The New York Rangers are one of the most prominent franchises in professional sports.
What many people may not realize, though, is how many legendary players came from the New York Rangers over the years. Learn more about some of the best and most historical players from the New York Rangers.
Mike Richter
It’s widely believed that the Rangers fans love their team’s goalies. They do so even more when they win the Stanley Cup. Mike Richter is regarded as the most popular goalie in team history. Richter was born in Pennsylvania, and his stats don’t show how impressive he is. For instance, watch the video of his performance against the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils in 1994.
The Rangers drafted Richter in 1985. He started his career as a backup to John Vanbiesbrouck, before eventually becoming their starting goalie in 1993.
During the 1993-94 season, Richter became one of the top goalies in the National Hockey League. He broke numerous Rangers records. He was a three-time All-Star for the Rangers. Unfortunately, his career was cut short due to various head injuries.
Richter holds the record for most wins in a Rangers career with 301. He also played over 700 games. He was the third player in the team to have his number retired.
Brian Leetch
It’s hard to pick the greatest player in the history of the Rangers. With that in mind, no man can match Leetch’s achievements. He is the only player in the league who has dominated the Rangers’ record books. The fans loved Leetch due to how he was a home-grown athlete. He was selected by the Rangers in the 1986 draft. He spent the next 17 seasons with the team.
He holds various New York Rangers records. Among these are the most assists with 741, and points by a player on the team’s defense with 981. He also scored over 200 goals during his career. His jersey number was retired by the team in 2008.
Rod Gilbert
Gilbert is regarded as one of the most successful players in the history of Rangers hockey. However, he was never able to lead the team to a Stanley Cup title. He holds the record for most points and goals in the team’s history. He spent his entire career with the Rangers and eventually reached the Hall of Fame.
Gilbert was able to make the team in 1962 and remained with the organization for 15 seasons. During his time with the Rangers, he was able to appear in nine All-Star games. He also had five 30-plus seasons and a career-high 43 goals during 1971-72. He holds the record for the most goals scored by a Rangers player with 406 and points with 1065.