Our top five NY Rangers of all time
With training underway and preseason NHL play just days away, Blue Line Station ranks its top five New York Rangers players of all time.
Preseason New York Rangers hockey is just a mere week away.
With Rookie Camp game-action in Allentown already wrapped up and the 2024 Training Camp roster set — all that's really left to do is wait.
But who says we have to sit idle? While we wait, why don't we have some fun?
In the modern world of NHL today, it is important to look back on those that came before and grew the game to what it is today. These players not only made the team spectacular, but improved the sport of hockey as a whole. Though this ranking is based on opinion, it is still notable to place respect on the outstanding players of old who inspired the outstanding players of present.
The New York Rangers' franchise have had many, many amazing hockey players on their rosters throughout the years, a testament to their four Stanley Cups. If we had to rank our top five of all time going into the 2024-25 season, here's who Blue Line Station would put on our list.
5. Adam Graves
With No. 9 retired and an NHL All-Star, it shouldn't be a surprise that Graves made our list. In 1,152 NHL games, Graves 616 points — 329 goals, 287 assists — as well as 65 points in 125 playoff games. Of these, 38 were goals and the remaining 27 were assists.
After scoring 36 goals in 1992-93, Graves had a career year in 1993-94, scoring a team-record 52 goals; a record which was not surpassed until 2005-06. The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy for the second time in three seasons, then ended a 54-season championship drought by winning the Cup for the first time since 1940. Graves scored 10 goals in 23 games during the run to the Cup, including one in the first period in Game 7 of the Final against the Vancouver Canucks.
Towards the end of the left winger's career before retirement, he won the Masterton Trophy as the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
4. Mike Richter
U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Richter has a rich hockey background playing for the United States in the World Junior Championships in 1985, Richter played for the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1985 to 1987, and the Rangers made him the 28th overall pick in the1985 Draft. He again represented the USA in the1986 World Junior Championships, as well as the World Championships and the1988 Winter Olympics, all before making his NHL debut in the1989 playoffs.
He has helped the Rangers win one Stanley Cup as well as another appearance in the finals in 1997. Amongst his prime, the Pennsylvania native was consistently ranked amongst the top goaltenders in the world.
Plus, the fact that he played his entire NHL career — from1989 to 2002 — with the New York Rangers definitely warrant him some bonus
3. Rod Gilbert
If you don't think Gilbert belongs in the top three, there might be a problem.
Gilbert is the most prolific scorer in the history of the New York Rangers. Spending his entire 18-season NHL career with the Rangers, Gilbert ranks first in its history in goals, 406m and points, 1,021, in 1,065 games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982 and scored two goals in Game Four of the semifinals against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1962 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Rangers thus retired his No. 7 on Oct. 14, 1979. It was the first number raised to the rafters at Madison Square Garden. They didn't call him "Mr. Ranger" for nothing.
2. Mark Messier
Messier is in the top 10 NHL players to win the most Stanley Cups ever, with six. While only one of these was with the NY Rangers, his playoff leadership while in New York ended a 54-year Stanley Cup drought in 1994. This earned him the nickname "The Messiah."
Needless to say, he certainly left his mark on the Rangers' franchise. Messier transformed the New York Rangers with his indomitable spirit and unwavering leadership on and off the ice.
He is considered one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time. He is second on the all-time list for playoff points — 295 — and third for regular-season games played — 1756 — and regular-season points — 1887.
Even at 40-years-old, he still had a 67 point season during 2000-01. He also had 15 NHL All-Star Game appearances across his length career.
In Jan. of 2006, during a very emotional ceremony that featured most of the1994 Stanley Cup team and the Stanley Cup itself, the New York Rangers retired his number 11 in a game against the Edmonton Oilers.
1. Brian Leetch
One of the best and most awarded defenseman in history, it should come to nobody's surprise that Leetch is in the top two.
A transcendent talent and quintessential two-way defenseman, he left an indelible mark on the New York Rangers' storied history. His exceptional vision, smooth skating, and precise passing consistently fueled the team's offense while his tenacious defense and hockey IQ made him a formidable force in his own zone. Leetch's iconic 1994 playoff performance – which remains the gold standard for defensemen – played an integral role in delivering the long-awaited Stanley Cup to Madison Square Garden.
Not many NHL players have done more in a career than Leetch. He is one of just five NHL defensemen to score 100 or more points in a season. He has won the Stanley Cup, the Calder Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year and the Norris Trophy twice as the League's top defenseman. He was captain of the United States tam that won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
His signature move was a swivel-hip, side-to-side, shake-and-bake, which often ended with Leetch moving smartly around his opponent. He left many opposing players in his wake.
Leetch also had 28 goals, 61 assists and a plus-minus of +1 in 82 games for the Rangers across playoff appearances.
feed