The perfect hair. The massive contract. The publicity photo shoots and TV appearances. The immaculate form-fitting (and expensive!) suits. The King.

“When you’re so perfect, it makes you an easy target in the locker room,” one long-time Rangers player told me with a laugh years ago when I worked for the team during Henrik’s Hall-of-Fame career.

I saw it play out plenty. And it was all good-natured fun, which Henrik understood.

“Hank, do you even own a tee-shirt?,” Dan Girardi once shouted over to the well-dressed goalie after practice. Then turning to me, Girardi laughed and said, ” Seriously, all these years, I’ve never seen him wear a tee-shirt. I don’t think he owns one. Who doesn’t own a tee-shirt?!”

There was the time the Rangers charter flight was delayed because the star goalie was shooting a commercial and the filming ran later than expected. Perhaps 30 minutes after expected departure, a helicopter touched down near the plane, out hopped a resplendent Henrik in designer shades, tailored suit.

When Lundqvist stepped on the plane, he was met with a chorus of boos and chants of “Fine! Fine! Fine!” referring to what it would cost him for arriving late to the team charter. It was all fodder for 10 minutes or so of light-hearted fun and laughs.

If you’ve ever entered a professional locker room, you know this is all part of the brotherhood. Henrik may have been the star, but he was far from immune from the jocular teasing that’s commonplace on a team.

Ultimately, the reason why it was all in fun is because no one worked harder at his craft than Lundqvist. No one cared more. Not a single teammate ever doubted Henrik’s commitment to the team and winning. So, none of this was mean-spirited.

Just good old fun. Like Wednesday, when Strome got in a dig on national television.

To that end, stay tuned for a piece I’m working on based on my conversation with Henrik’s longtime goalie partner Marty Biron and the intriguing evolution of their friendship. It’s pretty fascinating stuff and speaks to Henrik’s incredible intensity.

Coming soon, promise!

Subscribe to the RINK RAP podcast at the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page

New York Rangers news

Jonathan Quick put to rest any retirement talk when the 39-year-old goalie signed a one-year contract with the Rangers for 2025-26.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of what’s next on the Rangers to-do list for next season after the Quick signing.

Our Tom Castro breaks down the lack of an identity for the Rangers’ third line.

Here are three Rangers takeaways from their good, but not good enough defeat at the hands of the NHL-best Winnipeg Jets.

And while we’re on the topic, here are the winners and losers from the 2-1 loss to the Jets on Tuesday.

We’ve got more Gabe Perreault love in our weekly Rangers NCAA prospects report.

NHL news and rumors

More brutal injury news for the New Jersey Devils. GM Tom Fitzgerald revealed on a podcast that top defenseman Dougie Hamilton is out the rest of the regular season and not likely to return from an unspecified injury until the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That’s if the Devils last that long, considering they’re already without star center Jack Hughes the rest of the season because of shoulder surgery.

The Mikko Rantanen post-trade drama continued with the Dallas Stars forward denying reports that he provided the Carolina Hurricanes a list of teams he’d sign an extension with and that the Hurricanes weren’t one of them.

Former Rangers forward Patrick Kane recorded five points to help the Detroit Red Wings end a six-game losing streak, and pull even with the Blueshirts in the Eastern Conference standings, with a 7-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres.

JJ Peterka didn’t play for the Sabres and is day to day with a lower-body injury.

Things aren’t pretty in Buffalo, with many key Sabres players unhappy with all the losing and questionable roster decisions made over the years. The latest is on The Sheet podcast with Jeff Marek.

Injured defenseman Chris Tanev practiced again with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is “close” to returning to their lineup after battling an upper-body issue.

Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund was knocked out their game against the Vancouver Canucks in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Ville Husso made 36 saves in his Anaheim Ducks debut, but it was for naught when they lost to the Utah Hockey Club 3-2.

The Montreal Canadiens moved a point ahead of the Rangers in the East standings, but it could’ve been two. They blew a two-goal lead in the third period and lost to the Seattle Kraken 5-4 in overtime.

Watch Brandon Montour set an NHL record by scoring four seconds into overtime for the Kraken.

Yes, the Rangers emerged with a split. But let’s face it, they were atrocious coming out of the two-week break. And that’s with the gift of playing two of the worst teams in the League. So, their shoddy play means they only lost one of two, when they absolutely deserved two losses.

And winning one game this weekend was good enough to bump the Rangers within two points of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Pardon me, but it’s laughable how mediocre the teams in this “playoff race” actually are.

