A taste test of some of the Rangers overlooked performers and brief successes.
The New York Rangers have famously struggled to get the most out of retread athletes. This unfortunate cycle has given way to unsung heroes leaving their mark on generations of New York supporters.
The Godfather Line: When the “suburbanite” Islanders moved into town, they quickly knocked the Rangers off the mantle in the 1975 playoffs, a huge upset that caused the Rangers to make drastic moves to alter the team. The Rangers united Don Maloney, Don Murdoch, and an aged Phil Esposito to torch the team from the island on in the spring of 1979, leading the team to the Stanely Cup Final.
Glenn Anderson: Did you know Glenn Anderson has 6 Stanley Cup rings? Anderson was a crucial veteran presence in the Ranger's 1994 triumph. Anderson scored three goals in the Stanley Cup Final, with two of them standings as game-winning goals to finish off “The Curse”.
Benoit Poliout: The former fourth overall draft selection would play for 7 NHL teams in 13 seasons. His impact in New York helped the Rangers advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, skating with linemates Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello. The lines play helped a dark horse Rangers team scorch their opponents for 16 goals in 23 post-season games.
The Russian Four: Sergei Zubov, Alexi Kovalev, Sergei Nemchinov, and Alexander Karpovstev are the first Russian players to ever win the Stanley Cup. Many credit the Red Wings “Russian Five” as the landmark group that brought Russian players into the NHL fold. That is partly true, Neil Smith who scouted players for the Red Wings in the late 80’s brought the groundbreaking concept of drafting Russian players with him to New York. The four skaters would combine for 16 goals en route to the club's 54-year drought-breaking championship.
Michael Del Zotto: The Rangers drafted “MDZ” in the first round of the 2008 NHL draft and he took the city by storm in 2012. Del Zotto would post 10 regular season goals from the blue line and 10 points in the Ranger's first conference finals appearance since 1994. Unfortunately, Del Zotto never played to that level again, earning the crude nickname “Del-Zaster”, and becoming an NHL journeyman for the next 10 years.
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