Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesThe Maven always feels rewarded when young writers delve into Blueshirts history and present views. But sometimes the views go too far; as The Maven was shocked by one yesterday.
Blue Line Station's Justin Bonhard wrote a piece about the "Three Best Rangers Goalies Of All-time."
Personally, I love lists like that because – most of the time – they inspire thought and often controversy.
Well this one is just plain wrong. Wrong because his list omits a half-century of Rangers hockey from 1926 through the 1950's, which includes a ton of outstanding goalkeeping.
As for his "Best" selections, they are as follows: 3. Ed Giacomin; 2. Mike Richter; 1. Henrik Lundqvist.
One by one I'll tell you about the mistakes.
3. GIACOMIN: I covered him from his first day as a Ranger goalie. Eddie was a fighting goalie with enormous spirit and the fans adored him as they should. However, when it came to playing goal Eddie was just a tad above average and I'd bet that he would admit that. As for his selection to the Hall of Fame, Giacomin put it well. "The fans were the ones who got me in!" Note: Eddie never got even close to a Stanley Cup.(Also benefitted from an excellent sidekick Gilles Villemure who, at times, was better than Eddie.)
1. LUNDQVIST: King Henrik, at best, belongs in third place on the Rangers best goalie list behind Davy Kerr (1940 Cup) and Charlie Rayner (1950, took them to Game 7 double OT Final) Hank never won a Cup and was out-goaled in that fateful Devils series by Marty Brodeur in the playoff when Adam Henrique scored the OT winner and torpedoed yet another Rangers Cup quest.
2. MIKE RICHTER: I put the Cup champ in second place behind Kerr and put Lundqvist third.
MAJOR FLAW: Author Justin Bonhard omitted a half-century of Rangers goalies from 1926 to Giacomin and that just isn't fair. He certainly could have given a nod to the excellent Andy Aitkenhead who led New York to the second Cup in 1933!