Chris Kreider now sits second in all-time power play goals as a Ranger. The maven takes you inside the man who sits first.
"They said I was too skinny to play in the National Hockey League."
That was what Camille Henry was told again and again before the 1953-54 season began. And in a sense, the critics were right.
The French-Canadian who auditioned with the Rangers in October 1953 weighed in at 135 pounds but every inch a talent.
"Cammy was an excellent scorer," said New York Rangers manager Frank Boucher, "and he played Junior against and with such talents as Jean Beliveau and Boom Boom Geoffrion. But I wasn't sure that Cammy could survive taking regular turns."
Boucher solved the problem by turning Henry into the NHL's first power play specialist. When the Blueshirts had a man advantage, that's when Cammy came on to work his magic.
"Boucher had me on with our power play quarterback (Hall of Famer) Max Bentley," said Henry. "Maxie was one of the best -- and smartest -- point man and he taught me a ton about working the man advantage."
As current Rangers PP scorer Chris Kreider (109 career) moves closer to Henry's record of 116 power play gals, the Kreider style is compared to Henry's.
Kreider uses his big body to his advantage while Henry exploited his elusiveness to great advantage.
"That's why they called me 'The Eel,'" Camille," laughed, "but what really mattered is that I could stick with the big club."
Not only did he stick but won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year after tallying 24 goals as the Rangers full-time power play ace.
Disagreements with management led the general staff to send Henry down to the minors but he later would return to Broadway and became the skinniest successful part-timer in club history.
Time and again the Rangers high command tried various ways of fattening him up.
In the end, he remained the 135-pound whiz scorer; a lot lighter than Chris Kreider!