There's a ton of talk going around that Edmonton's Connor McDavid should be awarded The Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL's playoff MVP. Premature as the McDavid for MVP schmooze may be, it got The Maven thinking that there once was a very valuable Rangers MVP Trophy that somehow has disappeared. Stan Fischler US Hall Of Fame MSG More to the point – now that the Blueshirts 100th anniversary is just around the calendar – it's time for some Rangers historian-sleuth to unearth this magnificent hunk of silverware. I know that it is as impressive in its own way as the Stanley Cup. It's called the William J. Macbeth Memorial Trophy which was given to "The Most Valuable Ranger In playoff competition." For sure, this season's winner – hands-down or hands-up, for that matter – would be none other than Igor (Iggy, to me) Shesterkin. Historically, the trophy honors the late "Bunk" Macbeth who was the first sportswriter to cover pro hockey in New York, circa 1925. Macbeth died in August 1937. Before the New York Americans folded in 1942, the Macbeth Trophy was awarded to the winner of the Intra-city series which meant that the stronger Blueshirts won it almost every year. For historic purposes alone, the sterling silver trophy should be found and, if not, a new one should be struck by MSG in time for the Rangers Centennial. By the way, once the Macbeth was returned to competition for the 1947-48 season, the winner was my buddy Hal Gelman's favorite Ranger when Hal was a kid. Phil Watson, the veteran center who ended his playing days in the 1948 playoff against Detroit, was the first Macbeth winner when it returned to competition after World War II. P.S. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the original Macbeth Trophy should contact Rangers' Historian, Michael Rappaport, in the club's public relations department.
