If one chooses to look at the New York Rangers from the perspective of championships won, it is a rather sad story. The Rangers started doing business in 1926, and they have won just four Stanley Cups since then.
When they famously won the title by beating the Vancouver Canucks in seven games in 1994, it broke a 54-year dry spell and gave them their first title since 1940. As great as that title was for Rangers fans, they have now gone another 30 years without another championship.
While the Rangers and their fans would love to see another parade down the Canyon of Heroes in Manhattan, that's not the only thing to focus on. Although they once had the New York City metropolitan area to themselves, they now share it with the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. While both of those teams have won multiple Stanley Cups, the Rangers remain the most beloved team in the area.
The Rangers have had a slew of great players, and here's a look at the top 10 players in Rangers history. This list concentrates on the post-expansion era, but players like Andy Bathgate, Frank Boucher, Bill Cook and Bryan Hextall who played earlier deserve some recognition. Other players who just missed the top 10 include Ron Greschner, Walt Tkaczuk, Vic Hadfield and Mike Gartner.
Dependable at all times, Nos. 10 and 9
Defenseman Harry Howell was one of the best defensemen in NHL history and the 10th-ranked Ranger of all-time. He had a 24-year professional career (21 years in the NHL and 3 in the World Hockey Association), and 17 of those seasons were with the Rangers. Howell is a Hall of Famer and he won the Norris Trophy in 1966-67. Early in his career, he was the No. 2 defenseman in the NHL to Doug Harvey of the Montreal Canadiens and he was in the same position in later years to Bobby Orr. “I'm glad I won it this year,” Howell said about his Norris Trophy win. “Because I know they are going to change the name to the Bobby Orr Trophy.” Orr would go on to win the Norris Trophy in 8 consecutive years.
No. 9 Adam Graves played a huge role on the 1994 Stanley Cup winning team. He was an outstanding 200-foot center who excelled in the face-off circle, played stalwart defense and took advantage of his scoring opportunities. Graves played 10 of his 16 years in the NHL with the Rangers, and he exceeded the 30-goal mark four times. His best year came in the Stanley Cup season when he nailed 52 goals and scored 79 points.
Brilliant in New York, brilliant in Boston, Nos. 8 and 7
No. 8 Jean Ratelle was one of the classiest players in NHL history. He had a brilliant 21-year NHL career and he spent 15-plus seasons in New York and he finished with 5-plus years in Boston. The quiet and unassuming center started his career in 1961 and he parlayed his smooth skating, deft passing, accurate shooting and brilliant defense into a Hall of Fame career. He played between Rod Gilbert and Vic Hadfield on the famous GAG (Goal a Game) line, and opponents knew he was capable of making a game-changing play at any time. His best season came in 1971-72 when he scored 46 goals and 63 assists for 109 points in 63 games. His total would have been much higher if a broken ankle had not cut his season down by 15 games.
No. 7 Brad Park knew just what Harry Howell was talking about after the latter won his Norris Trophy. Park's career coincided with Orr's, and he was largely the the second-best defenseman in the NHL throughout his career. He could not break through and win the Norris, but he was a game-changing defenseman who combined physical play, brilliant stickhandling. smooth passing and a great shot from the point. Traded with Ratelle to the Bruins in a huge deal for Phil Esposito and others, Park went from his beloved Rangers to a team he despised. That changed quickly and he was nearly as brilliant for the Bruins as he was for the Rangers.
Three incredible goaltenders who regularly shut down opponents, Nos. 6, 5 and 4
Known as “The King,” No. 6 Henrik Lundqvist gave the Rangers a chance to win on nearly an every-night basis. Lundqvist was one of the most consistent goaltenders in the league during his 15 years with the Rangers. The Hall of Famer won the Vezina Trophy in 2011-12 when he compiled a 39-18-5 record with a 1.97 goals against average and .930 save percentage.
No. 5 Ed Giacomin was the heart and soul of the Rangers throughout his run with the team from 1966 through 1975. When Giacomin joined the Rangers, they regularly battled the Boston Bruins for last place in the six-team NHL. However, the team quickly improved and Giacomin's cat-like quickness along with his aggressive puck handling played a huge role in the team's success.
Giacomin is a Hall of Famer and he won the Vezina Trophy in the 1970-71 season. He had a 27-10-7 record with a 2.16 GAA and a .922 save percentage while registering 8 shutouts. He was a fan favorite throughout his run with the Rangers, and shouts of “Eddie, Eddie, Eddie” used to echo through Madison Square Garden whenever he made a big save for the home team.
No. 4 Mike Richter will always be remembered as a favorite among Rangers fans because he served as the goaltender for the 1994 Stanley Cup champions. He played 14 years for the Rangers and he was brilliant during that championship run. He was 16-7 in the postseason with a 2.07 GAA, a .921 save percentage and 4 shutouts. He never finished better than third in his attempts to win the Vezina Trophy, but he will always be remembered as one of the team's best playoff performers.
Brilliant right wing and a top defenseman, Nos. 3 and 2
When the French-speaking and No. 3 Rod Gilbert was brought to the big club by the Rangers in the 1962-63 season as a 21-year-old, he was a brilliant skater with great potential. He started to show off that talent in his second year when he tallied 24 goals and 40 assists. As he gained experience, he became one of the most talented goal scorers in team history. He played with Ratelle and Hadfield on the GAG line and he hit his peak in 1971-72 with 43 goals and 54 assists. Gilbert made the Hall of Fame and scored 406 goals and 615 assists during his 18-year career with the Broadway Blueshirts.
No. 2 Brian Leetch was perhaps the top defenseman in Rangers history, and he may have been the most talented player on the 1994 Stanley Cup champions. Leetch was a brilliant skater and he excelled at diagnosing an opponents attack and blunting the attempt. Leetch was a 5-time All-Star and 2-time Norris Trophy winner during his Hall of Fame career. He won the Conn Smythe trophy as the Stanley Cup Most Valuable Player during the championship run. His best season was 1991-92 when he scored 22 goals and 80 assists and won the first of his Norris Trophies.
Messier promised and delivered, something no other Rangers player can say, No. 1
No. 1 Mark Messier had a 25-year NHL career, and just 10 of those years were with the Rangers. He won 6 Stanley Cups in his career, and just 1 of them came with the Rangers. The other came with the dynastic Edmonton Oilers where he teamed with Wayne Gretzky on one of the NHL's all-time greatest teams. When the Rangers acquired Messier prior to the 1991-92 season, they were ascending and could sense an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup.
That happened two years later, and Messier rescued the team in the Eastern Conference Final against the New Jersey Devils. The Rangers trailed 3-2 heading into Game 6 when Messier delivered his famous guarantee that New York would win. The Rangers trailed 2-1 going into the third period of that game and Messier responded with a hat trick and the Rangers had a 4-2 triumph.
He put the team on his back and carried them forward. The beat the Devils in the seventh game and would beat the Vancouver Canucks in seven games the Stanley Cup Finals. Messier will always be remembered as the most legendary performer in Rangers history.
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