Ranger History Thread

[Mandar]

Since we seem to have quite a few days between games (I know there's one tonight), I thought it might be fun to start a Ranger History thread. Maybe bring up some old Ranger memories.....first game you went to....what happened on this date in Ranger history.....stuff like that.

I'll start....

49 years ago today, the Rangers made the most emotional trade in their history (not the worst, that was Hodge for Middleton)....dealing away Jean Ratelle (my favorite Ranger), Brad Park (my dad's favorite Ranger), and the infamous Joe Zanussi......for the hated Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais. Its 49 years later, but I still remember crying about that deal.....we all hated the Bruins at that time (much like we hate the Devils today)...and no Ranger fan liked or wanted Espo. I still havent gotten over being angry at Emile Francis for doing this deal, lol.

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[bernmeister]

Since we seem to have quite a few days between games (I know there's one tonight), I thought it might be fun to start a Ranger History thread. Maybe bring up some old Ranger memories.....first game you went to....what happened on this date in Ranger history.....stuff like that.

I'll start....

49 years ago today, the Rangers made the most emotional trade in their history (not the worst, that was Hodge for Middleton)....dealing away Jean Ratelle (my favorite Ranger), Brad Park (my dad's favorite Ranger), and the infamous Joe Zanussi......for the hated Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais. Its 49 years later, but I still remember crying about that deal.....we all hated the Bruins at that time (much like we hate the Devils today)...and no Ranger fan liked or wanted Espo. I still havent gotten over being angry at Emile Francis for doing this deal, lol.

I'm famously on record cursing Cat F for this.
Rod Gilbert had coffee w/me coupla times, bless him, and told me Francis did that "just to show he could"

Again, eff you EF, eff you.

 

[bobbop]

One that sticks in my craw is March 1, 1972. Jean Ratelle, second in the league in scoring (one point behind Esposito) suffered a broken ankle when he was hit by a Dale Rolfe slapshot. This was the best Ranger team of the era and Ratelle and Gilbert were having career years. Ratelle was rushed back after surgery but he was just a shell of himself when he returned,

 

[Mandar]

One that sticks in my craw is March 1, 1972. Jean Ratelle, second in the league in scoring (one point behind Esposito) suffered a broken ankle when he was hit by a Dale Rolfe slapshot. This was the best Ranger team of the era and Ratelle and Gilbert were having career years. Ratelle was rushed back after surgery but he was just a shell of himself when he returned,

Oh, I remember that well too.....hated Rolfe after that. The best year ever for the GAG line.

7 years later, our best center would again go down with an ankle injury before we go to the finals....

 

[eco's bones]

One that sticks in my craw is March 1, 1972. Jean Ratelle, second in the league in scoring (one point behind Esposito) suffered a broken ankle when he was hit by a Dale Rolfe slapshot. This was the best Ranger team of the era and Ratelle and Gilbert were having career years. Ratelle was rushed back after surgery but he was just a shell of himself when he returned,

That was against the Golden Seals and it was the night I started following the team. Listened to that game on the radio. Not an auspicious start but I'm kind of remembering that we killed them on the scoreboard.

Ratelle comes back in the Cup finals but he was pretty much on one leg and not all that effective and the Bruins won the Cup 4 games to 2. In game one of the finals the Rangers are getting killed 5-1 but then the comeback starts and they get back to 5-5.....and then Ace Bailey (who died in the 9-11 attack) who hadn't scored a goal the entire year walks Brad Park (the second best D in the league) for the game winner.

 

[Ben Grimm]

November 19th, 1969, NYR @ Chicago Stadium. It was my first NHL game, and it ended in a 1-1 tie. Ratelle had a goal assisted by Hadfield and Fairbairn. Pinder had a goal assisted by Maki and captain Stapleton. The goalies were Giacomin and Esposito. The NYR captain was Nevin. The coaches were Francis and Reay.

My all-time favorite NYRs are Howell, Leetch, Gilbert, Greschner, W. Tkaczuk, M. Staal, Ratelle, and Hadfield.

 

[mxyxptlk]

Nope -- never been to Chicago....still think Gresh doesn't get the recognition he deserves.

 

[eco's bones]

Oh, I remember that well too.....hated Rolfe after that. The best year ever for the GAG line.

7 years later, our best center would again go down with an ankle injury before we go to the finals....

What I remember about 79 cup finals was getting up 2 games to zip and out in front of the Habs in game No. 3 and then it all fell apart---the conference finals against Tampa in 2022 was kind of deja vu which is par for the course of following the same team for so long---some things really do repeat themselves. If I remember Davidson kind of f***ed up his knee in the Cup finals. Can't win with a one legged goalie.

 

[cwede]

my dad would take us to old Garden, back during last years of Original 6
I remember a guy in gold lame sport jacket with a trumpet who would rouse the fans
back then NYR were usually home Sunday & Wednesday, the Knicks Saturday and Tuesday

we then had seasons (shared) from '71 until '19

maybe my favorite game in person (aside from 'this one will last a lifetime") was the Richards last-second tying playoff goal vs Caps preceding Staal's OT PP winner
but was there for so many great moments - Hadfield's 50th, Gretz finale, the '72 and '79 Finals (even though)

even then i followed the prospects, what hopes we had for Pierre Jarry, Larry Sacharuck, Mike Murphy, Balej, Brendl, ... Krav ...

the mid-late '70's were crazy - celebrities like Rod Stewart every game,
and dozens of folks crammed in every stairwell between periods getting high
(it was even more indulgent for that eras Knicks games)

may fave guys included Gilbert, Vickers, Greschner, young Cap'n Dave, Beck, Sandstrom, Poddubny, Rogers, Pav, Ridley, AK27,
these days Bread and Zib, Troch and Laf, and Schneider

but best Jersey, my "dress" sweater, my all-time guy was #29 Plexi Rexi

 

[eco's bones]

My favorite players from the 70's started with Gilbert----Murdoch was kind of heading that way but he didn't last long enough. Greschner. Fotiu for sure. I always liked tough guys. That will be a theme. Moving on from the 70's then and into the 80's....Pavelich. McPhee--another who didn't last very long. Leetch---IMO the best Rangers player ever---or at least until Henrik came along. Domi was another favorite. He didn't last long either but I saw him in Binghamton a bunch of times too. Langdon. Henrik of course. Girardi. These days it's Fox, Igor, Panarin, Kreider and I have some hopes for Rempe.

 

[alkurtz]

One that sticks in my craw is March 1, 1972. Jean Ratelle, second in the league in scoring (one point behind Esposito) suffered a broken ankle when he was hit by a Dale Rolfe slapshot. This was the best Ranger team of the era and Ratelle and Gilbert were having career years. Ratelle was rushed back after surgery but he was just a shell of himself when he returned,

I was at this game (season ticket holder in the old blue seats) and I can still hear the sound of Rolfe's shot hitting Ratelle and the dead silence in the Garden immediately after.