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Last member of '94 team retires

GWOW said:
Kovalev was a good playoff performer here. In 1997, he was having his best season as a Ranger when he was slashed by John Maclean and it ended his season. Makes you wonder how far they would have gone if he was healthy for that run.

He was too inconsistent, but my fave Kovalev moment was his rookie season when he scored a hat trick to come back in the 3rd period to beat the Bruins right after Xmas.

And for people hating on 1994, the reason why people keep talking about it was IMO for the quality in play those last two rounds. The skill on display was incredible for all teams.

Even without the Cup, that was a tremendous NHL postseason. MON-BOS went 7 games, Hasek vs Brodeur, San Jose as an 8th seed knocking off Detroit. Vancouver coming back from 3-1 to beat Calgary, Washington finally beating Pittsburgh.

To me, it was the last great postseason before the Dead Puck era in terms of pure skill and even though it was the first season without the old division playoff system, you still ended up with huge rivalries in almost every round.
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I remember when that happened. I was in college in DC, so Rangers games were harder for me to see, but that was the closest he got to playing consistent hockey as a Ranger. I don't think he would necessarily have hit the same heights as a Blueshirt as he did on the Penguins, but that was his best time as a Ranger in the regular season.

Perhaps it's good that the fans who don't remember '94 are tired of hearing about it, if it means they pressure this franchise to create new success, but almost every Ranger fan who was able to enjoy that season will cherish the memory until their final breath. It just really was that special. I'm sorry that some of you guys weren't able to experience it, but for the rest of us, it simply will never get old, no matter how many cloying specials MSG try to thrust in our faces.
 
Sorry to see Kovy retire. He was my favorite Ranger for years. When I would skate I would try to mimic his smooth stride.
 
surf said:
Well said Sir.You go back further than me with the team..I got really hooked when we brought over Andres Hedberg and Ulf Nilson.Loved them and the line of Hickey,Hedberg,Nilson.Do I remember correctly,were we the first team to bring over Swedes to play in the NHL? Or was Borje Salming here first?
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Salming was the first of those.

He came to The Maple Leafs in 73/74
Hedberg went to NA in 74/75 and played for Winnipeg for four years in WHA, before joining Rangers and NHL in 78/79.
Ulf Nilsson came together with Hedberg.

But Sterner was over to NA before Salming. Played 4 games for The Rangers in 64/65.

The first Sweden born to play in NA and Senators, was Gus Forslund, born in Umeå, but he was raised in Canadian hockey, and went over seas just one year old.

So Sterner and Salming was the first Sweden raised players in NHL.
 
Radek27 said:
Messier gets all the credit for game 6 vs the Debbies but Kovalev started it all with the first goal of the game and assisting on every one of the Mess goals. Without Kovalev we don't have that 94 cup and for that I will always be a Kovalev fan.

Congrats on a great career:

1st Russian selected 1st round
1st Russian to win the cup
Olympic gold and bronze
Multiple All-Star and one time MVP
Over 1,000 career points

I think he gets HOF consideration.
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So why didn't he reached his full potential (spelling?), as some claims in this tread?
 
Because at times Kovy was positively brilliant with the puck, but it just never seemed to translate into the amount of goals it could (should?) have. He'd often make just that "one more move" where he'd lose the puck when he should have shot or passed.

We thought he would figure it out eventually and become a true superstar. I loved watching him but it could get a bit frustrating at times.

He is clearly an integral part of the '94 team and has my gratitude for his contributions to The Cup.
 
fredrikstad said:
So why didn't he reached his full potential (spelling?), as some claims in this tread?
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Because he didn't. Kovalev had so much raw talent it was ridiculous. So much so, TSN ranked him the 4th most talented player of ALL TIME, only behind Mario, Orr, and Gretzky. It's not like it's only Rangers fans who bashed Kovalev for never getting it together, Habs fans, Sens fans, and even Pens fans where he had his most success bash him. The fact he finished with 1000 pt career and people still bemoan his career as "unsuccessful" speaks volumes about his talent level and how great he could have been if he put it altogether.
 
