The Rangers had some of the most memorable individual performances in their history during the past 25 seasons, including the third five-goal game since they joined the NHL in 1926. There was also a sensational 42-save shutout performance by a Hall of Fame goalie, a record-breaking night by a future Hall of Famer, and memorable comeback wins — including one in the 2024 Stadium Series.

Here’s a look at five regular-season games from the first quarter of this century that Rangers fans won’t forget for a long time.

Related: Rangers not alone facing crucial decisions with key prospects, young NHL players

March 5, 2020: Mika Zibanejad caps 5-goal night with OT winner

Mika Zibanejad was in the midst of a career year when he had a career night and powered the Rangers to a 6-5 overtime win against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden.

Zibanejad joined Don Murdoch and Mark Pavelich as the only players in Rangers history to score five goals in a game. And he became the second NHL player to complete a five-goal game with an overtime goal, joining Sergei Fedorov for the Detroit Red Wings against the Capitals on Dec. 26, 1996.

Zibanejad wouldn’t have made all that history if it weren’t for Washington’s Alex Ovechkin. The Rangers center completed a hat trick 12 seconds into the third period, only to have Ovechkin tie the game at 9:22. Zibanejad put the Rangers ahead with his fourth goal of the night at 18:18, but the Caps got even again when Ovechkin scored 59 seconds later.

Luckily for the Rangers, overtime is sudden death – so when Zibanejad scored 33 seconds into OT, it was all over.

AHHHHHHHHHH

ZIBANEJAD NETS HIS 5TH OF THE GAME FOR THE OT WINNER!!!!#NYR | @NYRangers pic.twitter.com/3Q63lIrUrM

— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) March 6, 2020

Zibanejad was greeted by an empty locker room when he entered after his big night — until his teammates came out of hiding and quickly mobbed him.

“The puck followed me today, I guess,” Zibanejad said postgame. “You look at the goals, some unbelievable plays were being made. Today I was at the right spot at the right time.”

March 29, 2006: Jaromir Jagr breaks Rangers points record

Jean Ratelle’s single-season team record for points (109) had stood since 1972 when the NHL resumed play in the fall of 2005 after a lockout wiped out the 2004-05 season. The Rangers hadn’t made the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 1996-97. Both droughts ended in 2005-06 thanks to one man: Jaromir Jagr.

New Rangers coach Tom Renney put Jagr on the right side of a line with Martin Straka on the left and Michael Nylander in the middle – and the trio clicked right away. Jagr, a five-time NHL scoring champion and then in his age-34 season, produced like he was in his prime again.

Jagr led the NHL in scoring for much of the season, and came to the Nassau Coliseum on March 29 looking to make franchise history – after he had already tied Ratelle’s record for points and Adam Graves’ mark of 52 goals, set in 1993-94. He blew past Ratelle with a four-primary assist night in the Rangers’ 5-1 win over their archrivals.

No. 68 surpassed Ratelle’s mark 7:23 into the game when he assisted on Petr Prucha’s goal, then set up all three goals in Straka’s natural hat trick. He could have broken Graves’ record as well but missed on a third-period breakaway. However, he got goal No. 53 against the Boston Bruins on April 6 and finished with 54.

Still, Jagr was elated to set the team mark for points; his season total of 123 is still a Rangers record, as is his goals mark.

“It’s a big honor when you consider all the great players who’ve played for his organization,” he remarked postgame. “It could have been a lot more points. We had a lot of chances. I had a lot of chances.”

Feb. 14, 2012: ‘The King’ reigns supreme in Boston

Henrik Lundqvist is the greatest goaltender in Rangers history, as well as the only 21st-century Blueshirt to earn induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. His 459 wins are sixth in NHL history and by far the most by a Ranger.s goalie His 64 shutouts are also a team record.

But it was his 42nd career shutout, at TD Garden in Boston on Valentine’s Day in 2012, that, perhaps, ranks as the best performance of his career.

The 3-0 final score doesn’t do justice to Lundqvist’s play that night. After Ryan Callahan and Ryan McDonagh scored for the Rangers in the first period, the Bruins took over the game everywhere but on the scoreboard. The Bruins outshot the Rangers 14-5 in the second period and 18-3 in the third, when they had 34 shot attempts to five for the Rangers (including a goal by Artem Anisimov early in the period). They finished with 79 shot attempts to 31 for the Rangers.

Boston’s 32-8 margin in shots over the final 40 minutes and 42-20 for the game meant nothing on a night when “The King” was flawless. Perhaps his best save came in the second period, when he was flat on his back but had a blast by Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara from the slot that hit the back of his helmet or between his shoulder blades and deflectt to the corner. He preserved his shutout late in the third period with a spectacular glove save on Tyler Seguin on a power-play breakaway.

Related: Henrik Lundqvist, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin lead Rangers All-Quarter Century team

Nov. 23, 2019: Rangers overcome 4-goal deficit to win in Montreal

Facing the Canadiens in Montreal has always been a nightmare for the Rangers. They are 70-210-2 with 40 ties against the Canadiens since entering the NHL 99 years ago and have had multiple double-figure losing and winless streaks. That includes an 0-21-4 streak in the early 1950s. More recently, the Rangers were 2-13-2 at Bell Centre from October 2009 through Dec. 1, 2018.

So when the Canadiens jumped to a 4-0 lead against the Blueshirts on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in 2019, the sellout crowd in Montreal was confident the night would end as it usually did when the Rangers were in town – with a Habs win.

But this time was different.

Down 4-0 less than three minutes into the second period, the Rangers scored three times before the midway mark of the period to cut the deficit to one. Montreal’s Artturi Lehkonen and New York’s Artemi Panarin exchanged goals 31 seconds apart early in the third period, but Brendan Lemieux tied it with a shorthanded goal at 8:40 before Jacob Trouba scored the game-winner at 12:10.

“It’s just an unreal feeling that the guys kept at it, nobody gave up,” said Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev, who made 38 saves. “It’s rare that you get to come back from 4-0.”

How rare? It was just the fourth time in their history the Rangers won after trailing by four goals, and the first since Dec. 26, 1991, against the Capitals. They haven’t done it since.

Feb. 18, 2024: Comeback win keeps Rangers perfect outdoors

The Rangers will take a 5-0-0 record in outdoor games into the 2026 NHL Winter Classic against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers at loanDepot Park on Jan. 2. They’re the only team that’s played more than three outdoor games without losing – and the reason is their refusal to roll over in their most recent one, against the Islanders at MetLife Stadium in the 2024 Stadium Series.

Eric Gustavsson gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead 1:28 into the game, but the Islanders scored the next four goals and led 4-1 just 1:03 into the second period. Vincent Trocheck scored twice to make it a one-goal game after two periods, but Alexander Romanov’s goal early in the third looked like it had put the game away.

But the Isles couldn’t stay out of the penalty box down the stretch, and the Rangers took advantage. With Igor Shesterkin off for an extra skater, Chris Kreider’s goal made it 5-3 with 4:08 left. Scott Mayfield’s tripping penalty with 2:28 remaining gave Rangers coach Peter Laviolette another chance to pull Shesterkin for a 6-on-4 opportunity. The move paid off again when Zibanejad beat Ilya Sorokin for the tying goal with 1:29 to play.