But it is what it is, and at the end of the day, the Rangers likely are the best of a bad lot contending for a wild-card spot. Plus, they have Igor Shesterkin, who was able to rebound from that 8-2 disaster in Buffalo against the Sabres on Saturday to singlehandedly (and I do mean all by himself) give the Rangers a chance in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Shesterkin’s brilliance cannot be overlooked. Because it whitewashed a terrible team performance. And then the Rangers showed they have enough talent to switch it on for a few minutes and take advantage of a subpar opponent, one that fortunately featured an AHL goalie at the other end of the ice.

The 5-3 win against the Penguins was much needed, but more than anything it was a massive relief. Now they’re on the cusp of pulling into a playoff spot, maybe even by the end of this week, which features two games against the Islanders (losers of four of five), one against the 30th overall Nashville Predators and one versus a legit contender, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

So, here’s hoping the hockey is more watchable this coming week than it was this past weekend. Because everything is right there for the taking by the Rangers.

New York Rangers news

Here are three Rangers takeaways from that ugly win against the Penguins, including J.T. Miller rising to the occasion alongside Shesterkin.

Coach Peter Laviolette said Rangers “got what we deserved” in that brutal loss to Sabres on Saturday. Wonder how he feels about stealing one in Pittsburgh 24 hours later?!

It hurts my head to look back at these two games, so here’s a lookahead at a four-game week for the Rangers.

NHL news

Of course, it can always be worse Rangers fans. Just look at the Penguins, who are slip sliding away in the East playoff race, now seven points below the cut line and in 15th place. Colleague Dan Kingerski has seen enough and believes it’s time for the Penguins to trade Erik Karlsson — if possible — and retool a bit.

Oh, and the Penguins lost defenseman Matt Grzelcyk with an upper-body injury in the first period against the Rangers.

The Islanders lost again, 4-3 to the Dallas Stars, though this one included a controversial match penalty call against New York center Casey Cizikas and later a less controversial goalie interference call that went against the Isles.

Not so fast on that new contract for Islanders forward Max Tsyplakov. The NY Post reports that Tsyplakov denied he’s close to signing a new deal during the season and will talk with the Islanders when the season ends. His agent reportedly had said the sides are close to a new contract last week.

Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm is likely out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Jusso Valimaki was placed on waivers by the Utah Hockey Club.

Then Utah went out and edged the Vancouver Canucks on Dylan Guenther’s game-winner.

Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen left their game against the Anaheim Ducks after taking a blow to the head from Trevor Zegras. There was no update on his condition after the game.

Former Rangers forward Patrick Kane scored the overtime winner to lift the Red Wings past the Ducks 5-4. They now are the first wild card in the East.

Nico Hischier had three assists and Nico Daws backstopped the shutout in a 5-0 New Jersey Devils win against the woeful Predators in Nashville.

Cale Makar became the third-fastest defenseman to reach 400 points in NHL history, when he assisted on a Devon Toews goal in a 3-1 Colorado Avalanche loss to the St. Louis Blues. The two defensemen ahead of him are Hockey Hall of Famers Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey.

Watch Alex Ovechkin record his 32nd career hat trick and move within 13 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record in a 7-3 Washington Capitals win against the Edmonton Oilers.

So, yeah, that makes their game against the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday a real big one. That’s a team ahead of them in the standings, that they just lost to Saturday, and most of the other teams in the East are not playing.

It’s like a tennis match every day in the conference. Your serve Rangers.

There are three games in four nights before the Rangers hit the 4 Nations break. They could easily run the table against the Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets. Then again, these are the 2024-25 New York Rangers, so all bets are off. But, yes, three wins is very doable here.

As everyone catches their breath during the break, general manager Chris Drury must figure out what to do next. He made his big move, of course, landing J.T. Miller last week. But if Mika Zibanejad remains on the wing, the Rangers likely need a third-line center. With Adam Edstrom’s long-term injury, they probably need another fourth-line wing, or another depth forward. And a decision must be made on pending UFA Ryan Lindgren: trade him ahead of the deadline (meaning they must acquire another defenseman), keep him and let him walk at season’s end or keep him and look to sign him to a shorter-term, team-friendly contract.

Those are just some of the topics and scenarios I discussed with Rangers beat reporter Colin Stephenson of Newsday on the latest Rink Rap podcast presented by Forever Blueshirts. Make sure to subscribe and give it a listen.

Click HERE to receive 20 percent off when you shop at Forever Blueshirts store

New York Rangers news

No, it’s not Igor Shesterkin nor Artemi Panarin nor Adam Fox. But fourth-line wing Adam Edstrom is out at least 2.5 months, perhaps up to 3.5 months, with a lower-body injury. And that’s still a pretty big deal for the Rangers.

The Rangers had two days off, but now begins a busy and important stretch of three games in four nights. Here’s a close look at the Rangers upcoming schedule.

The Hartford Wolf Pack have lost six in a row, and we take a close look at why they’re struggling so much in our latest weekly column. We also examine Alex Belzile’s strong season for the Wolf Pack.

