had been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.  If you are curious as to what uniform he is wearing on his HOF plaque, unlike Major League Baseball, hockey players are not identified with any team by uniform.

On the HOF website, the first image is of Messier in an Oilers uniform and that make sense. He played 12 of his 25 seasons in Edmonton and won five Stanley Cups with them. His sixth and final Cup came as captain of the 1994 Rangers and for that, he will always be known  in New York as “The Messiah.”

The career numbers are tremendous.  Third overall in points (1,887).  Third all-time in assists (1,193). Third in games played (1,756). Ninth in career goals (694).  Second all-time in shorthanded goals (63).   Twice the Hart Trophy and Lindsay Award winner. Conn Smythe Trophy winner.

He is one of 24 NHL players who has won six Stanley Cups. Only Red Kelly had more (7) as player who didn’t skate for the Montreal Canadiens.

For all of the drama when he left New York to sign with Vancouver, he will forever be the man who ended the longest Cup drought in NHL history.

Some draft firsts

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 it meant that there were 15 new nations to select players from.  In 1993, Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  On this date in 1994 the Rangers selected their first players from three such countries.  Unfortunately , only one of the three made it to the NHL and only for four games.

Alexei Lazarenko was the first player drafted from the Ukraine, selected 182nd overall in the seventh round.  In the ninth round, with their 209th pick they selected Vitali Yeremeyev, the first player drafted from Kazakhstan.

Radoslav Kropac became the first player drafted from Slovakia, picked 260th overall in the tenth round.

Yeremeyev was the first goalie from Kazakhstan to play in the NHL when he appeared in four games for the Rangers in the 2000-01 season.  He did not become the first goalie from Kazakhstan to win a game in the NHL as he went 0-4 in those appearances.   That feat was achieved in 2005 against the Rangers by Colorado goalie Vitaly Kolesnik.   One Rangers prospect is Slovakian goalie Adam Huska and he hopes to be the first to notch a win for the Blueshirts.

Today’s birthdays

20 NHL players have been born on June 28 with two former Rangers in that mix, including one who later became coach.

Muzz Patrick was born on this date in 1915 in Victoria, British Columbia.  Born Frederick Murray Patrick, he was the son of legendary Ranger coach and manager Lester Patrick and he was the brother of Lynn Patrick who also served as coach of the Blueshirts.   Muzz Patrick’s career was cut short by World War II as he served in the U.S. Army for four years after he won the Cup with the team in 1940.  After the war the defenseman played only one more season before turning to coaching. He coached the Rangers in four separate stints, also serving as the team’s general manager from 1955 until 1964.

Lance Nethery was born on this date in 1957 in Toronto, Ontario.  He was drafted out of Cornell University in 1977 and he made his debut with the Rangers in 1980.  He spent most of his time in the Rangers organization in the minor leagues, playing 38 games in two seasons.  The center was traded to Edmonton for goalie Ed Mio in 1981.  The next season he left for Europe and played mostly in Switzerland the rest of his career.