On September 5 in Rangers history: One last contract for the Captain

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

On this date in 2003, Mark Messier signed his last contract with the New York Rangers, inking a one-year deal for $2.5 million including incentives for team success.  The 42-year-old signed on for his 25th season in the NHL.

Messier signed just a day after his friend and teammate, Mike Richter, had announced his retirement. It left the team with only Messier and Brian Leetch left from the team that won the Stanley Cup in 1994.

The Rangers had not made the post season since 1997 and the 2003-04 season was going to prove to be another disappointment, heightened by the sell-off of veteran players at the trade deadline, a sell-off that included the unthinkable trade of Leetch to the Boston Bruins.

Going into the season, only Gordie Howe had played in more NHL games and he was six points behind Howe for second place in total points with 1,844.  His 676 goals were good for fifth place all-time and his 1,168 assists trailed only Wayne Gretzky.

Despite his advance age, Messier was durable, playing in 76 games, scoring 18 goals and 43 points.   The fourth place Rangers were so bad that those totals were good for second place on the team, behind Bobby Holik.

In signing the contract, Messier didn’t indicate that it would be his last season, but the NHL lockout and lost 2004-05 season made it a virtual certainty and he announced his retirement in September 2005.  The lockout did deprive “The Captain” of any kind of farewell tour around the NHL and at Madison Square Garden.

Today’s birthdays

19 NHL players have been born on September 5 with one current Blueshirt on the list as well as three former Rangers.

Filip Chytil was born on  this date in 1999 in Kromeriz, Czech Republic.  The center was a first round draft pick in 2017 and made his debut with New York as an 18-year-old that same year.  He spent most of that season in Hartford, but has been with the Rangers for the last three seasons and has been one of the most productive players selected in that draft.

Don Maloney was born on September 5, 1958 in  Lindsay, Ontario.  Drafted in the second round of the 1978 Amateur Draft, the left winger made a splash that year when he joined the Rangers late in the season and starred for the team in the drive to the Stanley Cup Final in 1979, playing on  line with Phil Esposito and Don Murdoch.   He had 20 points in 18 playoff games, leading the team in assists with 13.  Those points and assists totals were an NHL record for a rookie and are still the second most. Maloney played 11 seasons in New York before being traded to Hartford in 1988.  He has had a long career as an NHL executive with several teams including the Rangers.  He is credited for pushing the team to draft Henrik Lundqvist in 2004.   Of course, his brother Dave Maloney was a defenseman for the Blueshirts as well.

Dave Dryden was a goalie, born on this date in 1941 in Hamilton, Ontario.  Best known as the brother of Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden, he also had a long in the NHL and WHA.  His career as a Ranger was only 40 minutes long and came about on February 3, 1962.  Ranger goalie Gump Worsley injured his elbow in the first minute of the second period in Toronto and Dryden, a high school student and goalie for the junior hockey Toronto Marlboros, was pressed into service. He played 40 minutes, allowed three goals and took the loss.  It took him four years to make his way back to the NHL for good in 1964.   He played eight years in the NHL and five years in the WHA.

Henry Dyck was born on this date in 1912 in Herbert, Saskatchewan and the forward is one of those players who played only one game in the NHL and it was as a Ranger. After a long career as a minor leaguer, he made his way to the Rangers at age 31 for the one game.