News Article: Players Tribune: Thank You, New York by Ryan McDonagh

[Edge]

I’m going to miss him. Flaws and all, many of us really loved a lot of these guys. Even though we didn’t draft McD, he was “ours.”

In many ways, Ranger fans got what they wanted - home grown, young talent. That’s what guys like Miller and McD represent.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

It’s a little dusty in here.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I've had this as the background on my desktop for years.

I don't intend on changing it anytime soon.

Thanks Mac.

 

[Ori]

I`ve great memories from Ryan Mc. I wish him good luck in Tampa - I also remember his video earlier last summer him & Skjei driving around in different streets playing some summer hockey. It was amusing and I will miss him for sure.

 

[Siddi]

He was agreat captain for the Rangers as well. Do not confuse on-ice play with leadership. Despite his knees being shot and him not playing as good as we expected, he was still a great captain. Better than Leetch, Callahan and McDonagh

Well said.

Mac was a great player but he was honestly a useless captain.

 

[Siddi]

Did anyone catch that he didn't mention Hank in that article? Maybe he didn't mean it... Then again, maybe that was on purpose.. I know Hank has always been an A personality type. I wonder if that rubbed McD the wrong way.

Might help if you read the whole piece next time.

Also, very interesting and perhaps telling that there were no mention of AV at all.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Unfortunate that he is leaving this organization. I hope he wins a Cup in Tampa Bay. McDonagh was one of our organization's all time best defenseman.

 

[AKA Chief]

Just got my tix to the Rangers March 30th game vs. TB. I'm sure there will be a McD tribute video...will there be one for JT? LOL!

 

[AKA Chief]

BTW - I remember Neil Smith saying that he traded for all those Oilers because the Rangers wanted to be champs so they wanted to bring in players from successful franchises. Debs did a bit of the same thing with Habs players.

Well now you've got TB doing the same thing with Rangers. Half their D group was from the last Ranger Cup run: McD, Girardi and Stralman.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

It's so hard to imagine any generation of future Rangers matching this one for me emotionally.

I have watched just about every game since I was 10 years old in 1997. Going through the dark ages living in NJ, with the winless streak against the NJD in my middle school and HS years.

Finally in college and as a young adult, seeing the NYR develop a homegrown team. So much to be proud of. So much hope. Brian Leetch was THE guy to me growing up, but this team felt like MY team. Got super invested in drafts/prospects starting in 2004, so watching these guys through juniors, the WJC, the AHL, all way to MSG. So invested.

Now as I sit here as a 30 y/o man, preparing to move to Chicago this Summer, officially and conclusively ending this era. It's not fun. I 100% support the decision, I get it. But it is so hard to imagine another generation having the same affect.

To you old farts out there - how does your fandom and appreciation for various eras compare?

 

[Elliman]

Thanks for the memories Mac! Win the cup in TBay and then come home!

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Imma read it later. Gotta go to werken first.

 

[Machinehead]

I still struggle with the A-C-E line

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Not going to lie, that as a tough read. A good Ranger and a good person. I nice little time capsule of a a very good era of Rangers hockey.

 

[AK 27]

A lot of things come up for me reading that piece by McDonagh. Here are the highlights:

1) A very heartfelt sentiment delivered by Mac. I loved reading it.

2) Typically when a player gets traded he tells you how much he'll miss his former team but then goes on to say how excited he is to play for his new team. I didn't read any of that and I found that incredibly interesting. I specifically remember Stepan being interviewed about Phoenix and him saying that NY hold a lot of good memories for him but that his focus was on his new team. I mean, he said he played for the greatest fans in the world, in the greatest arena in the world, etc. What about Tampa's Fans, arena, etc? Haha. I mean, McD is all class and I know that article was for us... but still.

3) I kinda miss the 80s when we weren't AS emotionally invested in the players. What I mean is, with social media being what it is, we have so much more access to players' personal lives and I'm not sure how I feel about that. When I was a kid I had posters on my wall of all my favorite players. I was okay with not knowing everything about them. I didn't assume they were members of the clergy and I was okay with that. They were regular dudes playing a children's game. They were my heroes. And when Tomas Sandstrom went to the Kings I was not a happy camper, believe me. I loved that dude. But I wasn't getting misty-eyed either. It just sucked. When I read McDonagh's piece I literally felt a pit in my stomach. This guy loved NY. He loved playing for the NY Rangers. He loved being the captain. He loved the fans. Well, at least that's what he says in his article, but I believe him 100%.

4) Once again I'm dating myself but in the 80s I felt like a team could suck and it was 'ok'. The 'lovable losers' so to speak. The Cubbies. The Red SAWX. Take your pick. But I felt like the fans were a lot more understanding back then. They stuck with a team through thick and thin and didn't call for everyone's head all the time. You loved what you had (or at least you tried to). I'm not saying we were free of criticism. God no. But you kinda loved hating on them (see: Barry Beck). I just feel like expectations have changed a lot and that people are a lot more demanding (in general, not just in sports). I have a lot to say about that but since this is such a long post I doubt anyone will even read it, haha.

5) This core of players gave us a lot of great memories. It sucks that we never won the Cup but man did they give me a lot to cheer about. I suppose seeing McD get traded really hit home. It really did signify 'the end'. I think THAT was what hit me the hardest. Saying goodbye to a player is one thing. Saying goodbye to a time of your life is another. Sure, Staal may stick around but the team that got us to the Cup is all but gone.

6) It's a new beginning and I'm really excited about it! Young players to watch! Future stars in the making (hopefully)! Guys who are hungry and leave it out on the ice every night. The future is bright and you don't gotta wear shades.