The reeling Islanders managed to get the game to overtime, but Panarin took the puck away from Noah Dobson and scored 10 seconds into OT for a stunning 6-5 win.

“I was flooded with emotions,” Panarin said. “I had to hold back tears. It was so much of a spectacle.”

It was the first outdoor win in five tries for Laviolette.

“These games that take place are special, I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of them,” he said. “There have been some good ones but this one has to be up there, near the top of the list.”

Competition to be selected to either the First Team or Second team is high with the Rangers. Not just because we’re talking about a 25-year period of different players. But because the Rangers have had some very good success this current quarter century, including five times reaching the Eastern Conference Final and a 2014 trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Of course, none of the players on their First or Second Team will have won a Stanley Cup title with the Rangers since, well, you know. They haven’t won the Cup since 1994. And that’s the only championship in the past 84 years for the Rangers.

But you know that.

Anyway, getting back on point. Here’s a detailed breakdown of who should make the Rangers quarter century team.

Related: Mark Messier believes Rangers core “is fractured”

New York Rangers quarter century First Team prediction

Goalie: Henrik Lundqvist

The Rangers are uniquely blessed to have Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin be their No. 1 goalies for the past two decades, since The King made his NHL debut in October of 2005. Some will argue that Shesterkin deserves to be on the First Team, but Lundqvist is the Rangers all-time leader with 459 wins, most among European-born NHL goalies and sixth-most in League history. He led the Rangers to three conference finals and their only Stanley Cup Final since 1994. His No. 30 hangs in the rafters at Madison Square Garden and he’s already inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Lundqvist is your first-team goalie.

Center: Mika Zibanejad

This may anger some fans, who are furious with Mika Zibanejad’s play this season and during the 2024 postseason. But looking at it objectively, Zibanejad is far and away the best all-around center the Rangers had in this quarter century. His 551 points in 606 games are second most among all Rangers players in the past 25 years, and he’s second in goals (238), power-play goals (103) and assists (313), and tied for first with 11 short-handed goals.

Forward: Artemi Panarin

This is an absolute no brainer. No player reached 500 points quicker in Rangers history than Artemi Panarin (384 games), and he’s averaging 1.29 points per game since signing with them in 2019. His 336 assists top all Rangers this past quarter century and his 501 points are third most. Last season Panarin recorded 120 points, second most in franchise history.

Forward: Chris Kreider

Here’s the most difficult decision to make on the First Team, choosing Chris Kreider over Jaromir Jagr. Kreider is an all-time Rangers player, and has their most goals (317), power-play goals (115), short-handed goals (11) and points (567) the past 25 years. He’s scored 20+ goals in nine seasons, including 52 in 2021-22. But Jagr averaged 1.15 points per game with the Rangers over three-plus seasons. If he’d played in New York longer, Jagr likely would be in this spot. But he didn’t, so Kreider deserves his place on the First Team.

Defenseman: Adam Fox

There’s no questioning Adam Fox’s selection to the First Team. His 338 points top all Rangers defenseman in the past 25 years, and his 284 assists are third among all Blueshirts in that span. He won the Norris Trophy in 2020-21 and has drawn comparisons to Rangers legend Brian Leetch. Enough said.

Defenseman: Ryan McDonagh

The best two-way defenseman for the Rangers in this quarter century is Ryan McDonagh. He produced offensively (238 points, second among Rangers defensemen) and was an absolute work-horse as a shut-down defender. The former Rangers captain was plus-141 over eight seasons with the Rangers, best among all Blueshirts the past 25 years. One can only dream of how great a McDonagh-Fox pairing would have been in their primes together.

New York Rangers quarter century Second Team prediction

Goalie: Igor Shesterkin

The highest-paid goalie in NHL history when his contract extension kicks in next season, Igor Shesterkin would’ve been a cinch to land on the First Team if not for Henrik Lundqvist standing in the way. Shesterkin’s brilliance really stands out in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he’s led the Rangers to the conference final two of the past three seasons. Like Lundqvist, he’s got a Vezina Trophy on his resume, from 2021-22. And at age 29, there’s plenty of runway for Shesterkin to prove his all-time worth.

Center: Derek Stepan

Vincent Trocheck, Derick Brassard and even Ryan Strome got some consideration here. But Derek Stepan earns the spot on the Second Team. He was a very good two-way center for many years, forced into a top-line role because there was never a true No. 1 center on the Rangers teams he played on. But Stepan did produce. His 360 points are fourth most for all Rangers the past 25 years, and he had some huge playoff goals along the way too, helping the Blueshirts reach the conference final three times and Cup Final once during his tenure. Stepan was also a plus-109, third best on the Rangers, often playing against other team’s top offensive players.

Forward: Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr set the Rangers records with 54 goals and 123 points in 2005-06, and should’ve been the Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP. He had 96 and 71 points the next two seasons. At a time when the Rangers were emerging from their “Dark Ages” if you will, Jagr was their focal point offensively. In just three-plus seasons with them, Jagr still has the seventh most points (319) over the past 25 years.

Forward: Marian Gaborik

This was almost a coin flip choice. Martin Straka, Ryan Callahan and Rick Nash received varying levels of consideration, but it really came down to Marian Gaborik or Mats Zucarello. Likely the sentimental choice would be choosing the extremely popular Zuccarello, who had 352 points with the Rangers, fifth most over the past 25 years. He certainly could be worthy of a spot on the Second Team. But the pick here is Gaborik, who twice scored 40+ goals with the Rangers in three-plus seasons (42 in 2009-10 and 41 in 2011-12) and averaged 0.90 points over 255 games wearing the Blueshirt. Yes, he played half the amount of games Zuccarello did with the Rangers, and wasn’t nearly as loveable as the scrappy forward from Norway, but Gaborik was one of the most dynamic Rangers players this quarter century.

Defenseman: Marc Staal

No skater appeared in more games with the Rangers this quarter century than Marc Staal (892). For 13 seasons on Broadway, Staal was a top-four defenseman, and often was on the top pair, despite battling several major injuries, including after his vision was permanently impaired when he was struck by a puck in the eye. His game wasn’t always pretty, and he was no Brian Leetch offensively, but Staal was steady, reliable and effective as a stay-at-home defender.

Defenseman: Dan Girardi

When you mention Marc Staal, you must also mention his long-time partner Dan Girardi. As tough as they come, Girardi was another defensive-minded defenseman, known for blocking shots and his rugged style of play. Girardi played 788 games for the Rangers the past 25 years, third among all skaters. Surprisingly, his 230 points are 11th most for the Rangers in that span.

The No. 2 scorer in NHL history told Rob Rossi of the Athletic by telephone Thursday that he intends to retire after the current Czech Extraliga season ends – by which time he’ll be 53.

Jagr’s last game in the NHL came when he played for the Calgary Flames against the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 31, 2017. The native of Czechia then returned to his home country and has been playing with HC Rytíri Kladno, his hometown team – which he also owns. He had an assist in Kladno’s first game of the season on Wednesday.

Related: Rangers most memorable line combinations all-time, including Jagr-Nylander-Straka

Hall of Fame is next stop for Jaromir Jagr after retirement

His time playing for Kladno prevented Jagr from being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, though he’s been out of the NHL for nearly seven years. Unless the Hall waives its three-year minimum requirement after retirement, which hasn’t happened since Wayne Gretzky in 1999, the earliest he could be inducted is 2028.

