Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORKWhen seeking an unsung hero of Yesteryear,there is one pivotal question – what did this man do the most for the franchise yet still receive the least credit?
We all have heard endless paeans of praise for the 1994 champions – Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Mike Richter and coach Mike Keenan; all well-deserved compliments, I might add.
But what about the man who painstakingly put together the Cup-winning combinations and had eternal internal battles to make it all happen.
The Maven is talking about Neil Smith, the general manager who finally is getting some deserved accolades. Smith will be inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame in Troy, New York on July 12.
Neil will not be the only Ranger to be honored. Another recipient will be the Blueshirt who epitomized grit and goals, forward Don Maloney.
But, for now, The Maven's focus is on Smith and his saga that led to the Cup win.
More than that, it should be Exhibit A for any young person whose aim is to obtain a managerial position in hockey.
Neil did it the hard way; first trying to make it as a player and, when that didn't work, he started with a basement job with the Islanders.
"I actually worked with coach Al Arbour," Smith recalled, "and worked my way up from there."
When he was hired as the new Blueshirt boss it was an upset. His was not the most familiar name for the job when the opening came up. But he got the gig, named a staff including Roger Neilson as head coach.
As the painstaking work moved along Smith soon had a very competent team on his hands but not a championship one.
And after replacing Neilsonb he had a coach in Mike Keenan whose overbearing nature occasionally clashed with Neil's better judgement. Keenan tried Neil's patience to the limit; and sometimes beyond the limit.
But indomitable and unswerving to the end, Smith pushed ahead. Eventually it would lead to a 1993-94, full out feud – and a Stanley Cup.