Here’s a cool story on former Rangers goalie prospect Brandon Halverson, drafted ahead of Igor Shesterkin in 2014, played one NHL game, just landed a two-year contract with the Lightning and dressed as Andrei Vasilevskiy’s backup on Tuesday.

NHL news

We reported on Kirill Marchenko sidelined indefinitely for the Columbus Blue Jackets with a broken jaw and the Islanders placing star center Mathew Barzal on IR. That’s a big blow each for a pair of Rangers rivals.

Despite all their injuries, the depleted Islanders just keep on winning, this time 2-1 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday behind Ilya Sorokin’s 33 saves.

Brutal news for the Dallas Stars, a legit Stanley Cup contender. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen had knee surgery and is out month to month.

Linus Ullmark played his first game since Dec. 22 because of a back injury and made 34 saves, but the Ottawa Senators lost 4-3 to the Tampa Bay Lightning, ending their five-game winning streak.

Perhaps worse for the Senators was that forward Shane Pinto sustained an upper-body injury in the first period and didn’t return.

The Bruins warmed up for their MSG visit Wednesday with a 3-0 win against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. Jeremy Swayman made 33 saves for his third shutout this season.

Former Rangers forward Patrick Kane set an NHL record with his 53rd shootout goal to lead the Detroit Red Wings to their seventh straight win, 5-4 over the Seattle Kraken.

The New Jersey Devils eked out a 3-2 shootout win against the Penguins, but lost defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler to a lower-body injury in the first period.

Thatcher Demko made 25 saves and Filip Chytil had an assist in the Vancouver Canucks’ 3-0 win against the Colorado Avalanche.

The Montreal Canadiens moved ahead of the Rangers in the East, scoring three times in the third period, including a short-handed game-winner by Joel Armia, to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4-3.

This time it was backup Eric Comrie with the shutout as the Winnipeg Jets keep sailing along, winning their seventh straight game, 3-0 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Alex Ovechkin is now 17 goals away from passing Wayne Gretzky (894) for most all-time in NHL history. The Great 8 scored into an empty net with one second left to help the Washington Capitals knock off the Florida Panthers 6-3.

Watch Michael Nylander record his second NHL hat trick in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 6-3 road win against the Calgary Flames.

First, Chris Kreider landed on IR with an upper-body injury, likely to his back, since the 33-year-old has publicly discussed dealing with back issues this season. Then the Rangers went out and turned a feel-good night into a disaster at MSG, blowing a 3-0 lead early and a 4-3 lead late in a disastrous 5-4 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. And in that game, Filip Chytil sustained an upper-body injury and didn’t play in the third period.

Another injury is bad enough for the depleted Rangers (18-20-2). But with Chytil there’s always fear that “upper-body injury” means “head injury” or a concussion. Let’s hope that’s not the case. But the fear is always real considering the 25-year-old’s history.

Anyway, that was a real capper to a real crapper of a day for the Rangers.

They practice today in Westchester, and we’ll monitor all the latest with Chytil, as well as plans for Arthur Kaliyev and the rest of their news, here at Forever Blueshirts.

For those keeping score at home, the Rangers have not won consecutive games since a three-game winning streak Nov. 14-19. Tuesday was the sixth time since then that they followed a win with a loss, and the ninth time this season they’ve lost after a singular victory.

Six points and six teams separate the Rangers from the second wild card in the Eastern Conference as they reach the midway point of the schedule on Thursday against the Devils.

New York Rangers news

Our three takeaways from the Rangers’ latest loss is low-lighted by a rough night for Adam Fox, and also includes the latest on Chytil.

Kaliyev took part in the morning skate but wasn’t in the lineup against the Stars. The 23-year-old did say coming to the Rangers is a “dream come true” and there’s hope he can juice the offense a bit moving forward.

In a chat with me on the Rink Rap podcast, LA-based NHL insider Dennis Bernstein questioned what Kaliyev will bring to the Rangers lineup, noting he’s a “one-dimensional” player with severe limitations.

Here’s a link to watch the complete interview with Dennis Bernstein on YouTube and another to listen on Simplecast.

On the injury front, yes, Kreider was placed on IR, but the good news is that Igor Shesterkin skated with the Rangers on Tuesday morning. The 29-year-old goalie missed his fourth game but appears to be on the road back.

Our Nick Vazquez detailed why the Rangers need more from their two newest defensemen, Will Borgen and Urho Vaakanainen.

NHL news

Connor Hellebuyck became the third-fastest goalie to reach 300 NHL wins when he led the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 victory against the Nashville Predators.

However, in that game, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey sustained a lower-body injury when he crashed into a goal post and is considered day to day.