With 1,921 points (766 goals, 1,155 assists) in 1,766 games since entering the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1990-91, Jagr is fourth in games played and goals, fifth in assists – and has more points than anyone in League history not named Gretzky. Of those totals, 277 games, 124 goals, 195 assists and 319 points came with the Rangers, who acquired him in a trade with the Washington Capitals on Jan. 23, 2004.

By that time, he had already helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in his first two NHL seasons, won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2000-01, the Lester B. Pearson Award (now the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the most outstanding player as voted by his peers) twice, and the Art Ross Trophy as the League’s top scorer five times – including four in a row from 1998-98 through 2000-01.

But his last great seasons came with the Rangers, beginning in 2005-06.

New coach Tom Renney put Jagr on right wing with center Michael Nylander and left wing Martin Straka (a teammate from his days in Pittsburgh), and the three took off. Jagr led the NHL in scoring for most of the season, though a late surge by Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks cost him his sixth Art Ross Trophy — and likely the Hart Trophy as well (he finished second in both). But after setting Rangers records that still stand with 54 goals and 123 points (the fifth and final 100-point season of his career), his peers honored him with the Pearson Award for the third time, and he was voted an NHL First-Team All-Star for the seventh and final time in his career.

Jagr and his linemates helped carry the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 1997-98, though a shoulder injury sidelined him for much of their playoff series against the New Jersey Devils.

He continued to pile up points in 2006-07, finishing with 96 (30 goals, 66 assists) and helped the Rangers qualify for the playoffs again. He had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 11 postseason games, and they won a series for the first time in 10 years before losing to Chris Drury and the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Jagr’s offensive numbers dropped off in 2007-08 after Nylander left as a free agent, but he still led the Rangers with 71 points (25 goals, 46 assists) and topped them in the postseason with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists), when the Rangers defeated the Devils in five games before losing to the Penguins in five in the conference semis.

Related: How Artemi Panarin stacks up against Jaromir Jagr in Rangers history

Jagr intends to retire in 2025, 17 years after leaving Rangers

However, Jagr became a free agent in the summer of 2008, and when no NHL team gave him the three-year contract he reportedly wanted, the 36-year-old signed with Avangard Omsk of the KHL, the team he’d played with during the 2004-05 NHL lockout. He spent three seasons in the KHL before returning to the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2011-12 season.

Jagr played all of that season with the Flyers before spending the rest of his NHL career bouncing around the League. He was never the offensive force he’d been before his stint in the KHL but scored as many as 27 goals (with the Florida Panthers in 2015-16, when the 43-year-old helped them finish first in their division) and 67 points with the New Jersey Devils in 2013-14.

The Rangers won’t retire his No. 68 as the Penguins did in February, but he’s still second in Rangers history among those who dressed for 200 or more games with an average of 1.15 points per game. The only player ahead of him is Artemi Panarin, who got within three points (120) of Jagr’s single-season team record last season.

Jaromir Jagr and Artemi Panarin are the only players in Rangers history who’ve had at least 120 points in a single season. Five other players reached 100, but only Jagr and Panarin have topped Jean Ratelle’s 109 points in 1971-72. Jagr owns the team record with 123, a mark set when he came in second in the NHL scoring race in 2005-06. Panarin came close to matching Jagr last season before ending up with 120, fourth in the League.

Each could end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame one day. Jagr, the second-leading scorer all-time in the NHL, should be a first-ballot selection once he finally hangs up the skates back home in Czechia. Panarin still has long runway ahead of him before he calls it quits. But he’s on a Hall of Fame track, too.

Related: How Igor Shesterkin could pass Henrik Lundqvist as best goalie in Rangers history

Breaking down Rangers tenures of Jaromir Jagr, Artemi Panarin

Here’s a look at the two greatest single-season scorers in Rangers history.

How Jaromir Jagr, Artemi Panarin arrived in New York

Ironically, the Rangers were the third NHL team for both Jagr and Panarin.

Jagr, taken by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the No. 5 overall pick in the 1990 NHL Draft, was already a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame when he arrived in New York via trade from the Washington Capitals on Jan. 23, 2004. He helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 1991 (his rookie season) and 1992, then won five NHL scoring titles, one Hart Trophy (league MVP) and two Ted Lindsay Awards (outstanding player as voted by his fellow NHL players, then known as the Lester B. Pearson Trophy). He was a six-time NHL First-Team All-Star and played in the All-Star Game nine times. Money, not lack of talent, led the Penguins to trade him to the Capitals in the summer of 2001, and the same was true when the Caps sent him to the Rangers.

In contrast, Panarin was never drafted by an NHL team. He began playing in the KHL in 2008-09 and developed into a star with SKA St. Petersburg, leading the team to the Gagarin Cup in 2015 and being named a First-Team All-Star. The Chicago Blackhawks signed Panarin and he was an immediate success, winning the Calder Trophy as the League’s top rookie in 2015-16 and being named to the Second All-Star Team the following season. However, the Blackhawks traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in June 2017. He piled up 82 and 87 points in two seasons with the Blue Jackets before signing a massive seven-year contract with the Rangers as a free agent on July 1, 2019.

Related: Jaromir Jagr pens heartfelt tribute to the late Johnny Gaudreau

Size and style

Jagr makes Panarin look like a munchkin.

The NHL lists Jagr at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, though he was probably at least 240 during his time in New York. Not surprisingly, Jagr was difficult to move from the slot, with his broad shoulders and tree-trunk legs. His skating style and strength made it almost impossible to stop him in 1-on-1 situations. He used his long reach to tremendous advantage, much more than many other “big guys,” had the strength to keep the puck away from opponents, and his desire to dominate often made him unstoppable.

Panarin is listed as 6-feet and 175 pounds, definitely small by today’s NHL standards. But the lack of size hasn’t prevented him from piling up points. He has the kind of hockey vision few others have, enabling him to find openings in the defense and create opportunities for himself and his teammates. Panarin has shown the ability to know when to shoot and when to pass. His hockey smarts and off-the-chart skills have enabled him to succeed in spite of his size.

One thing they have in common is their love of the big stage. Both have excelled in hockey’s biggest market.

Their big seasons with Rangers

The Rangers had missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons when they took the ice in October 2005, after the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season. Little was expected from them in 2005-06, but Jagr promised the Rangers would surprise everyone and make the Stanley Cup Playoffs — then set about making it happen. He scored twice on opening night in Philadelphia, and a hat trick against the Islanders on Oct. 20 gave him 10 goals in his first nine games, only the fourth player in NHL history to do so. Playing on the right side of a line with Michael Nylander in the middle and Martin Straka on the left, Jagr kept piling up goals and points. He went without a point in back-to-back games just once, broke Ratelle’s team record for points in a four-assist night against the Islanders on March 29 and surpassed Adam Graves’ team mark for goals in a season by scoring his 53rd against the Boston Bruins on April 8.

Only a late-season surge (17 points in a six-game stretch in April) by Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks cost Jagr the scoring title — and likely the Hart Trophy, though he did win the Ted Lindsay Award for the third time and was selected to the NHL First All-Star Team. Jagr kept his promise by helping the Rangers return to the playoffs, though a shoulder injury in Game 1 kept him out of the rest of the first-round sweep by the New Jersey Devils.

