On September 3 in Rangers history: Adam Graves signs an offer sheet

What happened on September 3 in the history of the New York Rangers

The Carolina Hurricanes just made news when they signed Jesperi Kotkaniemi to a one-year, $6.1 million offer sheet.  Now it’s up to the Montreal Canadiens to match that offer or accept compensation.  On this date in 1991, the New York Rangers signed forward Adam Graves to an offer sheet, the only successful offer sheet signing in franchise history.

In those days, teams had no right to match a Group 1 Free Agent signing and there had to be compensation from the signing team.  The compensation was not draft picks, instead, both teams submitted proposals and an impartial arbitrator made the decision.  The headline that day was the compensation award in the St. Louis Blues’ offer sheet signing of Brendan Shanahan, when an arbitrator awarded Scott Stevens to the Devils as compensation.

As a result, the Rangers’ inking of Graves to a five-year, $2.44 million contract was an under the radar signing that  barely made headlines.  Graves was a relatively unknown commodity at the time. A power forward, he had scored only 23 goals and 60 points in 217 NHL games with the Oilers and Red Wings.  His claim to fame was his inclusion on the Oilers’ “Kid Line” of Graves, Joe Murphy and Martin Gelinas.  On that line, Graves was the guy who went into the corners and got the puck to his higher scoring linemates.

The Oilers asked for prospects Steven Rice and Louis DeBrusk as compensation and the Rangers offered forward Troy Mallette.  On September 12, the arbitrator decided in the Rangers’ favor and Mallette, a fan favorite headed to Edmonton.

Believe it or not, the reaction from fans was not positive.  Mallette had become popular as a two-fisted forward, piling up 557 minutes in penalties in his first two seasons, leading the team both years.  He wasn’t just a fighter, scoring 25 goals in those two seasons compared to 17 for Graves.

Mallette had irritated Rangers management months earlier when he questioned the manhood of the Washington Capitals after the first game of the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He then compounded the problem by taking a four minute spearing penalty in the opening minute of Game Two.  The Capitals responded to both by scoring on that power play and then by eliminating the Rangers in six games, citing Mallette’s comments as motivation.

Rangers GM Neil Smith knew what he was getting, having scouted Graves when he was with the Detroit Red Wings and he was instrumental in having the Wings draft him in the Second Round of the 1986 Entry Draft.

Graves played 772 games for the Rangers, scoring 280 goals and 507 points. He set a team record in 1994, scoring 52 goals and getting Second Team All-Star honors.  He won the Masterton and Clancy Trophies and his number nine hangs from the rafters of Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers have signed four players to offer sheets in their history with Graves the only player who ended up a Ranger. Considering that Mallette played 301 games in the NHL after that, scoring only 26 goals, this has to go down as one of the best offer sheet signings in NHL history.

One additional footnote.  The Oilers really wanted Rice and DeBrusk and they were both included in the October 1991 deal that sent Bernie Nicholls and David Shaw to Edmonton in exchange for Mark Messier and Jeff Beukeboom.  Oh yes, it’s a little known fact that Adam Grave wore number 11 for all of one game in his career as a Ranger, surrendering that number to Mark Messier as soon as “Moose” arrived in New York.

Today’s birthdays

23 NHL players have been born on September 3 including five who have worn the Rangers’ jersey.

Martin Straka was born on this date in 1972 in Plzen, Czechoslovakia.  He came to the Rangers after the 2004-05 lockout, signing as a free agent and joining Jaromir Jagr and the “Czech-mates.” The Rangers were the last stop on a 15 year NHL career, with his best seasons as Jagr’s teammate in Pittsburgh.  Despite his age, the 33-year-old center had three very productive season in New York as the Rangers returned to playoff contention.  He scored 65 goals and had 187 points in 224 games over three seasons with the Blueshirts.

Michal Rozsival was born on September 3 in 1978 in Vlasim, Czechoslovakia.  The defenseman was another Czech free agent signee, joining the team after the 2004-05 lockout and playing five and a half excellent seasons in New York.  He was traded to Phoenix in 2010 in a cap clearing move and ended up winning two Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks.   He will go down as one of the best free agent signings in franchise history as he led all Rangers defensemen in scoring his first four years with the team.

Jed Ortmeyer was born this date in 1978 in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the one of two Rangers from that state (Neal Pionk is the other), signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 out of the University of Michigan.  Ortmeyer made it to the Rangers in 2003-04 as a winger on the “HMO Line” with Dominic Moore and Ryan Hollweg.   Ortmeyer was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism in August 2006 and was sidelined for months.  He made his return to the Rangers and played five more seasons with three other teams.  He is  currently the Rangers’ Director of Player Development.

Doug Bentley was born on this date in 1916 in Delisle, Saskatchewan.  He was one of six brothers who played hockey and with his brothers Max and Reg, made up the first all-brother line in the NHL with the Black Hawks in 1943.   After 12 years in Chicago, where he was a First or Second Team All-Star four times, he was sold to the Rangers in 1953.  The left winger played 20 games with the Blueshirts as a 37-year-old.  He went on to play in the WHL until he was 45 years old.

Cliff Barton was born on this date in 1907 in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The right winger played three games for the Rangers in 1939-40 ten years after he made his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1929.  After the 1930-31 season he spent nine years in the minor leagues before getting his brief chance with the Blueshirts.