The Columbus Blue Jackets — yes, the Columbus Blue Jackets — moved into the second wild card spot in the East with a 4-3 shootout win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan was forced to leave that game with an upper-body injury.

More injury news, Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber exited a 6-4 win against the St. Louis Blues with an upper-body injury.

Former Rangers forward Patrick Kane kept the good times rolling in Detroit. His overtime goal lifted the Red Wings to their fifth straight win, 3-2 against the Ottawa Senators.

The Toronto Maple Leafs also won their fifth consecutive game, 3-2 against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Edmonton Oilers are streaking, as well. They won their fourth straight game, riding Adam Henrique’s two goals to a 4-0 win against the struggling Boston Bruins.

Of course, their last visit to Sunrise doesn’t evoke happy memories. Back on June 1, the Panthers skated to a 2-1 win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final, eliminating the Rangers from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Many of their current issues can be traced to that series, from defensive breakdowns, to being out-worked, to their star players being outplayed.

The Rangers do enter their final game of 2024 trying to build off some positives, though. There were plenty of issues with their 6-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, but the Rangers did hold a 67 percent expected goal share, per Natural Stat Trick, and they badly outshot and out-chanced the Lightning 5v5.

Yet they still lost, and after the Ottawa Senators’ 3-1 win against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, the Rangers (16-18-1) are seven points out of the second wild card from the Eastern Conference.

CLICK HERE to shop at the Forever Blueshirts store

New York Rangers news

The Rangers play four games in four different cities — including a home game Thursday against the Boston Bruins to kick off the New Year — this week. Here’s our look at what lies ahead for the Rangers this week.

There’ll be a different look with New York’s top power-play unit Monday. Mika Zibanejad was demoted to the second unit and Alexis Lafreniere bumps up to play on PP1. We’ve got the full story on the big Rangers decision made by coach Peter Laviolette.

Looking back at the Lightning game, John Kreiser broke down the turning point, when former Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh scored a short-handed goal late in the first period.

Top Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault was held off the score sheet and the United States lost to Finland 4-3 in overtime at the World Junior Championship on Sunday. The U.S. and Canada are tied for first in Group A with seven points, each team is 2-0-1-0. Finland has five points (1-1-0-1). Perreault has four points (two goals, two assists) in three games for the United States, which plays Canada on New Year’s Eve in Ottawa.

NHL news

Former Rangers forward Patrick Kane recorded his 1,300th NHL point, when the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 4-2. Kane (477 goals, 823 assists) is the second United States-born player to reach the milestone, behind Mike Modano (1,374 points).

In that same game, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 870th career goal, leaving him 25 shy of passing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time NHL record.

Speaking of milestones, Sidney Crosby picked up his 1,034th career assist in a 3-2 win against the Islanders and passed Mario Lemieux for first all-time in Pittsburgh Penguins history in that category.

The Vancouver Canucks received some tough injury news. Star defenseman Quinn Hughes is week to week with an upper-body injury and No. 1 center Elias Pettersson remains out with an undisclosed injury, but could return sometime this week.

Tyler Bertuzzi of the Chicago Blackhawks could be facing supplemental discipline after the forward received a five-minute major for elbowing and a game misconduct in a 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars.

The Edmonton Oilers scratched veteran forward Jeff Skinner and then blew a two-goal lead in a 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

Watch the highlights from Ilya Samsonov’s first shutout of the season, when the Vegas Golden Knights won their sixth straight game, 3-0 against the Calgary Flames.

This is the 606th all-time meeting between the teams, and first of two this week, with the Rangers traveling to Detroit for a rematch Thursday at Little Caesars Arena. The Rangers are 229-264-9 with 103 ties all-time against the Red Wings, but 9-1-2 in their past 12 meetings.

The Rangers are 1-0-1 to begin the 2024-25 season, coming off a wild 6-5 overtime loss in their home opener Saturday against the Utah Hockey Club. Artemi Panarin had two goals in the defeat and leads New York with four points.

The Red Wings (1-1-0) are coming off a 3-0 win against the Nashville Predators after a dreadful 6-3 loss on opening night to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Former Rangers goalie Cam Talbot made 42 saves in his first Red Wings start to earn his 32nd NHL shutout Saturday.

Related: Rangers coah impressed with Adam Edstrom’s first-ever fight

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Red Wings

1. Back to basics

After aborting their structure to play run-and-gun hockey with Utah over the weekend, expect the Rangers to tighten up against the Red Wings. Adm Fox noted that Utah seems to thrive on chaos and wide-open hockey, and the Rangers were sucked into it Saturday, though they did settle down in the third period.

The Rangers had some early defensive gaffes early on against the Penguins, too, but imposed their will in an eventual 6-0 win. Chris Kreider noted that the Rangers have hung goalie Igor Shesterkin out to dry too often in the first two games.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette was clear where he stands in his pregame comments Monday.