Panarin also got off to a hot start in his big season — he broke Rod Gilbert’s team record by getting at least one point in each of the Rangers’ first 15 games last season. On Jan. 13, he reached the 400-point mark with the Rangers in his 310th game, faster than anyone in team history. He also closed strong; beginning with a hat trick against Boston on March 26, he piled up 26 points during a 13-game season-ending point streak.

Panarin came up one goal short of joining Jagr, Graves, Chris Kreider and Vic Hadfield in the 50-goal club and three shy of Jagr’s record-setting season. He did fare better than Jagr in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring five goals, four of which were game winners, and 15 points in 16 games before the Rangers were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final. His regular-season performance was acknowledged when he was voted to the First All-Star Team for the second time in five seasons with the Rangers.

Related: From LaFleur to Panarin … breaking down best Rangers free-agent signings

Afterword

Jagr lasted just two more seasons with the Rangers, finishing with 96 points in 2006-07 and 71 the next season. He was a free agent in the summer of 2008 and went to the KHL for three seasons before returning to the NHL and playing with six different teams. Then it was back home to Czechia, where he’s still playing for Kladno, his hometown team. His 1,921 points are more than anyone in NHL history not named Wayne Gretzky, but he never came close to the offensive numbers he posted with the Rangers.

Panarin’s 2023-24 season showing might have been a career year, but it didn’t come out of the blue. He’s averaged more than a point per game in each of his five seasons with the Rangers and broken the 90-point mark four times, more than anyone in team history. Panarin had 95 points in 69 games in 2019-20, his first season with the Rangers, but saw his shot at a 100-point season ended by the coronavirus pandemic. He was a First-Team All-Star that season as well, and a finalist for the Hart Trophy.

“The Breadman” doesn’t figure to catch Jagr’s NHL career scoring numbers . But he does outrank him in one stat: Panarin’s average of 1.32 points per game is the most by anyone in Rangers history (minimum 200 games); Jagr is second with 1.15. He needs 35 goals for 300 in his career and is 219 points away from 1,000. Rangers fans hope Panarin will reach that mark while still calling the Garden home — he has two seasons left on the deal he signed in 2019 and will have the opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026.

Jagr played his final NHL season with the Calgary Flames in 2017-18 and was Gaudreau’s teammate there. The hockey icon scored just one goal that season in 22 games, a 2-on-1 break with Gaudreau, who assisted on the 766th goal of Jagr’s NHL career.

Following Gaudreau’s untimely death, Jagr posted a heartfelt message on Instagram, one that included a clip of that final goal.

“I honestly never thought I’d write a text like this to a post,” Jagr wrote in his native Czech. “Yea that was my last NHL goal Yes, that was a pretty nice goal. Yes, it was a beautiful pass above all. Unfortunately, life can sometimes be incredibly cruel. Thank you Johnny Gaudreau for being there and giving hope to all the guys with your incredible performances that though they are not the biggest and toughest, they can succeed at the NHL world class just like you did. My condolences to the whole family. R.I.P. to you and your brother.”

Gaudreau, who was 31, and his 29-year-old brother Matthew, sustained fatal injuries when struck by a passing car as they were biking in southern New Jersey last Thursday evening. The tragedy was compounded by the fact that the brothers were set to be groomsmen at their sister’s scheduled wedding on Friday.

“John and Matty. U don’t hear one name without the other. Always side by side. Even in large group settings, u can find them hip to hip,” Johnny’s widow, Meredith, wrote on Instagram. “John’s younger brother- but he looked up to Matty and relied on him for everythinggg. And Matty was always there. Absolute best friends and biggest fans of each other despite polar opposite personalities. Everyone wanted to be around them, including me.”

Related: Igor Shesterkin believes Jonathan Quick has ‘special effect’ on him

Rangers legend mentored Johnny Gaudreau in their 1 season as teammates

Though Jagr and Gaudreau weren’t teammates for long, it’s clear that the veteran thought highly of the younger star, who had 84 points (24 goals, 60 assists) in that 2017-18 season. Jagr, who was 45 then, took Gaudreau under his wing and pumped him up. He even told reporters that Gaudreau could be a perennial Art Ross Trophy candidate, to lead the NHL in scoring on a regular basis.

That support moved Gaudreau to say at the time, “It’s pretty special when someone says something like that to you. Because it’s not every day that someone as good as him says something about a player that has only been in the league four years.”

Gaudreau never led the NHL in scoring, but did tie for second in 2021-22 when he had an NHL career-high 115 points (40 goals, 75 assists). That total trailed only Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid (123).

Johnny Hockey had 743 points (243 goals, 500 assists) in 763 NHL games with the Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Jagr, who won the Art Ross Trophy five times and had 1,921 career points, is surpassed only by Wayne Gretzky (2,857 points) in NHL history. The two-time Stanley Cup champion played for nine NHL teams, including three-plus seasons with the Rangers, where he was also captain.

In fact, Jagr holds the Rangers records for most goals (54) and points (123) in a single season (2005-06). He played all 82 games in each of his three full seasons with the Rangers, and had 319 points (124 goals, 195 assists) in 277 games with them.

Now, eight numbers remain that have never been worn by a Rangers player: Nos. 52, 57, 59, 65, 66, 69, 83, and 98. Meanwhile, 17 numbers have been worn only once; here are those digits and the players behind the sweater.

Related: Why Artemi Panarin already greatest Rangers player to wear No. 10

Rangers players and their distinctive numbers

00 – John Davidson

John Davidson has a deep connection to the Rangers, not only as a goalie from 1975 to 1983 but as a long-time broadcaster with the MSG Network. After leaving the booth, he got an executive job with the St. Louis Blues and then the Columbus Blue Jackets before serving as President of the Rangers from 2019 to 2021. Davidson remains one of two players in NHL history to wear No. 00, with the other being Martin Biron. Eventually, the league unceremoniously retired the number, so no one else would ever wear it.

60 – Alex Belzile

Alex Belzile appears in the Rangers database as the only player to wear No. 60. However, he’s never worn the sweater in an official NHL game. According to his career profile, he has only appeared in 44 NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens and is a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2024-25, waiting for another crack at the league.

63 – Anthony Duclair

Initially drafted (80th overall) by the Rangers in 2013, Anthony Duclair made his NHL debut in 2014-15, skating in 18 games while wearing No. 63. He scored 17 points as a 19-year-old before a trade for Keith Yandle sent him to the Arizona Coyotes in March 2015.

64 – Tyler Motte

Tyler Motte has played with the Blueshirts on two separate occasions, first in 2021-22 and then again in 2022-23. During his first stint, which lasted only eight games, he wore No. 64 and remains the only player to wear those digits. Motte scored no points that season but collected 10 in 24 games in 2022-23 while wearing No. 14.

68 – Jaromir Jagr

Not only is Jaromir Jagr the only Rangers player ever to wear No. 68, but he may also be the last, as arguably the greatest skater, to wear the number in NHL history. After dominating the 1990s with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he took his act to Broadway in 2003-04.