That's all. I know it was a lot but that article stirred up a lot of crap. Thanks for reading.

 

[TGWL]

For those interested in picking up a McDonagh jersey, Dicks sporting goods has an online sale for $56 on McDonagh Authentic Adidas jerseys - Grabner available in stores. & (40% off Lundqvist and Vesey)

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

That read actually made me so f***ing sad. Rebuild or not, McD not being in a Rangers sweater simply sucks. It just doesn't feel right to not have him here. But since hockey is a business, so you can't control those things, obviously.

 

[nevesis]

Just got my tix to the Rangers March 30th game vs. TB. I'm sure there will be a McD tribute video...will there be one for JT? LOL!

Absolutely they will do a video tribute for J.T.

He grew up in the organization. The New York Rangers have class. Just because he was a douche that fell out of favor with management doesn't mean that erases the history.

 

[Edge]

It's so hard to imagine any generation of future Rangers matching this one for me emotionally.

I have watched just about every game since I was 10 years old in 1997. Going through the dark ages living in NJ, with the winless streak against the NJD in my middle school and HS years.

Finally in college and as a young adult, seeing the NYR develop a homegrown team. So much to be proud of. So much hope. Brian Leetch was THE guy to me growing up, but this team felt like MY team. Got super invested in drafts/prospects starting in 2004, so watching these guys through juniors, the WJC, the AHL, all way to MSG. So invested.

Now as I sit here as a 30 y/o man, preparing to move to Chicago this Summer, officially and conclusively ending this era. It's not fun. I 100% support the decision, I get it. But it is so hard to imagine another generation having the same affect.

To you old farts out there - how does your fandom and appreciation for various eras compare?

I think with time you'll find that each era has a different place in your memory and heart.

Some of those mediocre Rangers teams of the 80s were my favorite because I remember going to the games with my dad.

The Leetch-Messier-Richter-Graves Rangers were another era that produced my favorite memory as a fan.

The Jagr years felt like a rebirth and a team that achieved more than anyone thought they could.

This group felt like "ours" and we watched them grow up.

I suspect the next era will also feel like "ours" and we'll pick our favorites as they grow up before our eyes.

 

[FUZfan]

What I'll always remember about Mac was his toughness. Not he drop the gloves and turn the other guys face into mush type (obviously) but his ability to take a hit was incredible. There were several times in his career where I saw him take a massive shot and thought to myself "that's going to be a serious injury" only to watch Mac get up, shake it off and often times, not miss a shift.

Good luck in Tampa Mac

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

It's so hard to imagine any generation of future Rangers matching this one for me emotionally.

I have watched just about every game since I was 10 years old in 1997. Going through the dark ages living in NJ, with the winless streak against the NJD in my middle school and HS years.

Finally in college and as a young adult, seeing the NYR develop a homegrown team. So much to be proud of. So much hope. Brian Leetch was THE guy to me growing up, but this team felt like MY team. Got super invested in drafts/prospects starting in 2004, so watching these guys through juniors, the WJC, the AHL, all way to MSG. So invested.

Now as I sit here as a 30 y/o man, preparing to move to Chicago this Summer, officially and conclusively ending this era. It's not fun. I 100% support the decision, I get it. But it is so hard to imagine another generation having the same affect.

To you old farts out there - how does your fandom and appreciation for various eras compare?

I am not TOO MUCH of an old-timer compared to you, but I have to admit that while I'll miss him and am thankful for what McDonagh provided over the years, it doesn't really tear at my heartstrings at all.

I think part of it is because he lacked any sort of charisma. Being a legend in this town generally needs to include some sort of gravitating personality. One notable exception was Leetch, who carried himself much like McDonagh. Incidentally, they both wound up being questionable captains. Leetch was also a generational player and one of the best North American players ever, which is rarified air that McDonagh will never be able to claim.

 

[silverfish]

Shoutouts to the people who think McDonagh was a vanilla captain while at the same time get mad at Lundqvist for showing emotion.

 

[NickyFotiu]

If we can't win the cup this year I would love to see McD, JT, and Dan win it. They will always be Rangers to me.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

I really wish that he does his thing with Tampa these one and a half years to come.

And then come back harder, better, faster, stronger. (signed to a cost-efficient deal)

 

[Ghost of jas]

It's so hard to imagine any generation of future Rangers matching this one for me emotionally.

I have watched just about every game since I was 10 years old in 1997. Going through the dark ages living in NJ, with the winless streak against the NJD in my middle school and HS years.

Finally in college and as a young adult, seeing the NYR develop a homegrown team. So much to be proud of. So much hope. Brian Leetch was THE guy to me growing up, but this team felt like MY team. Got super invested in drafts/prospects starting in 2004, so watching these guys through juniors, the WJC, the AHL, all way to MSG. So invested.

Now as I sit here as a 30 y/o man, preparing to move to Chicago this Summer, officially and conclusively ending this era. It's not fun. I 100% support the decision, I get it. But it is so hard to imagine another generation having the same affect.

To you old farts out there - how does your fandom and appreciation for various eras compare?

The whole rise from the Dubinsky/Staal/Callahan/Girardi group to Game 7 against TB is as memorable to me as any era I’ve been through. So many likable players. Their failings had more to do with their limitations than their heart. Think about it. In a two straight years, we watched this team come back from being down 3-1 in a series against two teams with elite talent. We beat the Penguins, a long time nemesis in back-to-back years. It’s a team that if fate had truly shined on them could have had back-to-back Cups. It was a hell of a ride.