“It’s another good test for us to calm things down, quiet things down, with regard to defense,” Laviolette said.

2. Rangers reunion

The Red Wings have three former Rangers on their roster, including defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who returns to New York for the first time since signing a two-year, $4 million contract with Detroit on July 1. The defenseman played 76 games with the Rangers and had 31 points (six goals, 25 points) last season. He’s been replaced by Zac Jones on the third pair.

Gustafsson is off to a rocky start in Detroit. After posting an assist and a minus-2 rating in the season opener, Gustafsson was a healthy scratch against the Predators.

Talbot, of course, began his NHL career with the Rangers and played in the NHL All-Star Game last season as a member of the Los Angeles Kings. He relieved Ville Husso on opening night and then was outstanding in his first start against the Predators.

The Red Wings also have Vladimir Tarasenko. The two-time Stanley Cup champion is on his third team after leaving New York following the 2022-23 season, when he was acquired before the trade deadline. Tarasenko, it should be noted, scored the series-winning goal for the Florida Panthers against the Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final last spring.

Then there’s Patrick Kane and Andrew Copp, each of whom played briefly for the Rangers. Kane, by the way, is searching for his first point of the season.

Former #NYR Erik Gustafsson is here saying hello to the guys pic.twitter.com/KpBLZIbWAt

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) October 14, 2024

3. Third-line consistency

It’s only two games into the new season, but the Rangers’ third line of Will Cuylle, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko has looked really good, so far. That line has dominated puck possession and scoring chances against the opposition, and each player is a team-leading plus-4 through two games.

Cuylle is tied for second on the Rangers with three points (one goal, two assists) and been a huge physical presence, though he’s already been penalized twice for goalie interference. Chytil has one goal and Kakko is tied for third on the Rangers with six shots on goal.

This threesome has been a handful on the forecheck and equally responsible defensively. Let’s see if they can fill the net Monday.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Kreider – Zibanejad – Smith

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko

Edstrom – Carrick – Brodzinski

Miller – Fox

Schneider – Trouba

Jones – Mancini

Shesterkin

Quick

Check back for updates after Rangers coach Peter Laviolette meets with the media Monday morning.

Rangers vs. Red Wings: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers Detroit Red Wings

Where: Madison Square Garden

When: Monday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. ET

How to Watch: MSG

Click here for New York Rangers complete 2024-25 schedule and game results

Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, and Connor McDavid, the only NHLers to make the top 100 athletes list, ranked in the top three, leaving 22 open slots for some great players who didn’t make the cut on the big list.

It’s no surprise that Hall of Fame goaltender Henrik Lundqvist made the cut, but it was nice to see that “The King” made the top 10, named the eighth-greatest NHL player of the 21st century.

Ranked right behind rival netminder Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils, who placed seventh with 490 of his NHL-record 691 wins and all four of his Vezina Trophies for best goaltender in the League coming after the turn of the century, Lundqvist is the second-highest ranked goalie on the list.

🇸🇪 Henrik Lundqvist x Vezina Trophy 🏆 @HLundqvist | @NYRangers | #Lundqvist | #NYR pic.twitter.com/rIWiJvJ1R4

— NHL Sverige (@NHLsv) September 14, 2023

In a 15-year career spanning from 2005-20, Lundqvist racked up 459 wins, the most in Rangers history and sixth most in NHL history, securing a 2023 induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. With a .918 save percentage that ranks 12th-best in League history and a 2.43 goals-against average, the Rangers legend manned the pipes for the better part of two decades, all in New York. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2011-12.

Despite failing to win the Stanley Cup Lundqvist shined in the postseason with a .918 save percentage and 2.30 GAA in 130 games, carrying the Blueshirts through some lengthy postseason runs and an appearance in the Cup Final in 2014, when he and the Rangers lost in five games to the Los Angeles Kings.

He’s clearly deserving of this latest honor.

Related: These Rangers could’ve been considered for ESPN Top 100 Athletes of 21st century list

2 other Rangers honored on ESPN Top 25 list

Certainly Lundqvist is the headliner here from a Rangers point of view, but there are two other players with ties to the Blueshirts who made the list.

Coming in at No. 4 is future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane, who spent a half-season with the Rangers in 2022-23.

The bulk of Kane’s lengthy resume comes with another Original Six team, the Chicago Blackhawks, helping lead them to a dynasty of three Stanley Cup championships, earning Conn Smythe Trophy honors as playoff MVP in 2013. A Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP in 2015-16, when he scored 40 goals and had a League-best 106 points, Kane is the third highest-scoring United States-born NHL player of all-time and one of the most skilled wingers to ever grace the sport.