Related: Rangers Greatest Hits: Jaromír Jágr’s Record-Breaking Year of 2005-06

In his first full campaign with the Blueshirts (2004-05), Jagr set the franchise records for goals (54) and points (123) in a single season. Even though he spent just three and half years with the Rangers, he scored 319 points in 277 games, which equals a 1.15 points-per-game average.

72 – Filip Chytil

Filip Chytil is one of two active players on this list and wears No. 72, the same number he’s had since his debut in 2017-18. Entering his eighth season with the Rangers, the 24-year-old has scored 64 goals and 144 points in 337 games. Unfortunately, injuries derailed Chytil’s 2023-24 season, and he only dressed 10 games before returning for six games during the playoff run.

78 – Brennan Othmann

Brennan Othmann is one of New York’s top prospects. He wore No. 78 in three NHL games in 2023-24. The former 16th overall pick from 2021 has been in the American Hockey League for two seasons, collecting 49 points in 67 games.

79 – K’Andre Miller

K’Andre Miller is the only other active player on this list and has worn No. 79 his entire career, which is entering its fifth season. As another first-round pick, 22nd overall in 2018, he finished his first year as an All-Rookie Team member and was 12th in Calder Trophy voting. In 294 games, Miller has scored 29 goals and 105 points.

82 – Martin Straka

Martin Straka, who wore No. 82 throughout his career, came to New York to play alongside his best friend Jagr in 2005. Over three seasons, the Czechia center scored 65 goals and 187 points in 224 games. During his debut on Broadway, Straka scored 75 points, the third-highest point total of his career.

87 – Donald Brashear

Enforcer Donald Brashear played his final NHL season in New York, skating in 36 games while wearing No. 87. He picked up an assist and finished fourth with 73 penalty minutes. In 1,025 games, Brashear compiled 2,634 penalty minutes, which ranks 15th all-time in NHL history.

89 – Pavel Buchnevich

Pavel Buchnevich was a third-round pick (75th overall) in 2013 and played the first five seasons of his career with the Blueshirts. He scored 79 goals and 195 points in 301 games before a trade to the Blues in July 2021. Even though Buchnevich outperformed his New York totals in the Midwest, he remains a topic of discussion in the Big Apple as one of the good players who got away.

Related: Former New York Rangers goalie believes he could’ve led team to Stanley Cup

92 – Michael Nylander

Michael Nylander was a well-traveled NHL veteran who played for seven franchises, including the Rangers. He is the father of William and Alex Nylander. At the tail-end of his career, Michael came to the Big Apple as a free agent and played 160 games, collecting 162 points, arguably the best stretch of his career. He wore No. 92 with each team, remaining the only one in New York.

94 – Derek Boogaard

Derek Boogaard played 277 games in the NHL, racking up 589 penalty minutes, and was known as one of the league’s top heavyweights. He dressed 22 games with the Rangers in 2010-11, scoring two points and collecting 45 penalty minutes. Boogaard’s last NHL game was on Dec. 9, 2010, when he picked up a fighting major. Unfortunately, he passed away on May 13, 2011.

Related: Find out where New York Rangers rank in key stats during salary cap era

95 – Vinni Lettieri

Vinni Lettieri came to the Rangers as an undrafted free agent and appeared in 19 games as a rookie in 2017-18. The following season, he skated in 27 games but only scored three points. He did not appear in the NHL again until 2020 when he signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Ducks.

Related: Most important New York Rangers players for 2024-’25, 16 through 20

97 – Matt Gilroy

Matt Gilroy played for the Rangers twice in his career, wearing No. 97 on both occasions. As another undrafted free agent, he debuted in 2009-10 and collected 26 points in 127 games before departing as a free agent to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. After a year, Gilroy returned in 2012-13 to skate in 15 more games (no points) before finishing his NHL career in 2013-14 as a member of the Florida Panthers.

Related: 5 alternate New York Rangers jerseys that should be brought back

99 – Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky was already “The Great One” before he donned the iconic Rangers sweater, the only Original Six team he skated during his legendary career. After shattering the NHL record book with the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, he briefly skated in St. Louis and rejoined his longtime teammate Mark Messier in New York in 1997.

Related: Top offensive seasons in New York Rangers history

Together, the duo led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final, with Gretzky scoring one of his final playoff hat tricks in a memorable performance against the Panthers in the first round.

In three seasons, Gretzky scored 249 points in 234 games, including his final goal (Apr. 12, 1999) and final point in his last contest against Jagr and the Penguins on Apr. 18, 1999. He remains the last player to wear No. 99 as the NHL retired the sweater league-wide.

It’s a great debate, and one ESPN did little to help answer.

Last week, ESPN ranked the top 100 professional athletes since 2000, throwing the entire world of professional sports into one gigantic pool and producing a massive list. The New York Rangers did not have a player on the list, joining the New York Islanders and New York Giants (NFL) as the only New York teams in the Big Four to be absent.

The New York Yankees led the city with four players featured while the New York Mets (3), New York Jets (3), Brooklyn Nets (3), and New York Knicks (1) all had ties to at least one player.

Not surprisingly, all-time greats like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Alex Rodriguez appeared for the Bombers, alongside Ichiro Suzuki, one of the best hitters of the century who enjoyed a two-year stint in New York.

The Mets saw a trio of pitchers — one Hall of Famer in Pedro Martinez and two sure-to-be Hall of Famers in Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. While none pitched in Queens during their prime, all spent at least one season there.

Darrelle Revis, arguably the greatest cornerback in the NFL during his prime, represented the Jets alongside Ed Reed and Aaron Rodgers, who each joined New York at the tail-end of Hall of Fame careers.

The Brooklyn Nets, meanwhile, had 66 percent of their “Big 3” from a few years ago in Kevin Durant and James Harden, as well as Jason Kidd from their New Jersey days, who they share with the Knicks.

Today, ESPN published their ranking of the top 100 professional athletes of the 21st century, voted on by ESPN “experts.”

3 hockey players made it into the top 100:
22nd – Sidney Crosby
54th – Alex Ovechkin
98th – Connor McDavid

Full list: https://t.co/fsWq9J0FyP

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) July 18, 2024

Despite 100 slots and 24 years to work with, the Rangers and Islanders couldn’t even sneak in on a loose brief connection to a player, like the Knicks with Kidd.

Granted, the list was very light on hockey. Only three NHL players made the top 100: Sidney Crosby (22), Alex Ovechkin (54), and Connor McDavid (98).

That’s a minuscule number compared to the other sports in the Big Four. The MLB had 18 players featured on the list with the NBA close behind at 16 and the NFL trailing with 12. I’d venture to say it’s a tough look for the company that broadcasts the NHL’s national games and hosts the Stanley Cup on TV once every two years — but perhaps that’s better saved for a different article.

It’s impossible to argue for any Ranger over Crosby or Ovechkin, and considering McDavid has been the greatest player in the League seemingly since his debut, I won’t bark up that tree either.

However, the Blueshirts have boasted some of the game’s best players, even if only for a short while, who may have had a chance to make the list had it been more evenly distributed. Let’s take a look at some of the best candidates.

Related: 2 Rangers stars included in SNY Top 10 New York athletes right now

Potential Rangers candidates for ESPN Top 100 Athletes List

Patrick Kane

The ESPN writers clearly valued championships, dominance, and influence on the sport. No other former Ranger checks all those boxes quite like Patrick Kane does.

