Considering the game has evolved since New York’s inaugural season in 1926, most of the Rangers best statistics have occurred in the last half-century. And some of these records may never be broken in our lifetime.

Related: Worst free-agent signing in Rangers history, including Wade Redden

5 New York Rangers records likely never to be broken

Let’s break down five of the most unbreakable records in Rangers history.

Single Season Plus/Minus Total

Brad Park (1971-72) Plus-63

During the 1971-72 season, Brad Park played 75 games, scored 24 goals, and finished the campaign with 73 points, an NHL career high for the Hall of Fame defenseman. He finished fourth in team scoring behind Jean Ratelle (109 points), Vic Hadfield (106), and Rod Gilbert (97), who finished third, fourth, and fifth in League scoring.

Meanwhile, Park, who achieved the 17th most points in the NHL that season, finished second behind Bobby Orr (plus-83) to set the Rangers record for the best single-season plus/minus total at plus-63. Ratelle (plus-61) and Hadfield (plus-60) came close to catching Park, but in a half-century since that magical season, no one has even come close to his milestone, with none surpassing the plus-40 total.

For perspective, since the 2004 NHL lockout, only five Rangers players have achieved a plus/minus rating of plus-30 or better. Those names include Artemi Panarin (plus-36), Michal Rozsival (plus-35), Jaromir Jagr (plus-34), Marek Malik (plus-32), and Michael Nylander (plus-31).

But that’s still not even close to Park’s incredible mark set more than 50 years ago.

Career penalty minutes by goalie

John Vanbriesbrouck (1981-93) 212 PIM

John Vanbriesbrouck began his career with a single game in 1981-82 as an 18-year-old. Eventually, he became an everyday starter with the Rangers by 1984-85 and won the Vezina Trophy as the League’s best goalie the following season.

Vanbriesbrouck skated with the Rangers for 11 years, compiling a 200-177-47 record, 3.45 goals-against average and .890 save percentage, and is one the best goalies in franchise history.

Interestingly, “The Beezer” was pretty feisty between the pipes, despite his small stature (5-foot-8, 175 pounds). Out of the top 15 spots for most penalty minutes by a goalie in a single Rangers season, Vanbiesbrouck’s name occupies nine of them.

Kelly Hrudey and John Vanbiesbrouck were supposed to go out to dinner after an #Isles-Rangers game.

Instead they wound up having a goalie fight.

Hrudey shared the story on Talkin’ Isles. Listen here: https://t.co/5DH5AYnLud pic.twitter.com/QmzuIRe7dr

— Cory Wright (@WrightsWay) September 2, 2022

Despite Bob Froese owning the franchise record 56 penalty minutes in a single season, Vanbiesbrouck is in second place with 46 in 1987-88, followed by another seasons with 30 in 1988-89. Because Vanbriesbrouck frequently accumulated infractions, he set a Rangers career record with 212 penalty minutes, the only goalie with over 100.

Froese is second on the list at just 68, meaning Vanbiesbrouck’s record will be safe for future generations.

Single season games played by goalie

Henrik Lundqvist (2009-10) 73 games

Grant Fuhr owns the NHL record for most games played in a single season with 79. No one will ever come close to breaking that mark in today’s NHL when goalies top out around 65 games or so a season.

In the prime of his career, Henrik Lundqvist was an old-school workhorse for the Rangers, playing 70+ games four times. He came within six games of Fuhr’s NHL record, and set the Rangers standard, by playing 73 games (72 starts) in 2009-10.

Though five different goalies have played 70+ games in a season for the Rangers (also Mike Richter, Johnny Bower, Gump Worsley and Ed Giacomin), none have done so since Lundqvist in 2009-10. In fact, since Lundqvist in 2017-18, no Rangers goalie has played 60+ games in a season.

As the top goalie on Broadway these days, Igor Shesterkin played in an NHL career-high 58 games in 2022-23, 15 shy of Lundqvist’s record. Considering the emphasis placed on staying fresh for the playoffs, most NHL starters no longer play as often, with only four netminders playing 70 games in the past decade.

Most points in single postseason

Brian Leetch (1993-94) 34 points

Hall of Famer Brian Leetch is the only Rangers player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, winning the award in 1994 when New York ended a 54-year championship drought. During that epic playoff run, which featured two thrilling Game 7 victories, the best defenseman in team history scored 34 points with 11 goals and 23 assists.

Leetch led the postseason in assists, points, plus/minus (plus-19), and game-winners, netting four. Despite some deep runs from the Rangers since their 1994 triumph, no skater has scored even 25 points, with Mika Zibanejad coming the closest with 24 in 2021-22.

Leetch, who currently owns the team record for most playoff points (89), remains just one of two skaters—along with Mark Messier (30) — as the only players to score 30 points in a single playoff run, giving these two franchise icons a special place in Rangers history.

Most points in single game

Steve Vickers (Feb. 18, 1976) 7 points

Steve Vickers debuted with the Blueshirts as a 21-year-old in 1972-73, scoring 30 goals and 53 points to win the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. It was one of four times he surpassed 30 goals in a single season, with a career-high 41 in 1974-75.

On This Day 5/29/1973: Rangers left winger Steve Vickers won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. He was the first Ranger to win the award since Camille Henry in 1954 and he was the seventh Blueshirt to win it. pic.twitter.com/N2u1fEn0OE

— Realistic_Blue_Shirts (@Rangerblue1978) May 29, 2023

As arguably one of the top 10 players in franchise history, Vickers set a Rangers record with a seven-point night against the Washington Capitals on Feb. 18, 1976. During the 11-4 blowout win at Madison Square Garden, the then 24-year-old scored a hat trick and picked up four assists to contribute 63 percent of New York’s offense on the evening.

Vickers broke the record for most points in a game (six) that was held by several players, including Frank Boucher (1930), Bill Cook (1933), and Don Raleigh (1951). Since then, several other players have scored six points for the Rangers, including Anders Hedberg (1980, 1984), Messier (1992), and Zibanejad on two occasions in 2021.

Only four NHL players in the 21st century registered a seven-point game, making it one of the rarest achievements in the modern era. Vickers’ mark appears to be unbreakable.

The Hudson River rivalry between the Rangers and New Jersey Devils eventually evolved into a classic thanks to the classic thanks to the 1994 Eastern Conference Final, which was ultimately decided on Stephane Matteau’s double overtime goal in Game 7.

After moving from Colorado, the Devils won their first game against the Rangers 3-2 on Oct. 8, 1982 at the Meadowlands, when Merlin Malinowski scored the game-winner on a power play in the second period.

Along the way, the rivalries between the three local teams have produced countless notable moments and a few players who played at various points for each of the Rangers, Islanders and Devils.

