Rangers 101: Yes, That Player was a Ranger

The New York Rangers hockey club time and time again has cast some of the game's brightest stars to perform on the biggest stage on the planet. At times, these ensembles are Christopher Nolan-like, other moments in their history are more reminiscent of low-rated chick flicks (Jonnys favorite). Here are some players that did in fact skate in the Rangers iconic jersey.

Guy Lafleur & Marcel Dionne: The first and second overall draft picks of the 1971 NHL entry-level draft would pen illustrious Hall of Fame careers for nearly two decades. In 1989, both legends skated for the New York Rangers. It was a short-lived sight to behold for Rangers fans. The team was swept by Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs.

Phil Esposito: In the late 1970s and early 1980s, “Espo” packed his bags from Boston in a major trade that sent Brad Park, arguably the second-best defenseman in the NHL not named Bobby Orr, and Jean Ratelle from the GAG line for an aging but premier goal scorer. At 37, Esposito led the New York Rangers to the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, tallying 8 goals as New York fell to Montreal in five games.

Bernie Nicholls: Only 5 NHL Players have ever recorded 150 points in a season. Four of those players did so in 1989, Nicholls one of those skaters alongside Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, and Steve Yzerman. Nicholls played in New York from 1990-1991. The Rangers lost to the Washington Capitals in the postseason, and the following year Nicholls was swapped for Mark Messier.

Luc Robitaille: In 1995, the Rangers swapped Sergei Zubov and Petr Nedved for Luc Robitaille and Ulf Samuelsson. The current Los Angeles Kings president played with his former teammate Wayne Gretzky and New York superstar Mark Messier. The team failed to defeat the Flyers in the 1997 Eastern Conference Final.

Pavel Bure: The “Russian Rocket” is known to Ranger fans as the skater Mike Richter stopped on a penalty shot in the team's storybook 1994 championship series. Bure ended his 13-season career in the big apple from 2001-2003. He recorded 50 points in two seasons. Bure skated on a 2001-2002 roster that featured the “FLY” line of Theo Fleury, Eric Lindros, and Mike York, as well as an aged Mark Messier and Brian Leetch.

Wayne Gretzky: “The Great One” ended his career as a New York Ranger. Gretzky’s reasoning for choosing New York as a free agent was to play with his old friend Mark Messier. As a Ranger, Gretzky leads the team on their 1997 Conference Finals run with 10 goals. In his final NHL season, he recorded his 1,072^nd goal surpassing Gordie Howe’s all-time professional hockey record.

Eric Lindros: In the early 2000s, Rangers fans resented the move to bring in Eric Lindros, a Philadelphia Flyer with a complicated history. The garden faithful taunted their own skater, who united with Theo Fleury and Mike York creating the “FLY” line. Two seasons were plagued by concussion injuries, and his time ended in New York as he signed with the Maple Leafs in 2004.

The New York Rangers demonstrate a pattern in their history. A desire to win now with players that have succeeded elsewhere, age not a factor.