His Rangers tenure is rather forgettable since he battled a lingering hip issue and only managed six goals and 17 points in 26 games between the regular season and postseason. The Devils handed the Rangers a first-round playoff defeat in seven games and Kane departed in free agency, ultimately joining the Detroit Red Wings.

But nonetheless, it remains a part of his storied career.

The other player honored is current Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick, who owns the final spot at No. 25. Quick is one of five goalies to make the Top 25, joining Brodeur (7), Lundqvist (8), Marc-Andre Fleury (18), and Andrei Vasilevskiy (19).

Once again, Quick built the majority of his resume in a different sweater, leading the Kings to two Stanley Cup championships, ironically defeating his current team and besting Lundqvist in five games back in 2014. He earned a third Stanley Cup title as a backup on the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, although he did not see the ice in the postseason.

Like Kane, Quick is an all-time American great, holding the United States record for shutouts (60) and surpassing Ryan Miller for the most wins by a U.S.-born goalie (393) while wearing a Rangers uniform this past season.

He’ll have a strong case for the Hall of Fame, ranking 15th all-time in wins and currently boasting a 2.43 GAA and .911 save percentage in 17 NHL seasons.

After a successful first season in New York serving as a backup to Igor Shesterkin, Quick re-upped with the Rangers and will return for the upcoming season as he’ll try and help the Blueshirts to a Stanley Cup championship this time around.

The @LAKings welcome back 3x Stanley Cup Champion, Jonathan Quick. 🥲🖤 pic.twitter.com/almXWbrNsy

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 21, 2024

It’s worth noting that a pair of former Rangers, Jaromir Jagr and Martin St. Louis, did not appear on the list, despite having solid cases.

While Jagr played 10 seasons of his legendary NHL career prior to the 21st century, leading the League in points in four of them, he still put together 14 excellent seasons in the 2000s. Jagr won the Art Ross Trophy, awarded to the player with the most points scored in the NHL that season, twice after 2000, including a very special 2005-06 season when he set Rangers franchise records with 54 goals and 123 points.

St. Louis, meanwhile, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 after playing 15 of his 16 NHL seasons post-2000, accumulating 1,033 points, a Stanley Cup title with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and winning the Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy in 2003-04. St. Louis played 93 games and totaled 60 points for the Rangers after he was acquired ahead of the trade deadline in 2014 and before he retired after the 2014-15 season

Still, there’s no need to get greedy. The Rangers join the Detroit Red Wings, Blackhawks, and Edmonton Oilers as one of four teams to feature three players in the Top 25, trailing only the Pittsburgh Penguins (5) and the Boston Bruins (4).

While neither Kane nor Quick’s careers will be defined or immortalized by their time with the Rangers, like Lundqvst’s will, it’s still a part of their journey and gives the historic Original Six franchise ties to some of the greatest players of the century.

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.

In fact, they haven’t reached the Cup Final since 2014, their lone appearance since their most recent Stanley Cup title 30 years ago in 1994. Of course, each of those precede his tenure as GM, but while Drury has built some competitive and successful rosters, he’s made a few critical mistakes that have prevented New York from reaching their peak.

As we’re currently in the midst of arguably his most important offseason to date, let’s take a look at his worst moves as general manager of the Rangers.

It’s way too early to tell with this current offseason so none of those transactions are on the table, but everything else since he took charge in June of 2021 is fair game.

Related: 5 best moves by Rangers GM Chris Drury

Worst moves by Chris Drury as Rangers GM

5. Acquiring Patrick Kane before 2023 trade deadline

Acquiring Patrick Kane was a dream come true for many Rangers fans and seemingly a no-brainer when the Rangers acquired the forward ahead of the 2023 NHL trade deadline. With the future Hall of Famer all but forcing his way to New York, all it took was a second and fourth-round pick, which made the move even more appealing.

Kane did not impress in the regular season (five goals, 12 points in 19 games), and although he’s not to blame for a first-round playoff exit to the New Jersey Devils, scoring a goal and six points in the seven-game series, the addition of the injured superstar only made things more complicated.

A hip injury that ultimately required surgery in the offseason greatly limited Kane’s effectiveness. While the name still carried plenty of cache, a visibly hampered Kane didn’t do much to move the Rangers in the direction of Stanley Cup contender.

Drury had already acquired a talented veteran scoring winger in Vladimir Tarasenko, so Kane was less of a need and more of an added bonus. Perhaps there’s something to the expression “too many chefs in the kitchen” because what resulted was a disjointed forward grouping that never truly found its footing.

Kane is not to fault for a disappointing first-round exit but, in retrospect, Drury should’ve stayed away from the injured superstar.

4. Signing Barclay Goodrow in 2021 offseason

One of Drury’s first moves as Rangers GM was signing Barclay Goodrow to a 6-year, $3.64 million AAV contract.