Related: John Vanbiesbrouck shares what makes Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault so special

These 11 played for Rangers, Islanders and Devils

Sergei Nemchinov, Rangers 1991-97; Islanders 1997-99; Devils, 1999-2002

Nemchinov is the only member of the 1994 Stanley Cup-winning Rangers to play for all three area teams.

After a successful career in Russia, Nemchinov scored 30 goals in 1991-92 as a 27-year-old NHL rookie with the Rangers. That was the same season the Rangers signed Adam Graves, traded for Mark Messier, won the Presidents’ Trophy and let a 2-1 series lead slip away in a six-game second-round loss in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Nemchinov memorably scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 5, 1991, which was Messier’s debut with the Rangers.

After scoring 23 goals in the Rangers’ disappointing 1992-93 season, Nemchinov scored 22 goals and notched 49 points to help them earn another President’s’ Trophy in 1993-94. He added two goals and five assists during the postseason and set up Glenn Anderson’s go-ahead goal in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vancouver Canucks.

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Nemchinov’s production dipped to 17 goals in 1995-96 and six in 1996-97 before the Rangers traded him to Vancouver for forwards Russ Courtnall and Esa Tikkanen, who scored nine goals in the Rangers run to the Eastern Conference Final that spring.

The two-way center returned to the tri-state area when he signed a three-year contract with the Islanders before the 1997-98 season. Nemchinov played the better part of two seasons with the last-place Islanders before being traded to the Devils ahead of the 1999 deadline.

He played three full seasons with the Devils and scored 10 goals in 1999-2000 when they won the second of their three Stanley Cup championships. In the 2000 postseason, Nemchinov contributed three goals and set up a shorthanded goal by John Madden that gave the Devils the lead in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Nemchinov played 418 of his 761 games for the Rangers. He, Alexei Kovalev, Alexander Karpovtsev and Sergei Zubov were the first Russia-born players to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup. Like Zubov, who also won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars, Nemchinov retired a two-time champion in the NHL.

John Vanbiesbrouck, Rangers 1982-93; Islanders, 2000-01; Devils 2001-2002

Although Vanbiesbrouck made his NHL debut as a teenager in 1981 with the Rangers, the goalie did not fully establish himself as a starter until the 1984-85 season. He emerged as a star the following season when he won the Vezina Trophy as top goalie in the NHL and led the League with 31 wins. “Beezer” helped carry the Rangers to an unexpected run to the conference final that season before being bested by Patrick Roy and the Canadiens.

Vanbiesbrouck played nine full seasons with the Rangers, splitting the No. 1 duties with Mike Richter the final three. The Rangers traded Vanbiesbrouck to the Canucks ahead of the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft, where he was selected by the Florida Panthers. He’s currently fifth all-time in Rangers history with 200 wins and 449 games, and eighth with 16 shutouts.

WATCH: Exclusive 1-on-1 interview with John Vanbiesbrouck

The Panthers thrived with Vanbiesbrouck between the pipes. They made a thrilling run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996 and a lost a memorable first-round playoff series to Richter and the Rangers in 1997.

Following a stop in Philadelphia with the Flyers, Vanbiesbrouck appeared in 44 games for the Islanders in 2000-01 and was traded to the Devils ahead of the deadline. After retiring in 2001, he came back for five games with the Devils in 2002 and formally ended his career.

Vanbiesbrouck is third among United States-born goalies with 374 career wins in the NHL. He trails only current Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick (393) and Ryan Miller (391).

Vladimir Malakhov, Islanders, 1992-95; Devils 1999-2000 & 2005-06; Rangers, 2000-04

Malakhov was among the first free-agent signings after the Rangers hired Glen Sather as general manger in 2000 but the move did not work out. A knee injury cut short the defenseman’s 2000-01 season after three games and though he had 28, 17, and 19 points the next three seasons, Malakhov’s production hardly matched his 52-point 1992-93 campaign as a rookie with the Islanders nor his 57-point campaign with them in 1993-94.

Malakhov wound up signing with the Rangers after helping the Devils win the Stanley Cup in 2000. He played 17 regular-season games and 23 in the postseason after the Devils acquired him from Montreal for Sheldon Souray in a pre-deadline trade.

When the Rangers began a rebuild by making numerous trades in 2004, Malakhov was sent to the Flyers and following the 2004-05 lockout, he signed with the Devils for a second stint. However, he only appeared in 29 games due to some controversial circumstances.

In Dec. 2005, Malakhov’s agent denied reports of the defenseman’s retirement and said it was a leave of absence. Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello rejected the leave of absence and considered Malakhov to be retired.

Michael Grabner, Islanders 2010-15; Rangers, 2016-18; Devils 2018

Grabner’s association with the Rangers began in July 2016 when he signed a two-year, $3 million contract after establishing himself by collecting 89 goals and 143 points in 297 games for the Islanders and helping them win a postseason series in 2016 for the first time since 1993.

The speedy forward’s stint on Broadway coincided with the end of the Rangers’ run of 11 playoff appearances in 12 seasons. In his only full season with the Rangers, Grabner notched 27 goals in 76 games and four more in a playoff run that ended prematurely in the second round against the Ottawa Senators.

He scored 25 goals in his first 59 games of the 2017-18 season and was traded to the Devils after the infamous Letter was released announcing the Blueshirts complete rebuild. Grabner scored only two goals in 21 games with the Devils before spending his final two seasons with the Arizona Coyotes.

Related: Rangers complicated trade history with Devils

Mike Dunham, Devils 1996-98; Rangers, 2002-04; Islanders, 2007

When Richter was forced to retire in 2002 following a concussion, the Rangers acquired Dunham from the Nashville Predators in a package that cost them defenseman Marek Zidlicky and two others. By that point in his career, he was a seven-year NHL veteran, who played his first two seasons (41 games) with the Devils as Martin Brodeur’s backup..

Dunham was 19-17-5 with an excellent 2.29 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in 2002-03, when the Rangers made a late failed run to try to snag a postseason spot. But his numbers fell off the following season.  After a 1.82 goals-against average in his first seven games in 2003-04, Dunham finished with a dismal 16-30-6 mark and a 3.03 GAA in 57 games.

Before Dunham’s career in the NHL, he split goaltending duties with Garth Snow at the University of Maine and on the 1994 U.S. Olympic Hockey team in Lillehammer. That relationship came in handy when Snow was GM of the Islanders and signed Dunham for the 2006-07 season.

In his final NHL season, Dunham played 19 games for the Islanders, posting a 3.74 GAA and .889 save percentage as Rick DiPietro’s backup.

