UnSandvich
Registered User
- Sep 7, 2017
- 5,199
- 7,371
It's a mixed bad IMO.
While we didn't land the stars that Philly and St. Louis landed, we've arguably been more successful longer in recent memory --- both with our drafting and our on-ice accomplishments. So while they may have hit a homerun, you could argue that we actually manufactured more runs over the same time period of time.
But part of the problem is that the Rangers have never been able to put both elements together. Solid drafting and then getting that one over-the-top prospect. It's the difference between grading their draft an "A" versus a "B" and more than likely it's the difference between them having a cup or two.
Some of it is timing, some of it is luck.
Sometimes it is picking the wrong guys at a key moment (falling in love with your prospects and not moving them for Shanahan, etc.)
Other times it's crazy outcomes - we lost three promising first round picks, before the age of 21, during a roughly ten year span. I don't know of any other team in recent memories that has experienced that kind of situation.
There are moments I think someone sold their soul for that cup in 1994 and said, "I don't care if we don't win another championship for 50 years, I'll trade you all of them for this one, now."
To be fair, if it got Hank his Cup, I'd be ok with doing that again