Fresh off helping the Tampa Bay Lightning to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021 as part of a dynamic third line with Yanni Gourde and Blake Coleman, Goodrow was a desirable target League-wide. But Drury overpaid to acquire his championship pedigree and veteran leadership, giving a hefty contract with a lot of term to a bottom-six role player.

Goodrow largely saw a fourth-line role as the center of New York’s top checking line. Despite getting top penalty kill minutes as well, Goodrow’s ATOI dipped from 16:43 in his first season down to 12:34 in 2024.

After back-to-back 10-plus goal, 30-plus point seasons with New York, his production fell off a cliff in 2024, when he scored just four goals and finished with 12 points in 80 games while recording a minus-13 rating. He proved to be a valuable asset in the postseason, though, when he scored six goals in this past spring’s run to the Eastern Conference Final, but it wasn’t enough to get the Rangers to the Cup in any of his three seasons.

His impact on the penalty kill and postseason should not be overlooked, but it’s overshadowed by his AAV that was simply too high for someone who only played a bottom-six role. The fact that Drury put him on waivers after his strong postseason is a telling indictment of the contract, and the GM was fortunate the San Jose Sharks claimed him and the final three years of that deal.

3. Trading for Jack Roslovic before 2024 deadline

Drury’s first trade deadline was a resounding success, but the next two have left something to be desired. After failing via the superstar route in 2023, Drury opted for a quieter trade deadline in 2024, trading for Alex Wennberg, Nic Petan, Chad Ruhwedel, and Jack Roslovic.

While Wennberg was ultimately a solid move to bolster depth down the middle, Roslovic was not the answer at wing that the Rangers were searching for.

Despite a very good record and a lead in the Metropolitan Division, the Rangers faced a familiar issue with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, who struggled to mesh at even strength with a medley of right wingers that included Kaapo Kakko, Blake Wheeler, and Jimmy Vesey.

Plenty of talented wingers switched hands at the deadline. Pittsburgh Penguins star Jake Guentzel was the headliner when he was shipped to the Carolina Hurricanes, but other enticing names like Tyler Toffoli, Anthony Mantha, and Anthony Duclair were available as well. The Rangers, though, acquired the enigmatic Roslovic, who’d scored more than 12 goals once in his career, right before the deadline from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The speedy winger had just three goals and eight points in 19 regular-season games after the trade, all on the top line. After a hot start to his postseason, recording a point in each of his first five games, Roslovic’s production completely cratered. By the Eastern Conference Final, he was relegated to a fourth-line role.

Like Kane, he’s probably not the reason the Rangers fell in the postseason, but perhaps a stronger offensive winger could’ve helped turn the tide back in their favor. Drury only gave up a fourth-round pick, so the deal itself isn’t a disaster, but when there’s a Stanley Cup title in reach, it hurts to miss on a top-six add like that.

Roslovic is out the door already after signing a one-year contract with the Hurricanes this summer.

2. Signing Patrik Nemeth in 2021 offseason

Another one of the moves from his first offseason, Drury signed Patrik Nemeth to a 3-year, $2.5 million AAV deal with hopes he could be a reliable bottom-pairing defenseman.

Nemeth was 29 at the time and coming off a solid season splitting time with the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche, posting 10 points and a plus-5 rating. But Nemeth’s metrics took a deep dive as soon as he donned the Rangers uniform.

Nemeth recorded seven points and had a minus-9 rating through 63 games, grading out in the bottom one percent of all skaters in Evolving Hockey’s player charts.

With two years and $5 million still left on his contract, Drury attached a pair of second-round picks just to send him to the Arizona Coyotes and get his money off the books.

Nemeth’s lone season in New York was a disaster and the collateral of two second-round picks just to get rid of him easily makes this signing a complete failure.

1. Trading Pavel Buchnevich in 2021 offseason

The most maligned move of Drury’s tenure, unsurprisingly, is trading Pavel Buchnevich in the summer of 2021.

Buchnevich was due a significant raise as a restricted free agent, and the Rangers were tight against the salary cap. So, Drury opted to avoid a bigger payday for the then 25-year-old winger, tradsing him to the St. Louis Blues for Sammy Blais and a second-round pick.

Blais had a brutal knee injury, didn’t score a goal and had just nine points in the 54 games he played for the Rangers before ultimately getting shipped back to St. Louis in the Tarasenko trade in 2023. The second-rounder was flipped to the Winnipeg Jets for Andrew Copp, leaving the Rangers with no remnants from the trade, though Copp was a nice short-term add after the 2022 deadline.

If the lack of return wasn’t painful enough, Buchnevich has thrived since leaving New York, taking the leap that many fans envisioned he would.