Joel Bouchard, Devils, 2002; Rangers 2002-04,;Islanders 2006

You would be forgiven if you didn’t remember Bouchard’s two stints with the Rangers or his stints with the Devils and Islanders. With the Rangers, he scored five goals and finished with 12 points in 2002-03 before moving to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a late-season trade that brought Alex Kovalev back to Broadway. After being claimed in the preseason waiver draft by the Rangers the following season, he played another 28 games, this time with eight points (goal, seven assists).

Bouchard played one game in the 2001-02 season for the Devils and his final 25 in the NHL with the Islanders in 2005-06 to wind up a career that also had stops with the Calgary Flames, Predators, Dallas Stars, Coyotes and Penguins.

Kevin Weekes: Islanders 2000; Rangers, 2005-07; Devils, 2007-09

Before being known as a leading NHL TV analyst, Weekes played 11 NHL seasons for seven teams, including each of the three locals.

Weekes played two seasons with the Rangers and famously was the No. 1 goalie to begin the 2005-06 season, that is until Henrik Lundqvist took over the role. Weekes started three of the first four games that season but a knee injury opened the door for Lundqvist. The rest they say is history.

Instead of being the No. 1 goalie, Weekes served as a capable backup and mentor in the early days of Lundqvist’s career after signing as a free agent in Aug. 2004. He played 46 games over two seasons with the Blueshirts.

Six years before being Lundqvist’s backup, Weekes played 36 games for the Islanders in 1999-2000. They acquired him from the Canucks in deal for Felix Potvin during the season but traded him the next offseason to the Tampa Bay Lightning for three draft picks, including a first-rounder.

Weekes closed out his NHL career as Brodeur’s backup with the Devils for two seasons from 2007 to 2009.

Arron Asham, Islanders 2003-2007; Devils 2008; Rangers 2013-14

After 300 games with the Islanders and 77 more with the Devils, Asham eventually found his way to the Rangers following stops in the Metropolitan Division with the Flyers and Penguins.

Asham was at the end of his career when the forward signed a two-year deal in 2012 with the Rangers. Although his offense was limited on Broadway during that lockout-shortened first season, he scored the series-clinching goal in Game 7 of the first-round playoff series in 2013 to eliminate the Washington Capitals.

After his first season on Broadway, Asham appeared in six games in 2013-14 and later retired.

Pat Conacher, Rangers 1980-83; Devils 1986-92; Islanders 1996

Conacher entered the NHL after being a fourth-round pick in the 1979 draft by the Rangers. But the forward did not score in 22 games on Broadway before he signed as a free agent with the Edmonton Oilers before the 1983-84 season, winning the only Stanley Cup championship of his career that season.

Conacher’s time away from the area was short as he returned to the Devils as a free agent the following season and his signing coincided with the Devils starting to improve. In their 1987-88 run to the Wales Conference Final, he appeared in 17 games. Overall he played 193 games for the Devils.

After contributing to the Kings run to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, Conacher played the final 13 games of is career with the Islanders in 1996 after being acquired from the Calgary Flames.

P.A. Parenteau Rangers, 2009-10; Islanders 2010-12; Devils 2016-17

Parenteau’s time in the area is best known for his productive stint on Long Island, where he scored 38 goals in 161 games in the 2010-2011 and 2011-12 seasons with the Islanders. He scored 20 goals in 2010-11 and had 63 points the following season there.

In 2009-10, before signing with the Islanders, Parenteau had eight points (three goals, five assists) in 22 games with the Rangers.

After modestly productive stints with the Colorado Avalanche, Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, Parenteau was claimed off waivers by the Devils right before the 2016-17 season. With the Devils, he scored 13 goals in 59 games but when New Jersey fell out of contention, Parenteau was traded to the Nashville Predators.

Mike Mottau, Rangers 2000-02, Devils 2008-2010, Islanders, 2011-2012

Mottau was the Rangers’ seventh-round pick out of Boston College in 1997, but unlike fellow BC alum Chris Kreider, he was nowhere near as successful with the Rangers.

He had three assists in 19 games from 2000-02 with the Rangers. Although Motteau showed promise with Hartford in the American Hockey League, he was unable to replicate his success with the Rangers, who traded him to the Flames in 2003.

After bouncing around the AHL for a few years, Mottau resurfaced in 2007-08 with the Devils and wound up being a regular on their defense corps for three seasons. He scored seven goals and collected 43 assists in 235 games for the Devils through the 2009-10 season.

Motteau then played 42 games over the following two seasons with the Islanders before finishing up his NHL career with short stints with the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers.

So, as he watched his friend and former goaltending partner Mike Richter help lead the Blueshirts to their first Stanley Cup championship in 54 years, did Vanbiesbrouck believe that the Rangers also would’ve ended their long championship drought if he was still their goalie?

“Yes. Absolutely,” Vanbiesbrouck responded when asked that exact question on the Rink Rap podcast presented by Forever Blueshirts.

The Beezer went on to explain that the Rangers were a “great team” and that’s first and foremost why they won the Cup. But he also believed in his own abilities as an elite successful NHL goalie, too.

“I do believe we would have won,” he continued. “You have to have confidence in yourself in order to do that.”

But how did it feel to see someone else between the pipes when the Rangers finally won the Cup?

“Mike Richter was a great goalie, he’s a good friend, and he deserved it and so did everybody. I was happy for them, genuinely,” Vanbiesbrouck explained.

There’s likely a generation of Rangers fans who wonder why this is even a conversation. Richter won 301 games with the Blueshirts, second most in franchise history, backstopped the Cup championship in 1994 and had his No. 35 retired by the organization and it’s now hanging in the rafters at Madison Square Garden.

So, what then about John Vanbiesbrouck?

WATCH: Exclusive 1-on-1 interview with John Vanbiesbrouck

John Vanbiesbrouck watched Rangers’ 1994 Stanley Cup run with ‘great emotion’

Before there was Richter — and even after he reached the NHL in 1989 — there was Vanbiesbrouck. The Vezina Trophy winner as top goalie in the NHL in 1985-86, Vanbiesbrouck started 38 or more games in each of his nine full seasons with the Rangers, including 44 or more six times. Though he shared the Rangers net with Bob Froese for a bit and later with Richter, he was a star in his own right.

Before “I-Gor! I-Gor” or “Hen-Rik! Hen-Rik!” or “Rich-Ter! Rich-Ter” chants at The Garden, there was “Bee-Zer! Bee-Zer!”

Vanbiesbrouck won 200 games with the Rangers, fifth most in franchise history, and finished his NHL career in 2001-02 with 374 victories. At the time, that was the most ever by a United States-born goalie in the NHL. Ryan Miller eventually passed that total and, just this past season, Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick became the all-time winningest NHL goalie from the U.S.