Rangers were so strong at center is those days, Ratelle, Tkaczuk, Stemkowski, that he never really had a chance to break in here. An impressive young player when he played here though.
 
Kovy was one of my favorites. Does anybody remember the game where he had mustard/ketchup on his jersey as he went out earlier in the day for a MSG shoot and got some on his jersey after getting a hot dog on the corner?

Kovalev was just awesome. Was upset when they let him go.
 
Leetch66 said:
Born Finnish...Swedish parents ...played Canadian Jr and broke in with Rangers . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juha_Widing

Wow...I did not know he died at such a young age 37 . Yes...I am old...50 .
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alkurtz said:
Rangers were so strong at center is those days, Ratelle, Tkaczuk, Stemkowski, that he never really had a chance to break in here. An impressive young player when he played here though.
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One of my hockey rarities, I have his autograph somewhere, shame that he passed so early.
 
I think it would be great if we had a Sticky Thread on Ranger Alumni and what they are currently doing . It would be a very interesting thread and also informative for a lot of our younger posters . History is a very important part of any team and even though we sometimes feel it has been mostly bad...we still had some great teams and even greater players and also great memories :nod: . It could have pics...clips and whatever...could be fun !
 
Kershaw said:
Good riddance.

I don't want to hear from 94 again. It's done. It's over.
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Just because you weren't a part of the Ranger fanbase when we won the Cup in 1994, doesn't mean it's a bad thing to talk about it. For me personally, it will always be one of the biggest moments in sport, together with South Africa winning the Rugby World Cup a year later, Ajax winning the Champions League in 1995 as well and Uruguay winning the Copa America the same year (both football).

I was only 10 when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup and I love seeing it over and over again. I think I watched the Devils series and Canucks series 30 times since then.
 
alkurtz said:
My Ranger memories go back to 1958.

Season ticket holder in the blueseats from 1969-1976.

I've raised two hardcore Ranger fans, one who is a regular poster here.

Met my wife going to a playoff game in 1970.

Still as fanatic a fan as ever, the Rangers have been one of the great passions of my life. Aside from personal events, 1994 is one of the highlights of my life and I will never, ever tire of it. Each time I see Matteau's goal, Richter's save, the last faceoff, Mess with the cup, it brings a smile to my face. Always will.

In 1991 we were camping in Newfoundland, met a family from there, and of course talked hockey. I recall telling them that when I was in my 20s, I used to joke that I would likely go through my whole
life without seeing the Rangers win the cup, but now that I was in my 40s, it wasn't a joke anymore.

So 94 is a big deal. I will never forget how ecstatic I was. Just watch a replay of Sam and JD as the game ended and after, watch the crowd and you will understand.

Kovy was one of my favorite players. What an incredible talent. His speed in game 6 against the Devs was just as important as Messier's goals. Yes he underachieved but if you just look at his stats, he is a borderline hall of famer. Another player with those stats and what he did in his career just might get in. But of course he won't and shouldn't. But what a transcendent, exuberant talent. Love the guy, thinking of him makes me smile even if he could have been so much more.

Now, if we could only win another!
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Thanks, you really summed up the way I feel about that season. I was on top of the world all summer and still get a smile everything I think about it. It was truly a special season for me (and all Ranger fans). And Kovalev will always be a special player for me too. He brought real excitement to the ice.

One last memory: the next season--soon after that lockout ended--the Rangers played on the Island. There was a stoppage of play at the end of the period and as soon as I saw the clock, I held my breath. Why? It read 19:40. What happened? Absolutely nothing, no chanting, no catcalls, just silence. That's why 1994 will never get old, at least for me.
 