A three-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, “Showtime” was one of the game’s best wingers this century, dazzling with his silky smooth hands. His 1,284 points rank fifth-most in the NHL since 2000, which leads all American-born players since the start of the century, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest US-born players in the sport.

He spent half a season with the Rangers in 2022-23, playing 26 games between the regular season and postseason. It’s a rather forgettable blip in his Hall of Fame career, but it’s likely the best chance of Rangers representation on the list.

Henrik Lundqvist

There are no goalies on the list at all so it would’ve been tough for Lunqvist to make it, but he does have a case as the greatest goalie in the 21st century.

The all-time NHL wins leader, Martin Brodeur, who won all four of Vezina trophies after 2000, will likely have something to say about that. Still, Brodeur played eight of his 22 NHL seasons in the 20th century and Lundqvist played all 15 after 2000.

Even if he’s not leaping Brodeur, Lundqvist is an all-time great, ranking sixth in career wins (459) and retiring with a .918 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average. He never won a Stanley Cup and only appeared in the Final once, but “The King” was brilliant in the postseason, posting a .921 save percentage and 2.30 GAA in 130 career games.

Jaromir Jagr

Had Jaromir Jagr played his entire career in the 21st century, he’s a lock to be on this list, even with the lack of hockey representation. Unfortunately, his first 10 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins came in the 1990s, leading the League in points four times and winning the Hart Trophy once.

Jagr still has an impressive resume in the 2000s, surpassing the 120-point mark twice and playing till the age of 45. Had he not gone overseas to play in Russia for a few years, he might be on this list, even with the bulk of his career happening in the ’90s.

The Rangers’ single-season skater records are still held by the future Hall of Famer, who scored 54 goals and 123 points in 2005-06 en route to being named the Most Oustanding Player of the Year by the NHLPA.

A legend of the game, no “Top 100” list with Jagr on it is a bad one.

Martin St. Louis

A model of consistency, the undrafted Martin St. Louis became one of the best players of the 21st century thanks to his hard work and elite skill. At 5-foot-8, he was often the smallest player on the ice, but was a brilliant skater and a magnificent 200-foot player.

St. Louis led the League in points and assists in 2003-04, taking home the Hart Trophy and helped the Tampa Bay Lightning hoist the Stanley Cup that season. He finished his career with 1,033 points, 1,031 of which came post-2000, which ranks 20th in that span.

He spent the last year and a half of his NHL career with the Rangers, and though he’s likely a tier below the Kane’s and Jagr’s of the world in the grand scope of hockey history, anyone good enough to make the Hall of Fame deserves some consideration.

Jonathan Quick

In a similar vein, Jonathan Quick will likely be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame so he, at the very least, deserves a brief mention. Leaping Ryan Miller this past season for the most wins by a US-born goalie, Quick is currently 15th-all-time with 393.

Quick was never a Vezina Trophy winner, losing to Lundqvist in his strongest season in 2011-12, but he led the Los Angeles Kings to two Stanley Cup championships as one of the best goalies in the League and earned a third as a backup with the Vegas Golden Knights.

No matter how you slice it, he’s one of the best goalies since 2000 and he’s got the strong resume to prove it.

Of course, that’s a major leap considering we’re talking about a franchise that’s been in business for nearly 100 years. That’s a lot of great hockey players over the decades, from Original Six heroes to those who were part of great runs in the 1970’s and 2010’s, the 1994 Stanley Cup champions and the current run of three consecutive 100-point seasons.

Those great teams had great players, including many of the best to ever play in the NHL. Wayne Gretzky. Rod Gilbert. Mark Messier. Andy Bathgate. Jaromir Jagr.

Panarin is working his way into the conversation. Since signing his massive seven-year, $81.5 million contract ahead of the 2019-20 season, Panarin has produced equally huge numbers in the regular season. He has 92 points or more in four full NHL seasons on Broadway, and had 58 in 42 games during the abridged 2020-21 campaign.

This season, Panarin has raised his play to Hart Trophy level. Panarin’s 43 goals and 102 points are NHL career highs for him. He’s fourth in League scoring and sixth in goals. He’s got eight points (five goals, three assists) in his past three games, aiming to finish strong and keep it rolling into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Let’s examine where Panarin stands among the greatest forwards in Rangers history.

Related: 10 key trades that helped Rangers win 1994 Stanley Cup

Artemi Panarin making case as one of greatest forwards all-time for Rangers

For this exercise, let’s stick to the forward position. Brian Leetch certainly can stake a claim as the greatest player in Rangers history but the stud defenseman and goalie Henrik Lundqvist will be left out of this debate.

In five seasons with the Rangers, Panarin has 443 points (143 goals, 300 assists) in 340 regular-season games. He will soon crack the Blueshirts top-10 in assists, perhaps even this season, since Vic Hadfield sits in 10th place with 310 helpers. Before his contract is up after the 2025-26 season, Panarin should easily be among New York’s top-10 all-time scorers. Teammate Chris Kreider is 10th now with 542 points and will move up the list the next two seasons. But Panarin should catch and pass Hadfield, who’s currently ninth with 572 points.

In fact, should he remain healthy the rest of this season and next two, Panarin should pass Hadfield, Steve Vickers (586) and defenseman Ron Greschner (610) in the top-10.

The 32-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down. His production is at career-best levels this season, and he’s the first Rangers player since Jagr in 2005-06 (123) to score 100 points in a season. In fact, he’s just the sixth forward and seventh skater (Leetch is the only defenseman on the list) with 100 points in a season for the Rangers.

But what is it that truly elevates Panarin among the all-time great Rangers forwards?

Watch: 1-on-1 interview with former Rangers enforcer Colton Orr

Artemi Panarin has highest scoring average in Rangers history

Panarin is averaging 1.30 points per game with the Rangers. That is far and away the best average in franchise history, which speaks to the amazing consistency The Breadman has shown in New York.

Jagr is next on the list with an average of 1.15 points per game. That’s buoyed by his massive 2005-06 season and lowered by his final of three-plus seasons in New York when he had 71 points in 82 games in 2007-08.

Panarin has never averaged less than a point per game in any of his five seasons with the Rangers. His lowest production was last season, when he averaged 1.12 points per game (92 points in 82 games). He’s averaging a whopping 1.42 this season and was 1.38 in his first season with the Rangers.

Like Jagr, Walt Podubny averaged 1.15 points per game with the Blueshirts. However he only played 152 games over two seasons in New York from 1986-88, when he scored 88 and 87 points. Two terrific seasons, just not the length of consistency Panarin has shown.

An excellent argument can be made that Bathgate or Messier be considered the greatest forward in Rangers history since each was a point-per-game player for a decade-plus in New York. Bathgate had 729 points in 719 games with the Rangers from 1952 to 1964. He’s tied for fifth all-time for the Rangers averaging 1.01 points per game.

In two stints on Broadway, Messier had 691 points in 698 games. His average of 0.99 points per game is tied for seventh on the all-time list. Of course, he also led the Rangers to their only Stanley Cup championship in 83 years to this point. So, there’s that.

If Panarin can break through and help the Blueshirts win the Cup, his overall value and how he’s looked at will change. And quite likely, he could be recognized as the greatest forward, if not simply one of the best, in Rangers history.