But the point is, Vanbiesbrouck was darn good. And he teamed with Richter for four seasons to give the Rangers a terrific 1-2 punch in goal. In fact, coach Roger Neilson alternated the pair every other start for the first 76 games of the 1991-92 season, winning the Presidents’ Trophy along the way.

Related: John Vanbiesbrouck shares what makes Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault so special

However, after the failed 1992-93 season, which included Neilson being fired, the Rangers were faced with a decision in goal, especially with an expansion draft on the horizon that summer to stock the rosters for the Panthers and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

“Of course they had to make a choice,” Vanbiesbrouck noted.

The Rangers traded Beezer’s rights to the Vancouver Canucks for defenseman Doug Lidster and the goalie was claimed by the Panthers in the expansion draft. Richter remained in New York until concussion issues forced him to retire after the 2002-03 season.

“Was i disgruntled at the time? No, I looked at it as a new opportunity,” Vanbiesbrouck recalled. “I was happy for my opportunity that they weren’t getting, to start a franchise that now, when you look back on it, has really grown the sport in the state of Florida. The last five Stanley Cups have been played in the state of Florida. We have players coming from the state of Florida like never before. So, you feel like you may have contributed something.”

Vanbiesbrouck was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 1993-94 with the Panthers when the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy. Then in the postseason, he was a spectator, watching his former team’s memorable run to the championship.

“Boy, did I look at that and watch those games with great emotion and maybe even shed a tear or two … it wasn’t jealousy, it was kind of more towards happiness that they got it done because it’s so hard to do,” Vanbiesbrouck explained.

Beezer led the Panthers on a memorable postseason run just two years later, stunning everyone with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, where they were swept by the Colorado Avalanche. Then in the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Vanbiesboruck’s Panthers lost in five games in the first round to Richter’s Rangers.

“[Wayne] Gretzky lit me up, [Esa] Tikkanen scored a couple of overtime goals,” Vanbiesbrouck said with a laugh.

As for the goalies, Vanbiesbrouck and Richter became teammates again, and forever, when each was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

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And it starts with something so simple, though extremely important.

“The one thing I can tell you about Gabe that’s the best part about him is that he loves hockey. He just loves the game as much as anybody I’ve seen,” Vanbiesbrouck told Forever Blueshirts on the Rink Rap podcast Tuesday.

Then, there’s something a bit more obvious, even to the casual observer. The kid is pretty darn talented.

“He loves his teammates. He’s jut going to be a world-class player when that love turns into sharing the puck. Everybody’s going to want to play with him because he’s a great playmaker,” Vanbiesbrouck explained.

The Rangers selected Perreault with the No. 23 overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old forward has done nothing but impress since, delivering an outstanding freshman season at Boston College and helping the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 World Junior Championship.

In 36 games last season, Perreault had 60 points, third most on the talented BC squad and tied for fourth in all of NCAA men’s hockey. His 41 assists were second-most in the nation behind Boston College teammate Will Smith (46), who was a first-round pick by the San Jose Sharks in 2023. He was third in the nation averaging 1.67 points per game, a notch below Boston University center Macklin Celebrini (1.68), who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft.

At the WJC, Perrault scored three goals and finished with 10 points in seven games, tied for second-most on Team USA and fourth-most in the tournament.

WATCH: Complete John Vanbiesbrouck interview with Forever Blueshirts

Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault has impressed John Vanbiesbrouck in many ways

Even before the 2024 WJC, Vanbiesbrouck had seen plenty of Perreault over the years, including two seasons playing for the U.S. National Team Development Program when he burst on the scene as a high-scoring wing.

Though some have questioned Perreault’s slight build (5-foot-11, 165 pounds), Vanbiesbrouck is not one who believes the son of former NHL center Yanic Perreault will be held back because of his size.

“He’s in a smaller body and been told his whole life that he’s small and he can’t do this, he can’t do that. But boy watch out when those players just prove everybody wrong,” Vanbiesbrouck said. “To me, he’s that type of player. He’s got that prove-everybody-wrong kind of mentality, and what comes out is really special.

“People may say they’re not so sure about him. I’m pretty sure about him.”

Perreault recently announced that he’s returning to BC this fall for his sophomore year. After that, there’s a decision to be made whether or not he’s ready to turn pro and sign his entry-level contract.

“Just focused on having another big year at school … hopefully win the national championship and then when that times I’ll probably discuss it with my family, my agent, obviously the Rangers see where they think I’m at, see where I think I’m at and make a decision from there,” Perreault said at Rangers prospect development camp.

Vanbiesbrouck also weighed in on another Rangers prospect who’s a USNTDP alum, 2024 WJC gold medalist and teammates with Perreault at Boston College. That would be defenseman Drew Forstescue, New York’s third-round pick (No. 90 overall) in 2023.

“Drew is a left-shot D-man that’s very long and lean, a very smart player. He has a real ability to exit the zone quickly and sense pressure,” Vanbiesbrouck explained.

The Beezer compared that sense to a similar quality Adam Fox, the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, has at the NHL level.

“Now, I’m talking about Drew Fortescue, so don’t get me wrong, he’s not Adam Fox, but Drew has that same sense,” he offered. “Drew’s ability to avert danger and get back to the puck and distribute is probably at the highest level of any left-shot D in his category.”

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The future Hall of Famer and three-time Stanley Cup champion achieved the feat in 778 games, after debuting with the Los Angeles Kings on Dec. 6, 2007, and also playing for the Vegas Golden Knights and Rangers.

As a Milford, Connecticut native, Quick grew up a Rangers fan and came home to the Blueshirts as a free agent last July. Although many wondered if the 38-year-old had anything left to give, he’s impressed everyone with a 17-5-2 record in 25 starts, posting some of his best numbers since the 2021-22 season.

Considering the significance of his latest achievement, which includes three Stanley Cup titles, a Conn Smythe Trophy and two William M. Jennings awards, securing this record may be one of his grandest accomplishments. Here are some fascinating statistics behind those 392 victories.

Related: Rangers coach believes veteran goalie ‘incredible pickup for us’

Inside the numbers: Jonathan Quick’s NHL career with Kings, Golden Knights, Rangers

.800: On Feb. 17, 2023, against the Anaheim Ducks, Quick made eight saves in a relief appearance, surrendering two goals. He finished the evening with a .800 save percentage, the lowest total for a victory in his career.

778: In 17 NHL seasons, Quick has played 778 games, which ranks second among active goalies behind Marc-Andre Fleury (1,021). Among American-born goalies, Quick’s totals rank third behind John Vanbiesbrouck (882) and Miller (796).