After scoring 20 goals and 48 points in his last season as a Blueshirt, Buchnevich immediately made the step to elite winger, scoring an NHL career-high 30 goals and 78 points in his first season with the Blues. He’s kept up the production, posting 60-plus points and 25-plus goals in each of his first three seasons in St. Louis.

Despite Rangers fans longing for a return, Buchnevich won’t be going anywhere after signing a 6-year, $8 million AAV extension to stay with the Blues long term.

New York, meanwhile, has been left with a void at right wing that Drury has failed to fill outside of Frank Vatrano’s half-season in 2022. Even Vatrano wasn’t quite able to replicate the chemistry and production that Kreider, Zibanejad, and Buchnevich were able to develop.

This offseason’s trade for Reilly Smith marks the latest attempt to fill a gap that has lingered ever since Buchnevich’s departure. Drury’s made his share of missteps, but none quite compare to this.

HEADED TO THE TARASENK-SHOW!

The #RedWings today signed forward Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract with an AAV of $4.75M. pic.twitter.com/ZLR93snIdW

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 3, 2024

Tarasenko and Kane are reunited after each was acquired in separate trades before the 2023 trade deadline by the Rangers. Each finished the the 2022-23 season in New York though neither veteran was re-signed once it was over.

When Rangers general manager Chris Drury traded for Tarasenko and Kane there was much excitement and hope that the new star power could help carry the Blueshirts on a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But the aging stars with four Stanley Cup rings between them at the time couldn’t boost the Rangers, who flamed out in the first-round, losing to the New Jersey Devils in seven games.

Though Tarasenko and Kane weren’t the main culprits, the No.3-seeded Rangers blew a 2-0 series lead against the No. 2-seeded New Jersey Devils and lost the opening-round series in seven games.

Tarasenko was second on the Rangers in that series with three goals and tied for fourth with four points. Playing with a bad hip, Kane scored only one goal against the Devils but was third on the Blueshirts with six points.

The two star wingers played 26 games together between the regular season and the playoffs. Tarasenko had 11 goals and 25 points in 38 games with the Blueshirts between the regular season and postseason, and Kane had six goals and 18 points in 26 games.

Shortly after the season ended, Kane had hip resurfacing surgery. Though he had interest in re-signing with the Rangers after his rehab, New York was up against the salary cap, so he signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings. Kane looked much healthier after the surgery and had 20 goals and 47 points in 50 games with Detroit.

Reportedly, Tarasenko also wanted to return to the Rangers, but that wasn’t an option unless he took a steep pay cut. So, he signed a one-year deal with the Ottawa Senators, who eventually traded him to the Florida Panthers before the 2024 trade deadline. After scoring 23 goals in the regular season, Tarasenko scored five postseason goals, including the series-winner against the Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final, before helping the Panthers win the Stanley Cup in seven games against the Edmonton Oilers.

Related: Kaapo Kakko survived NHL Draft but his Rangers future still up in air

Former Rangers populate Red Wings roster

Kane signed a one-year contract before free agency started to remain with the Red Wings. He and Tarasenko will again team up as veterans with championship pedigree, this time on a talented youthful Red Wings team that barely missed the playoffs last season, and are seeking to end an eight-year postseason drought.

They’re far from the only former Rangers that will look to help the cause. In fact, there are now six former Blueshirts on the Red Wings roster.

After signing Tarasenko, the Red Wings have 6 former Rangers on their roster:

Vladimir Tarasenko
Patrick Kane
Andrew Copp
Tyler Motte
Erik Gustafsson
Cam Talbot

That’s a lot of MSG “Welcome Back”s right there #NYR #RedWings

— Lou Orlando (@SweetLouuuuu) July 3, 2024

Defenseman Erik Gustafsson signed a two-year deal with Detroit after completing a solid full season in New Yor. Forward Tyler Motte, who had two different stints with the Rangers, and former Blueshirts goalie Cam Talbot both signed this offseason as well. That’s on top of Andrew Copp who joined the Red Wings two years ago after he helped Motte and the Blueshirts reach the Eastern Conference Final in 2022.

And keep in mind, Detroit has been linked to Jacob Trouba. While that situation has gotten much more complicated in recent days, the Red Wings would be a top destination for the Rangers captain if he is traded.

Of the six former Blueshirts in Motown, Tarasenko and Kane actually have the fewest games played in a Rangers uniform. Yet excitement that came with their arrival on Broadway and eventual letdown of the Blueshirts first-round exit that season still linger.

Now they’ll run it back as teammates again, this time in Detroit. And it won’t take long for the Rangers to get an up-close view of their recent past because they play a home-and-home set against the Red Wings on Oct. 14 (at Madison Square Garden) and Oct. 17 (at Little Caesars Arena).