New York Rangers Top 10 all-time points-per-game averages

10. Pierre Larouche 0.96 (243 points in 253 games)

9. Mike Rogers 0.97 (308 points in 316 games)

T7. Ulf Nilsson 0.99 (169 points in 170 games)

T7. Mark Messier 0.99 (691 points in 698 games)

T5. Michael Nylander 1.01 (162 points in 160 games)

T5. Andy Bathgate 1.01 (729 points in 719 games)

4. Wayne Gretzky 1.06 (249 points in 234 games)

T2. Walt Podubny 1.15 (175 points in 152 games)

T2. Jaromir Jagr 1.15 (319 points in 277 games)

1. Artemi Panarin 1.30 (443 points in 340 games)

Consisting of center Petr Nedved and wingers Radek Dvorak and Jan Hlavac, the unit gave fans something to cheer about at the height of the ‘Dark Ages’ of the late 1990s and early 2000s. While short lived, the line’s legacy continues today among fans who grew up watching during that era.

While they may not be the ‘A Line’ consisting of Frank Boucher with the Cook brothers at the dawn of the franchise’s existence, or the legendary GAG Line in the early 1970s with Rod Gilbert, Jean Ratelle, and Vic Hadfield, they still had an impact, even after they all left.

Today, after many of you opened presents around the Christmas Tree, we’ll look at the Czech Line’s Trade Tree, and see what all three players did after their time in New York concluded.

Check out the Rick Nash Trade Tree

New York Rangers Czech Line Trade Tree

Petr Nedved Branch

In some ways, no player feels more 1990s Rangers than Petr Nedved, who was involved in four separate trades over a 10-year span, starting in 1994.

For this exercise, though, we’ll begin with the second trade the sent him back to the Rangers after a stint in Pittsburgh. Nedved, along with Chris Tamer and Sean Pronger, was traded to New York for Alexei Kovalev and Harry York on Nov. 25, 1998.

Tamer played 52 games with the Rangers following the trade, and scored a goal and five assists. The Rangers lost Tamer to the Atlanta Thrashers in the expansion draft that summer, thus ending his branch.

Pronger’s impact was even less, as he had three assists in 14 games before being dealt that February to Los Angeles for Eric Lacroix. Lacroix would spend parts of three seasons with the Rangers, scoring eight goals and 20 points in 146 games, which isn’t a terrible return for the winger.

Lacroix was swapped for Colin Forbes from Ottawa in March 2001. He scored five points in 19 games as a Ranger before leaving that summer, thus ending that branch.

Nedved, meanwhile, became one of the Rangers’ best players during those down years. He had five 20-goal seasons, including a career-high 32 in 2000-01. He posted 68 in 1999-00, and followed it up with a career-best 78 the following year. 

While those numbers aren’t gaudy by today’s standards, keep in mind this was the height of the “Dead Puck” era and those Rangers teams were bad. How bad? They finished more than 10 points out of a playoff spot both years.

Nedved was part of the purge of 2004. He, along with Jussi Markkanen, was sent to Edmonton for Steve Valiquette, Dwight Helminen, a 2004 second-round pick that became Dane Byers and a 2005 third-round pick.

Valiquette had the biggest impact with the Rangers, spending parts of five seasons with the club. He appeared in 28 games from 2007 through 2009, posting 10 wins during that span. He was relegated to the AHL during the 2009-10 season before leaving the organization that summer and heading overseas for two seasons. He’s now an analyst for Rangers broadcasts on MSG Network.

Helminen never played a game for the Rangers and left the organization after the 2006-07 season.

Byers, a left wing, spent six years in the organization and managed to appear in six games, including five in 2009-10. He had one goal. He was dealt to Columbus in November 2010 for Chad Kolarik.

Kolarik spent two seasons in the organization and appeared in four games with the Rangers before being dealt to Pittsburgh in January 2013 for Benn Ferriero, who — oddly enough — also played just four games for the Rangers.

Ferriero, along with a sixth in 2014, was sent to Minnesota for the right to defenseman Justin Falk. He’d spend one year with the club before re-signing with Minnesota that summer, thus ending the Nedved branch after more than 10 years.

Radek Dvorak Branch

New York acquired the talented right wing in a three-team trade with the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers on Dec. 30, 1999. The Rangers sent forward Todd Harvey a fourth-round pick in 2000 the other way.

Dvorak never scored more than 19 goals before coming to Rangers, and he potted just 11 in 46 games following the trade. But he broke out the next year, scoring 31 goals and 67 points in 82 games. He’d never score 20 again in his career, and he’d reach 50 points just once more.

After his career-highs in 2000-01, Dvorak’s production regressed. He had 17 goals and 37 points in 2001-02, and just six goals through 63 games the following year when he, along with Cory Cross, were sent to Edmonton for Anson Carter and Ales Pisa on March 11, 2003.

Pisa played just three games as a Ranger and left North America entirely after that season.

Carter’s time as a Ranger was short-lived, though he’d play a big role in a much bigger trade. A perennial 20-goal scorer for most of his career, he had just one goal in 11 games following the trade to New York, and had 10 in 43 games the next year before getting flipped to the Capitals for Jaromir Jagr.

Jagr would shine in New York for parts of four seasons. Along with Henrik Lundqvist, Jagr would lift the Rangers back to respectability in 2005-06 when he turned in the best single season in franchise history with 54 goals and 123 points, both records to this day.

Jagr was never traded, thus ending the Dvorak part of the trade.

Jan Hlavac Branch

The final member of the Czech line arrived in New York via a trade with Calgary in June 1999. Hlavac, along with a first and third round picks that year, for Marc Savard and a 1999 first.

The Rangers drafted Jamie Lundmark ninth overall, and he’d spend parts of three seasons in New York totalling 11 goals and 30 points in 119 games. The Rangers flipped him to Phoenix in October 2005 for Jeff Taffe, who played just two games for them.

Taffe was sent back to Phoenix just four months later for Martin Sonnenberg, who never played a game for the Rangers and returned to Europe that summer.

Hlavac turned in a solid rookie campaign in 1999-00, scoring 19 goals and 42 points in just 67 games. Those numbers, again, are impressive based on the era and the team. He followed it up with 28 goals and 64 points in 79 games the following year. 

That proved to be the highwater mark for Hlavac both as a Ranger and in the NHL, as he was traded that summer along with Kim Johnsson, Pavel Brendl and a 2003 third-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Eric Lindros and a conditional pick in 2003.

Lindros, who was nearly a Ranger a decade prior, was not the player he was in Philadelphia. In fact, he sat out the prior season due to differences with GM Bob Clarke over issues regarding the team’s handling of his concussions.

That being said, Lindros scored 37 goals and 73 points in 72 games his first year as a Ranger in 2001-02. But things would decline from there, as he followed it with 19 goals the following year. He appeared in just 39 games during his final year in New York, scoring just 10 goals. He signed with Toronto after the lockout.

Conclusion

For whatever reason, the Czech line clicked. It wasn’t a collection of stars. In fact, it was the opposite with three mostly journeyman players finding each other at the right place and time and forming chemistry. 