392: On March 30, Quick became the winningest United States-born goalie in NHL history, surpassing Miller with his 392nd victory. Miller had held the record since he passed Vanbiesboruck on Feb. 17, 2019 with his 375th win at the time.

3⃣9⃣2⃣ was a big one for Jonathan Quick! 🇺🇸@NYRangers | #NYR pic.twitter.com/fMAf4dOXw9

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) April 1, 2024

370: Quick is the Kings all-time leader in wins with 370. Rogie Vachon is second with 171.

128: Out of his 392 wins, Quick has allowed just one goal against in 128 of those contests, which accounts for 32 percent of his victories.

124: As a member of the Kings for 16 seasons, Quick played in the Pacific Division for most of his career, racking up 124 wins against division rivals.

85: According to career splits on Hockey-Reference.com, Quick steps up his performance in important games. His best record comes in March when he is 85-58-12. The next closest month in terms of wins is December, when he is 64-42-12.

60: Quick has 60 career shutouts, most by a goalie from the United States. Among active goalies, he trails Fleury, who has 75. Interestingly, he’s recorded his most shutouts (six) against the Coyotes, the team he beat for his 392nd victory, a wild 8-5 final.

51: On Dec. 13, 2010, during a Kings game against the Detroit Red Wings, Quick turned away 51 shots en route to a 5-0 win, the only time he finished a game with over 50 saves.

40: In 2015-16, Quick played in 68 games, collecting his first 40-win campaign, the only time he reached the milestone in his career. He is one of six American goalies to win 40 games, behind Connor Hellebuyck (44), Tom Barrasso (43), Mike Richter (42), Miller (41 and 40), and Ben Bishop (40).

32: Playing for the Rangers on Dec. 10, 2023, Quick defeated the Kings 4-1 to earn a victory against all 32 NHL teams.

29: As a long-time member of the Kings, Quick faced off against the Ducks 53 times, winning 29 games, the most victories against any opponent. Overall, he’s earned at least 20 wins against six teams, including the Ducks, Coyotes (25), Edmonton Oilers (25), Colorado Avalanche (21), Vancouver Canucks (20) and San Jose Sharks (20).

20:23: On Mar. 5, 2009, Quick came in for a relief appearance against the Dallas Stars. After Erik Ersberg gave up four goals on 19 shots, Quick played 20:23, making four saves and the Kings rallied to win in overtime, the shortest playing time he’s ever had to earn a victory.

14: According to StatMuse.com, Quick has made 40 or more saves in only 21 games. During these contests, he’s produced a 14-2-5 record.

10: During the 2011-12 season, had 10 shutout victories, his most in one season. He blanked the St. Louis Blues (2x), Coyotes (2x), Dallas Stars, Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks (2x), Calgary Flames, and Oilers that season.

9: At 23 years old in 2009-10, Quick won a personal best nine consecutive games, with a streak that started on Jan. 21, 2010, and ended on Feb. 6, 2010. During the stretch, he was 9-0-0 with a .915 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average. He defeated the Buffalo Sabres, Red Wings (2x), Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Rangers, and Ducks.

7: Quick was born in Milford, Connecticut, and grew up a Rangers fan. He picked up seven wins in 14 appearances against the Blueshirts, earning a 7-6-1 record against his current club. That does not include a 4-1 record when leading the Kings past the Rangers in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

5: After surrendering 1,862 goals in his career, Quick has never won a game if he’s more than five goals. The only four times he’s earned a victory when giving up five goals came on Dec. 20, 2008 (Colorado), Feb. 18, 2023 (Arizona), Dec. 3, 2023 (San Jose), and Mar. 30, 2024 (Arizona).

5: Quick was born on Jan. 21, 1986. Since his birthday falls in the middle of the hockey season, he’s played on this day nine times, compiling a 5-4-0 record. His five wins came against the Avalanche (2009), Sabres (2010), Rangers (2018), Blues (2019), and Avalanche (2021).

In fact, it can be argued that this combo is among the best in franchise history. Realizing what a good thing they have, the Rangers signed Quick to a one-year contract extension recently, making sure to keep their goalies together next season.

As good as they’ve been, though, just how do Shesterkin and Quick stack up against the best goalie tandems in franchise history?

We’ll examine where they rank, keeping in mind goalie tandems really weren’t a thing for the first 40 years of their history. In 1939-40 when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup, for example, Dave Kerr played every minute in all 48 games. Gump Worsley and Marcel Paille split the 70 starts almost down the middle in 1957-58, but that was an anomaly.

Related: Rangers icon Mark Messier ‘all in’ on Matt Rempe

New York Rangers all-time top 5 goalie tandems

5. Mike Richter and Glenn Healy

Richter and Healy could land on this list for the mere fact that they were the goalie tandem when the Rangers ended a 54-year drought and won the Stanley Cup in 1994. Richter won 42 games that season and Healy added 10 wins, after leading the Islanders on an improbable run to the Eastern Conference Final in 1993.

The two remained partners for three more seasons after the Cup win and Healy actually put up better numbers in the post Cup years than in 1993-94. Healy played more games (44-41) than Richter in 1995-96 because of Richter’s injury, though No. 35 still posted more wins.

In their final season as a tandem, Richter and Healy helped lead the Rangers to the 1997 Eastern Conference Final, before losing to the New Jersey Devils.

4. Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick

It’s been less than one season, but Shesterkin and Quick have formed an outstanding partnership in 2023-24. When Shesterkin missed some time early in the season, Quick stepped up and kept the train rolling along with a 9-0-1 start to his Rangers career. And when Shesterkin needed some time to work on his game before and after the All-Star break, Quick was there again to pick up important wins and get a 10-game winning streak started.

On any given night, coach Peter Laviolette gets to choose between a Vezina Trophy winner in Shesterkin and a three-time Stanley Cup champion in Quick. Not many coaches have such a quality option.

Shesterkin and Quick will get to run it back together next season now that Quick agreed to a one-year contract extension.

3. Henrik Lundqvist and Cam Talbot

During 15 seasons on Broadway, Lundqvist had a string of excellent goalie partners. They ranged from Kevin Weekes and Steve Valiquette early in his career to Alexandar Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin later on, with Marty Biron and Antti Raanta mixed in, as well.

Lundqvist played 70 or more games four times and typically was over 60 starts a season in his heyday. That said, Biron and Raanta, in particular, stood out with their terrific play in limited duty.

But The King formed his best partnership with Talbot in 2013-14 and 2014-15. That first season, Talbot was more than a capable backup as a rookie, winning 12 games, with a terrific 1.64 goals-against average and insane .941 save percentage. Lundqvist ultimately led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final that season, where they lost in five games to Quick and the Los Angeles Kings.

