The Blueshirts were so good in their first five years of operation – starting in 1926 – that there was no need for a farm system.

Coached by "The Silver Fox," Lester Patrick, the Blueshirts finished first in the NHL's American Division in their maiden season (1926-27) and won The Stanley Cup a year later.

"When New York won a second Stanley Cup in 1933, Patrick realized that his championship core was aging," says The Old Scout. "That's when he decided to build a farm system. Teams would be strategically placed in Canada and the United States."

The first Blueshirts' fall training camp was held in Winnipeg, which then was considered THE hockey capital of Canada. One of the players who turned out for a job was Lester Patrick's older son Lynn.

As it happened Lynn also was one of the best pro football players in the Dominion and before the hockey camp opened Lynn lined up with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. 

At the time the Blue Bombers player – and coach – was Bud Grant who later wound up in Minnesota where he built the Vikings into one of the NFL powers. As a Blue Bomber, Lynn Patrick set records.

"My favorite play," Lynn recalled, "was a 68-yard touchdown pass I caught from Russ Rebholz to beat Regina. It was the longest TD pass play of that season."

When the Rangers' first training camp opened Lynn was impressed with the competition. Sixteen of the twenty-five there became professionals and several developed into really outstanding players – Babe Pratt, Mac and Neil Colville, Alex Shibicky and Joe Cooper, to name just a few.

Lynn Patrick: "The other guys had much more competitive experience than I had and one man I did not impress was my father, Lester; the one who counted most. He was less than enthused with me as a prospect and told me so."