Former Rangers forward John MacLean will share a special moment tonight with his son Kyle when the Islanders battle the Blackhawks.
On Friday night, former New York Rangers forward and current New York Islanders John MacLean will share a special moment with his son Kyle MacLean, who will be making his NHL debut with the New York Islanders.
MacLean donned the Rangers' sweater for 161 games (46 goals, 51 assists) from the start of the 1998 season until he was traded to the Dallas Stars in February of 2001.
For those who grew up playing hockey, more often than not, the coach’s son was also on the team, which may or may not have had its flaws.
But for Kyle, he's had to grind to get to the NHL after going undrafted following a five-year junior career with the Oshawa Generals. This season was his fourth year playing for Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
"I was a first-round pick, and it worked out for me,” John MacLean (sixth overall by New Jersey Devils in 1983) said. “You get extra looks. Kyle didn't get extra looks. He had to keep working. He had to keep going, and he enjoyed it." (H/t Newsday's Andrew Gross)
The History of the Patrick Family
Father-son combos date back almost to the beginnings of hockey. By far, the most famous in my book featured The Patrick Family.
Lester Patrick, a defenseman and Hall of Famer, emerged as the Rangers patriarch when he took control of the Blueshirts at their inception as manager and coach in 1926. He won a Stanley Cup a year later and again in 1933.
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By that time, his older son, Lynn, had developed into a superior minor-league prospect at left wing.
"I thought Lynn was good enough for the NHL, but a lot of people told me not to promote him because it would be a case of nepotism," Lester recalled. "But I saw that my son had talent and decided to give him a chance."
Lester was right on both counts.
The issue of "nepotism" arrived with Lynn once he donned a Ranger blue shirt. "And I was well aware of it," said Lynn "But if Lester (that's what he called his father) thought I was good enough for the NHL, I was determined to give it my best shot."
And he did, and he proved his father correct. Once Lynn was placed on the left wing with center Phil Watson and right wing Bryan Hextall, the unit emerged as one of the best in the league and, in 1940, won another Stanley Cup with Lester still managing the team.
Lynn was not the only son to star under Lester. Younger brother Murray, a defenseman, followed a few years after Lynn. "I didn't get the same razzing as Lynn," Muzz pointed out, "because Lynn was already successful."
A more rambunctious personality than Lynn, Muzz had to be tamed every so often by his father, but that was not an easy chore. "I liked to have fun," said Muzz, "and there was plenty of fun to be had on Broadway, which was only a block away from The Garden."
As it happened, father Patrick teamed veteran Art Coulter on defense with Muzz, and the two combined to be among the best blueliners in Blueshirt history. They, too, enjoyed Stanley Cup champagne with Lester in the spring of 1940.
Lynn's line helped create the Stanley Cup-winning goal against Toronto in the sixth game of the Stanley Cup Final at Maple Leaf Gardens.
For sure, the Patrick's Family would have continued to dominate had it not been for World War II. Both Lynn and Murray bade goodbye to Lester, who enlisted in the American Army and served throughout the conflict.
At war's end, they returned to the NHL, but their speed had diminished. Lester soon retired as boss of the Blueshiirts, while Lynn and Murray eventually wound up following in their dad's footsteps.
First, Lynn became Rangers coach, leading the team to the seventh game of the 1950 Cup Final vs. Detroit before moving on to Boston. Muzz became Rangers coach in 1954 and eventually moved into his father's chair as general manager in 1955.
The Patrick Father-Son combo earned an admirable title: Hockey's Royal Family.