The following season, Talbot played 36 games after Lundqvist sustained the first serious injury of his career. Talbot won 21 games, Lundqvist 30 and the Rangers captured the Presidents’ Trophy before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.

2. John Vanbiesbrouck and Mike Richter

Two of the most accomplished goalies in franchise history teamed up for four seasons, beginning with the 1989-90 season. Vanbiesbrouck was an established star and Vezina Trophy winner by the time Richter arrived, and the pair formed the backbone for several very good Rangers teams.

Vanbiesbrouck and Richter helped lead the Rangers to a first-place finish in the Patrick Division their first season together and a second-place finish in 1990-91. Vanbiesboruck took the lead in 1989-90 and Richter made a handful more starts the following season. “Beezer” and Richter even teamed up for the United States at the 1991 Canada Cup.

In 1991-92, coach Roger Neilson alternated his goalies throughout the regular season – each started 41 games – and the plan paid huge dividends. The Rangers won 50 games (Vanibesrouck 27 wins, Richter 23) and the Presidents’ Trophy before being stunned by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs. 

Following a team-wide collapse in 1992-93, Vanbiesbrouck was claimed in the expansion draft by the Florida Panthers and Richter led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup championship in 1994.

1. Ed Giacomin and Gilles Villemure

The standard by which all Rangers goalie tandems strive to match. Giacomin, a Hall-of-Fame goalie whose No. 1 is retired by the Rangers, and Villemure were each stars at the position, capable of handling the workload on their own. But coach/GM Emile Francis rightly saw the Rangers were better utilizing each instead of leaning on only one.

From the 1970-71 season, when they shared the Vezina Trophy, through 1974-75, Giacomin and Villemure provided the Rangers with a one-two combo in net unmatched in the League. Each goalie played in three NHL All-Star games during their tenure together, including twice (1971 and 1973) in the same season.

Giacomin played roughly 10 more games per season than Villemure, except in their final one together when Villemure started 45. The Rangers made the playoffs in each of the pair’s five seasons together, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1972 and the playoff semifinals three times.

Let’s take a look.

Related: Top 10 games in Rangers vs. Islanders history

Top 10 players who played for both Rangers, Islanders

#10. Michael Grabner (432 games combined)

Michael Grabner came to the Islanders in October 2010 when they selected him off waivers from the Florida Panthers. Over five seasons, the speedy forward scored 90 goals and 144 points on Long Island before a trade sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015.

After a brief stint in Canada, Grabner became a free agent in 2016 and, on July 1, joined the Rangers. He had two productive seasons on Broadway, with 52 goals and 71 points in 135 games. Interestingly, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils in February 2018 to complete the New York area NHL trifecta.

Check Out: How to Watch the New York Islanders Without Cable in 2024

#9. Brian Mullen (388 games)

Brian Mullen debuted with the Winnipeg Jets during the 1982-83 season and scored 20 or more goals in four of his first five seasons. At 25 years old, the forward was traded to the Rangers in June 1987, and in four seasons, the New York native scored 100 goals in 307 games, hitting the 20-goal mark three straight seasons.

In May 1991, Mullen was traded to the San Jose Sharks, where he played one season before another trade brought him to the Islanders. He finished his NHL career on Long Island in 1992-93 after he registered 18 goals in 81 games.

#8. Ray Ferraro (381 games)

Ray Ferrero began his 1,258-game NHL career with the Hartford Whalers in 1984. Six seasons later, he was traded to the Islanders, where he spent five productive seasons. The center skated in 316 games and had 238 points with the Islanders, including an NHL career-best 80 points in 1991-92.

As a free agent in the summer of 1995, Ferrero agreed to a deal with the Rangers, switching jerseys for the third time in his career. However, his time with the Blueshirts was limited to just 65 games, where he registered 54 points, before a March 1996 trade sent him to the Los Angeles Kings.

Related: Rangers react to ‘heartbreaking’ Blake Wheeler injury ahead of Stadium Series

#7. John Vanbiesbrouck (493 games)

John Vanbiesbiebrouck was a Vezina Trophy winner as a 22-year-old with the Rangers in 1985-86. “Breezer” was the Rangers goalie for 11 seasons and he compiled a 200-177-47 record.

After leading the Florida Panthers to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final and also playing for the Philadelphia Flyers, Vanbiesbrouck came to the Islanders in June 2000. He made 44 appearances with them, earning a 10-25-5 record with a very young and bad team. Vanbiesbrouck didn’t finish the year on Long Island. The Islanders traded him to the Devils in March 2001, and he retired after the season.

#6. Sergei Nemchinov (559 games)

Sergei Nemchinov was a Rangers 12th-round draft pick who debuted during the 1991-92 season and won the Stanley Cup with them in 1994. Despite being productive during his six seasons wearing the Blueshirt, with 225 points in 418 games, the two-way center was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in March 1997.

"When we won the whole city was celebrating! It was unbelievable!"

Sergei Nemchinov shares memories and photos in his 1994 scrapbook.

On Friday night we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the #NYR Championship Team presented by @Chase! pic.twitter.com/Tw3p6sFKAw

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 5, 2019

Nemchinov returned to the New York area when the Islanders signed him as a free agent in June 1997. In 196 games with his second New York team, he scored 70 points in 196 games before moving on to New Jersey, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2000, becoming the only skater to win a title with the Rangers and Devils.

#5. Ryan Strome (493 games)

Ryan Strome was an Islanders prospect selected as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. During four seasons with the Islanders, the center had 126 points in 258 games before a trade sent him to the Edmonton Oilers in 2017. Over a year later, he was dealt back to New York, this time joining the Rangers in November 2018.

While skating with the Blueshirts, he had his most productive seasons, reaching the 20-goal plateau once and collecting a career-best 59 points in 2019-20. Strome would depart the Rangers in 2022 as a free agent, but 75.3 percent of his career points (321) have come while wearing an Islanders or Rangers uniform.

#4. Patrick Flatley (780 games)

Patrick Flatley played his entire NHL career with the Islanders and Rangers, spending 13 seasons on Long Island and 68 games on Broadway. Although the forward just missed the dynasty years, making his debut in 1983-84, he ended up being Islanders captain from 1991 to 1996.

Flaetley’s 328 assists rank eighth in Islanders history, and he is 14th with them in points (488). Even though his time with the Rangers wasn’t as memorable, with just 22 points in 66 games, Flatley will always be a member of a select group of players who dressed for both franchises.

#3. Don Maloney (744 games)

Don Maloney is another player who spent his entire career on the East Coast, joining the Rangers as a second-round draft pick in 1978. After 11 seasons in the Big Apple, where he scored 502 points in 653 games and helped the Rangers to the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, the forward was traded to the Whalers in December 1988.

