There are several things you can expect from Rangers fans when you go to MSG. You'll hear them chant Let's Go Rangers or Igor, when Igor Shesterkin makes a big save. You also hear the crowd go wild when a Ranger puts the puck in the back of the net, followed by their iconic goal song.
But one chant that may seem strange to outsiders is "Potvin Sucks". A chant that Rangers fans have been proudly saying since the early 1980s. But why has this chant become a part of Blueshirts lore, and does it still have relevance today?
Should Rangers fans still be chanting Potvin Sucks?
Back in 1978-79, the Rangers had a young phenom named Ulf Nilsson. They had just signed him away from the WHA, and he was making their investment worthwhile. In 59 games, he racked up 27 goals and 39 assists for 66 points. But everything changed on February 25th, 1979. During the game, Dennis Potvin delivered a big hit on Nilsson that sent him into the boards. This resulted in him suffering a broken ankle that cost him the rest of the season.
This was a huge blow for the Rangers, as the team was never the same after Nilsson left. Sure, they were still able to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, but lost in five games to the Montreal Canadiens. Many believe that if Nilsson had played, the Rangers would have won that Cup. It is one of the biggest what-ifs in team history. Nilsson was also never the same after this hit, as he never reached anywhere near his previous point totals.
Bitter about the loss in the Stanley Cup Final and their star getting hurt, Rangers fans let Potvin have it. When the two teams met the following season, every time Potvin touched the puck, fans started chanting "Potvin Sucks". It became the first iconic moment in the Rangers-Islanders rivalry. After that game, Rangers fans never stopped letting Potvin have it. Even after he retired in 1988, Rangers fans have continued to do it, to this day.
But after 47 years, the chant no longer has the meaning it once did. As mentioned before, the reason why it started was that fans were upset they blew their best chance at winning the Cup since 1940 and Nilsson never bounced back. But the Rangers ended their Cup drought with the magical run of 1994. Potvin's hit did not have the long-term effect on Nilsson, as he recovered from the broken ankle. It was the injury he suffered during the 1981 Canada Cup that cut his career short.
Although "Potvin Sucks" is a fun part of Rangers history and is something that every Ranger fan should know, it is no longer something to be chanted. The reason why it was chanted in the first place is no longer true, and it's time to find something the younger part of the fanbase can understand and join in on.
Add us as a preferred source on Google