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Crease said:
That's my beef. Yes this organization has had one championship in the past 70 odd years but there is so much wonderful and interesting history that's not being retold, and instead for the umpteenth time I get to see Summer of 94 on MSG Network.

I'd love to hear about and see more of those 70's teams that made the finals twice. There's no shame in losing to those Bruins and Canadiens teams. And it would incredibly interesting to revisit given the names involved: Orr, Espo, Hodge on the Bruins and Gainey, LaFleur, Robinson, Dryden and Savard on the Canadiens.
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You have a choice: don't watch. As for watching games, etc from the 1970s--I suspect the quality of the film/tape isn't good enough for most people (especially those with HD).
 
I have been a fan since the mid 1960's and Kovalev is one of my all-time favorites, along with Park, Routsalinen, Beck, Goyette (the guy who first made me understand hockey could be beautiful to watch), and Lundqvist.

Oops. I left out Orr. Not Colton.
 
Here are a couple of pics I have of the 94 Stanley Cup newspaper and a Beckett which I was able to get Messier to sign them for me about 3 Summers ago when he was in town presenting an award for Lays Potato Chips . They had the Cup there too but I was so excited...I never even thought about getting a pic of that with him...and there were only about 30 people there at this event . :nod:


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Everyone is underachiever. Hockey or not. There is no such requirement as to fulfill your promise to be considered great. Be All You Can Be it says, not Be All You Could Be. He’s HOF, no questions to me.
Why he didn't succeed as a Ranger? He did. One SC is enough. Tell me who did in the last 25 years! This place is a graveyard of talent. And it will be as long as Dolans own it.
 
chosen said:
I have been a fan since the mid 1960's and Kovalev is one of my all-time favorites, along with Park, Routsalinen, Beck, Goyette (the guy who first made me understand hockey could be beautiful to watch), and Lundqvist.

Oops. I left out Orr. Not Colton.
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Phil Goyette! Ever since he was here centering the Goyette/Bob Nevin/Donnie Marshall line I've had a thing for slick passing playmaking centers.

Though his heyday here was in the late 60s, the Rangers brought him back from I think Buffalo in 72 after Ratelle broke his ankle and he was with the team when they lost to the Bruins in the finals. He had nothing left by then.

Would love to see more about the 79 team: what a fascinating group: JD, the Maloneys, the Nilsson/Hedberg/Hickey line, Espo, Lucien Deblois, Mike McKuen (spelling wrong here), Bobby Sheehan coming out nowhere to get hot in the playoffs, Ron Duguay before he began looking like an aged Rod Stewart, Dave Farrish, Carol Vadnais.....know I'm leaving people out off the top of my head: Donnie Murdoch? Greg Polis?

Getting to the cup finals, winning game 1 in Montreal, up 2-0 early in game 2 and then, as JD said, not only not winning another game, but not winning another period, or even another shift the entire series. But what an interesting group of guys
 
Don Murdock,Greshner,Cam Conner??



alkurtz said:
Phil Goyette! Ever since he was here centering the Goyette/Bob Nevin/Donnie Marshall line I've had a thing for slick passing playmaking centers.

Though his heyday here was in the late 60s, the Rangers brought him back from I think Buffalo in 72 after Ratelle broke his ankle and he was with the team when they lost to the Bruins in the finals. He had nothing left by then.

Would love to see more about the 79 team: what a fascinating group: JD, the Maloneys, the Nilsson/Hedberg/Hickey line, Espo, Lucien Deblois, Mike McKuen (spelling wrong here), Bobby Sheehan coming out nowhere to get hot in the playoffs, Ron Duguay before he began looking like an aged Rod Stewart, Dave Farrish, Carol Vadnais.....know I'm leaving people out off the top of my head: Donnie Murdoch? Greg Polis?

Getting to the cup finals, winning game 1 in Montreal, up 2-0 early in game 2 and then, as JD said, not only not winning another game, but not winning another period, or even another shift the entire series. But what an interesting group of guys
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