The four-time 20-goal scorer only skated in Connecticut for 21 games before returning to the Empire State as a free agent in 1989, opting to sign with the Islanders. Over the final two seasons of his NHL career, he skated in 91 games with 48 points. Maloney went on to become Islanders general manager and was the assistant GM for the Rangers.

#2. Greg Gilbert (501 games)

Greg Gilbert began his NHL career with the Islanders in 1981, right in the middle of their dynasty, capturing two Stanley Cup titles in his first two seasons. After scoring 231 points in 425 games, Gilbert was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, where he played five seasons before becoming a free agent in 1993.

Little did he know that when he agreed to a contract with the Blueshirts, he would become the only skater in NHL history to win a title with the Islanders and Rangers, helping end a 54-year championship drought on Broadway in 1994. In just one season with the Rangers, he collected 15 points in 76 games.

#1. Pat LaFontaine (597 games)

Pat LaFontaine played his entire Hall of Fame career in one state, never having to change his driver’s license. As another rookie who missed out on the Islanders’ dynasty, he debuted in 1983-84. The center was famous for ending the “Easter Epic” on April 18, 1987, with a Game 7 four-OT goal, sending the Islanders to the second round that season.

In one of the most significant transactions in franchise history, LaFontaine, a one-time 50-goal scorer and six-time 30-goal scorer, was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in October 1991. During the 1992-93 season, he collected an NHL career-best 148 points and almost won the scoring title. However, after that year, injuries, including concussions, derailed his career.

From 1993 to 1997, he played in only 127 games, which led to his trade to the Rangers in September 1997. The Hockey Hall of Famer scored 62 points in 67 games with the Rangers in 1997-98. Even though he left Long Island over 30 years ago, he remains the Islanders eighth-leading scorer with 566 points.

Historically, New York has drafted 59 players in the fourth round, with 30 appearing in an NHL game and 24 suiting up for the Blueshirts. Interestingly, the club’s first fourth-round pick was Campbell Alleson (20th overall) in the 1963 NHL Amateur Draft, and their most recent one was Noah Laba (111th overall) in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Join us each week to see who makes the cut.

Note: Dates and statistics from Hockey-Reference.com and EliteProspects.com were used to compile this list

Top New York Rangers Draft Picks From Round 4

5. Syl Apps, Jr – 21st Overall 1964

NHL stats: 727 GP – 183 G – 423 A – 606 Pts

New York stats: 31 GP – 1 G – 2 A – 3 Pts

Syl Apps, Jr is the son of Syl Apps, a Hockey Hall of Famer who won three Stanley Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1930s and 1940s. During the 1964 Amateur Draft, Apps, Jr., became a Rangers prospect when the club used their second-ever fourth-round pick (20th overall) on him.

After the draft, Apps, Jr. played in the OHA Senior League and made his AHL debut in 1968-69, also spending some time in the CHL before the Rangers gave him a shot during the 1970-71 season. However, his stint on Broadway was short, 31 games, before the team dealt him (with Sheldon Kannegiesser) to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Glen Sather in January 1971.

During his time with the Penguins, which lasted eight seasons, he tallied 500 points and was voted the All-Star Game MVP in 1975. Surprisingly, the team dealt him to the Los Angeles Kings in 1977, where he skated in 201 games over three seasons, retiring after the 1980 season at 32. Apps, Jr. outscored his dad by 174 points and played in 304 more games, but his only professional championship was a Calder Cup title in 1970.

4. Marc Savard– 91st Overall 1995

NHL stats: 807 GP – 207 G – 499 A – 706 Pts

New York stats: 98 GP – 10 G – 41 A – 51 Pts

Marc Savard may be remembered for his time with the Atlanta Thrashers and Boston Bruins and for having his career cut short due to concussion issues at 33, but the Rangers saw something in the former CHL top scorer, grabbing him with the 91st pick in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

After starring with the Oshawa Generals from 1993 to 1997, he won an OHL championship in 1997 and a second league scoring title, duplicating the feat he achieved during the 1995 season. Upon making his professional debut, he spent parts of the 1997-98 season with the Rangers and Hartford Wolf Park, where he played in the AHL All-Star Game and was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team.

However, after just 98 games, Savard was traded to the Calgary Flames in June 1999, where he would skate for four seasons before another deal sent him to Atlanta. Following the NHL lockout in 2005, Savard returned from playing in Europe and collected 97 and 96 points in consecutive seasons while surpassing 63 assists in four straight seasons.

Unfortunately, health issues cost him playing time in 2009-10 and 2010-11, and he played only 25 games in 2010-11, the year the Bruins won the Stanley Cup, which got Savard’s name etched onto the Silver Chalice. After almost a decade away from the game, he got into coaching and is now an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames.

3. Igor Shesterkin – 118th Overall 2014

NHL stats: 182GP 115-5-15 2.42 GAA .922 SV%

New York stats: 182GP 115-5-15 2.42 GAA .922 SV%

Although there were some dark days after Mike Richter retired in 2003, that uncertainty ended once Henrik Lundqvist made his debut. For 15 years, The King patrolled the crease at Madison Square Garden, and the Rangers eventually needed to find his replacement, which they did with Igor Shesterkin.

As the 118th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, the Moscow native didn’t come to North America until 2019, building up a resume in his native Russia that included a KHL Gagarin Cup Championship, two All-Star Game appearances, a postseason First All-Star Team honor, and routinely being named the Goaltender of the Week or Month.

Igor Shesterkin accepts the 2022 Vezina Trophy! 👏🥅#NHLAwards | #NoQuitInNY pic.twitter.com/XWYkJapUDU

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 21, 2022

Internationally, Shesterkin had a U20 World Junior Championship Silver Medal, a World Championship Bronze Medal, and an Olympic Gold Medal before making his Rangers debut in January 2020.

Since becoming the heir to Lundqvist, Shesterkin finished fifth in Calder Trophy voting, won the Vezina Trophy in his second season, and just became the eighth netminder in franchise history to win 100 games, doing so in one of the fastest times.

Although his future is still being written, there’s no denying that Shesterkin already has a special place in Rangers history and has the potential to go down as one of their greatest draft picks.

2. John Vanbiesbrouck – 72nd Overall 1981

NHL stats: 882GP 376-346-119 2.98 GAA .899 SV%

New York stats: 449GP 200-177-47 3.45 GAA .890 SV%

John Vanbiesbrouck began his United States Hockey Hall of Fame career when the Rangers selected him with the 72nd overall pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. After playing with the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL, he debuted in 1981-82, eventually playing regularly during the 1984-85 season.

