Putting aside the fact that I was joking, I didn't say it was 400 years I said it seemed like 400 years. And in all seriousness by the end of the 90's the cup seemed like a few lifetimes ago. The 97-98 season alone felt horrifically long.
The Rangers started the season carrying at least 3 righty D in '90-'91, '91-'92, '92-'93, '93-'94, '94-'95, '95-'96, '96-'97, '97-'98, '06-'07, '07-'08, '08-'09, '09-'10, '10-'11, '11-'12, and '12-'13.
15 out of 23 seasons.
Every year they've made the playoffs since '91 they've had 3 righty D's, except the year after the '04 lockout.
Every year they missed the playoffs they've had less, except the year before the cup, '97-'98 and '09-'10.
Playoffs with 3 RD = 12/15
Playoffs with less than 3 RD = 1/8
Pretty much every year the Rangers had some semblance of a properly constructed team (i.e. not the end of Smith/beginning of Sather's tenures where they just seemed to throw crap at a wall to see what sticks) they've tried to roll with 3 and 3.
Considering that some teams roll with all lefties and most with less than 3, I don't think its a stretch to say the Rangers put more stock in it than most teams.
Wait, you're going back over 20 years in your analysis of what the Rangers put more stock in than other teams? Did I misread that?