In the case of both Dvorak and Hlavac, neither player ever came close to replicating the success they had with the Rangers. Dvorak played for seven more teams after leaving the Rangers. Hlavac returned to the Rangers for the 2003-04 season, but the magic was gone as he managed just five goals in 72 games.

Nostalgia is a crazy thing and makes us remember things more fondly than we probably should have. But when it comes to the Czech Line, the numbers match the memories.

Note: HockeyDB was used for reference

On Jan. 23, 2004, the New York Rangers executed a modest trade with the Washington Capitals, bringing Jaromír Jágr to Broadway in exchange for Anson Carter. After three seasons in the nation’s capital, Jágr needed a change of scenery to revitalize his career, and there’s no grander stage in the NHL than Madison Square Garden. 

Statistically, by the time he came to New York, Jágr was already going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer with two Stanley Cup rings, five scoring titles, one Hart Trophy, and two Ted Lindsay Awards. Additionally, the Kladno, Czech Republic native, had an Olympic gold medal, scored over 500 goals, and collected over 1,200 points. 

Ultimately, his best seasons came with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he debuted in 1990. However, tensions ran high between the player and ownership about money in 2001, so the team sent him to Washington in a blockbuster summer deal. 

After scoring over 100 points in four of the six seasons leading up to the trade, Jágr never met expectations with the Capitals, failing to score more than 79 points in his three seasons there. But, when he came to the Rangers, many wondered if he’d ever find that magical touch again. 

Although he scored 29 points in 31 games after the trade to New York, the Rangers didn’t make the playoffs, and the league went into a lockout wiping out the entire 2004-05 campaign. At the time, there were a lot of questions surrounding Jágr and the Rangers upon their return to action in Oct. 2005. However, no one would have ever projected that they would see the most remarkable statistical campaign in franchise history. 

Jágr sets the tone for the campaign with a breakout opening night.

In their first game back on Oct. 5, 2005, against the Philadelphia Flyers, Jágr collected two goals on the powerplay, including the game-winner to finish the night with three points in a 5-3 win. After 13 games in October, his totals included 12 goals, with nine coming on the power play and seven assists for 19 points. Additionally, Jágr averaged 20:29 of ice time a night and finished the month with a plus-two rating and 14 penalty minutes. 

As the calendar flipped to November, he raised the bar with 20 points in 13 games. Ultimately, he balanced out his goal-scoring by collecting nine goals (two on the powerplay) and 11 helpers while playing two extra minutes (22:04) a night. 

Of course, Jágr didn’t slow down heading into the holidays, tallying 22 points in 13 games in December. Despite increasing his point total for the third straight month, his goal-scoring dipped significantly, with just four goals that month. Statistically, most of his points came from assists (18), which was a result of just 48 shots on goal, his lowest total of the season thus far. Furthermore, his ice time dipped an entire minute this month, down to 21:19. 

Unfortunately, the holiday break slowed Jágr down, who only netted ten points in ten games in January. After 61 points in 39 games leading up to the new year, it was pretty shocking to see him stumble for an entire month with just four goals and six assists. Realistically, no one would have thought he’d net another 52 points down the stretch. However, that’s what he did.

Because of the Winter Olympic break in February, the Rangers played only six games, but Jágr made the most of them by collecting 12 points thanks to seven goals and five assists. However, the league returned to action on Mar. 1, but by that time, Jágr was already on pace for another 100-point campaign with 88 points in 58 games at the break. 

Historically, he was about to become the first Rangers player since Brian Leetch in 1991-92 to surpass 100 points and just the sixth player to ever achieve the feat with the Blueshirts. 

Thanks to 16 games in March, Jágr exploded for 26 points, with 12 goals and 14 helpers while skating a season-high 22:35 during this stretch. Additionally, he collected a season-high 72 shots and 24 penalty minutes that month. Ultimately, that offensive outburst in March gave him 114 points to become the Ranger’s record holder for most points in the regular season, breaking the record (109) held by Jean Ratelle from 1971-72. 

In the season’s final eight games, Jágr picked up an additional nine points (two goals and seven assists) to finish the campaign at 123 points, a team record still intact 17 years later. Statistically, when it was all over, Jágr owned the team record for points and goals (54) and while collecting the seventh most (at the time) assists (69) in team history. 

Sadly, despite all the success in the regular season, Jágr scored a single point (an assist) during a four-game sweep at the hand of the New Jersey Devils. 

Inside the numbers of Jágr’s record season

Interestingly, Jágr didn’t miss a single game, skating in all 82 contests, averaging 22:05 of ice time a night. During his historic season, he scored three hat tricks against the New York Islanders, Flyers, and Penguins and had a goal in 40 contests. 

Jágr’s best games came against the St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Islanders (twice), where he collected four points in each contest. In eight games against the Long Island rivals, he scored 18 points, accounting for 14.6% of his season totals. Meanwhile, he tormented divisional rivals with shots, including season highs against the Flyers (12), Penguins (11), and Devils (10). 

Overall, Jágr had points in 64 games and scored nine game-winners, which accounted for 20% of New York’s 44 wins that season. As a result of his magical campaign, he won the Lindsay Award (third time), finished second in Hart Trophy voting, and earned an All-Star recognition at season’s end. 

What happened to Jágr after the 2005-06 season?

When Jágr’s time in New York ended after the 2007-08 season, he didn’t disappoint during his stint with the club, scoring 319 points in 277 games. However, at 35, there didn’t appear to be a place for him with the Rangers or in the NHL, so he opted to play in Russia in the KHL. 

When he departed, he had 1,599 points in 1,273 games thanks to 646 goals and 953 assists. As mentioned, he was a lock to immediately enter the Hall of Fame even before he went to Russia to skate. But his story didn’t end there, and after three years away, he returned to the NHL to renew his quest for another Stanley Cup. 

Despite returning to the Final with the Boston Bruins in 2013, Jágr performed differently than in the old days and bounced from one team to another. During the first 18 years of his NHL career, he played in Pittsburgh, Washington, and New York. 

Upon his return in 2011, he skated with the Flyers, Dallas Stars, Bruins, Devils, Florida Panthers, and Calgary Flames. Although he never appeared to have lost a step, his best statistical seasons were 2013-14 (67 points) and 2015-16 (66 points), never coming close to 100 points again. 

Interestingly, after the hat tricks in 2005-06 with New York, he scored only one more in his illustrious career on Jan. 3, 2015, as a member of the Devils in a 5-2 win over the Flyers. 

Jaromír Jágr celebrated his 51st birthday about a week early by scoring his 1,099th goal to overtake Wayne Gretzky at the top of the chart.

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— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 6, 2023

Even though Jágr is still playing at 51 for his hometown team in Kladno, a franchise he owns, his NHL days are over, leaving him as the league’s second-highest scorer behind Wayne Gretzky with 1,921 points. Furthermore, he ranks fourth in goals (766) behind Gretzky, Alex Ovechkin, and Gordie Howe. 

Meanwhile, with 1,155 assists, he ranks fifth behind Gretzky, Ron Francis, Mark Messier, and Ray Bourque. Historically, the only record Jágr still owns today is game-winning goals (135), which Ovechkin is just 11 tallies away from breaking. 

Even though most fans remember Jágr for his highlight reel goals in a Penguins uniform, many Rangers fans will always cherish his historic 2005-06 season, which brought many fans to their feet at Madison Square Garden.