Within a season, he was the Rangers’ number one goalie, winning the Vezina Trophy in 1985-86 with a league-leading 31 wins. Once Richter joined the ranks in 1990, the pair backed New York to the Presidents’ Trophy in 1991-92. But, with new teams entering the league, Vanbiesbrouck ended up getting traded to the Vancouver Canucks, who lost him to the Florida Panthers in the 1993 Expansion Draft.

After three seasons, he led the club to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996, where they lost to the Colorado Avalanche. Following that remarkable run, he left Florida in 1998, joining the Philadelphia Flyers and suiting up for the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils before retiring at 38 in 2002.

Vanbiesbrouck, known as “The Beezer,” skated in 882 games, ranking 11th all-time in NHL history and first amongst American-born goalies. Meanwhile, when he retired, he was the winningest netminder from the United States, only getting passed by Ryan Miller and Jonathan Quick. Since hanging up his skates, he’s served in various general managers, including becoming the leader of the USA U20 program in 2018, which has earned him two Gold Medals in 2021 and 2024.

1. Tony Amonte – 68th Overall 1988

NHL stats: 1,174 GP – 416 G – 484 A – 900 Pts

New York stats: 234 GP – 84 G – 99 A – 183 Pts

The Rangers selected Thayer Academy Prep School skater Tony Amonte with the 68th pick in the 1988 NHL Draft. Upon graduating from the USHS-Prep league, he advanced to Boston University, collecting 146 points in two seasons and winning an NCAA Hockey East Championship in 1991.

Eventually, Amonte made his NHL debut in 1991-92, earning All-Rookie Team honors and being named a Calder Trophy finalist. However, after 234 games over two and half seasons, the club traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks in a deal that brought playoff hero Stephane Matteau to Broadway.

While in Chicago, Amonte served as captain, skated in 627 games, scored 268 goals, and finished his nine-year tenure with 541 points. On the backside of his career, he played with the Phoenix Coyotes, Flyers, and Flames, retiring after the 2006-07 season at 36.

Internationally, he won a World Cup and Olympic Silver Medal and is one of just 16 American-born players to collect 900 points in the NHL. Besides earning an induction into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, he served as the head coach of Thayer Academy from 2010 to 2022.

Mike Sullivan, who was initially named the head coach for Team USA will remain with the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, one of his assistants and former New York Rangers head coach, David Quinn will now be in charge.

Along with Quinn, another former Blueshirt will take over as GM for Bill Guerin, as he returns to the Minnesota Wild.

John Vanbiesbrouck, who has been the assistant executive director of hockey operations at USA Hockey since June of 2018 will assume the role.

David Quinn named Team USA coach

“John and David have been involved in our 2022 Olympic process and are well-positioned to transition into their new roles,” said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey in a statement. “With the NHL deciding not to participate in the Olympics, we’re fortunate to have the significant experience they bring in helping form and guide our men’s Olympic team.”

Now that NHL players are ineligible, the U.S. hockey team is expected to be comprised of players from all professional leagues, including the AHL and NCAA.

Quinn, 55, made his mark in the NCAA as Boston University’s head coach from 2013-14 to 2017-18. During his time there he compiled a record of 100-59-20. In addition, he won two Hockey East tournament titles, a Beanpot championship and a NCAA national championship game berth. 

Quinn finished his Rangers tenure with a record of 96-87-25 and a .522 winning percentage in three seasons.

Vanbiesbrouck, 58, played 11 of his 20 pro seasons with the Rangers. He broke into the NHL with the franchise in the 1981-82 season playing only one game. It was his amazing playoff performance as a 22 year-old during the 1985-86 season that made him a fan favorite at the Garden. “Beezer” as he was known, registered a 200-177-47 record with the Blueshirts.

NHL brings back Taxi Squads and more roster protections

The NHL has reinstated the use of Taxi Squads until the All-Star Break. Get more details here.

You’d think a franchise that has housed a plethora of fantastic goaltenders will have more than just a few winners of the award named in honor of Georges Vezina. The goaltender of the Montreal Canadiens died suddenly and tragically in 1926 of tuberculosis. But, only two Ranger goalies have been selected by the powers-that-be as the finest in their sport for a given season. With the caveat being prior to 1981 the Vezina Trophy was simply awarded to the team that surrendered the fewest amount of goals.

In today’s piece, we will profile the Ranger goalies that have had the distinction of being a Vezina Trophy award winner.

Dave Kerr 1939-40

Kerr, the only Ranger goalie to capture the Vezina during the Original Six era and the netminder who back-stopped the team to the 1940 Stanley Cup, won the coveted award by giving up just 77 goals in 48 regular season games. One would assume that even if the Vezina winners were voted on back in that championship season, Kerr would have received the majority of the votes by posting an eye-popping 27-11-10 record with eight shutouts and a sparkling 1.54 GAA.

Ed Giacomin/Gilles Villemure 1970-71

No, that is not a typo: Prior to 1981, it was somewhat common for a goaltending tandem to share the award. Giacomin and Villemure, the talented twosome that were rock solid for so many years during the Emile Francis era of Ranger hockey, were named co-recipients of the Vezina because of a minutes played stipulation. They combined to give up a league-low 177 goals, leading the Blueshirts to a 109 point season which stood as a franchise record until it was eclipsed in that magical season of 1994.

John Vanbiesbrouck 1985-86

The “Beezer” was as beloved and adored as any Ranger player of the last 40 years. The diminutive, but solid and sharp and durable goaltender was the first Blueshirt netminder to be voted in as the best goalie of the year. HIs legendary 1985-86 season endeared him to the Garden Faithful for decades to come. Not only did Beezer post 31 wins in that memorable season, he also posted a 3.32 GAA in an era in which double-digit goal scoring was the norm and not the anomaly that it is today. Beezer helped to carry his Cinderella squad to the 1986 Whales Conference Finals before bowing out to Patrick Roy and the Montreal Canadians.

Henrik Lundqvist 2011-12

Never in my over 40 years of following the New York Rangers did I witness an exhibition of goaltending like what was displayed by Henrik Lundqvist in the 2011-12 season. “The King” single handedly carried his hark-working, but marginally talented team to a division championship and number one seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Lundqvist’s stat line from the 11-12 season is nothing short of stellar. 39 wins. 1.97 GAA. 930 save percentage and eight shutouts. Lundqvist continued his brilliance and excellence in the playoffs that spring, carrying his exhausted and beat up squad to just two wins short of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Rangerstown would love to see the current number one goalie, the aforementioned Shesterkin, join this exclusive list of Vezina Trophy award winners some day. Igor’s game has been a bit erratic at times as the young Russian continues to adapt and assimilate to North American life. As #31 gets more comfortable and confident and as the team around him gets better with more experience, I would not be the least bit surprised to see the Moscow native in the Vezina discussion in the coming seasons.