The 1970s

[Vickers8]

 

[Vickers8]

 

[Captain Lindy]

Bobby Rousseau

That's a great shot of Derek Sanderson too. Great picture!

 

[bobbop]

Part of the reason the early 1970s Rangers were so loveable is that they were the result of a total tear down and rebuild that Emile Francis started in the 1960s. Those of us fortunate to have seen the whole thing have great memories of "our guys" becoming a great team. Watching young players being developed and seeing a number of shrewd trades (some very unpopular when they happened) come together was very exciting. They came oh so close.

And as for 1979, the Rangers won the first game in Montreal and the Canadians were set to pull Ken Dryden out of the second game but Montreal's other goalie was hurt in the warmups. Dryden played and the Canadians swept the next four games. A lot of great stories about that playoff run.

And yes, Potvin's hit was a cheap shot. Ruined Ulfie's career.

 

[dumpin]

How about Eddie Johnstone tough little guy, and Jerry Butler a solid player we dealt for JD.

 

[alkurtz]

Part of the reason the early 1970s Rangers were so loveable is that they were the result of a total tear down and rebuild that Emile Francis started in the 1960s. Those of us fortunate to have seen the whole thing have great memories of "our guys" becoming a great team. Watching young players being developed and seeing a number of shrewd trades (some very unpopular when they happened) come together was very exciting. They came oh so close.

And as for 1979, the Rangers won the first game in Montreal and the Canadians were set to pull Ken Dryden out of the second game but Montreal's other goalie was hurt in the warmups. Dryden played and the Canadians swept the next four games. A lot of great stories about that playoff run.

And yes, Potvin's hit was a cheap shot. Ruined Ulfie's career.

Those early to mid 1960s teams were just woeful. It seemed like every Saturday night we played in Montreal or Toronto and get totally whipped. Then, we would play them again the next night at the old MSG (Sunday, along with Wednesday nights were the traditional nights for home games) and usually get beaten again. Sometimes if we were lucky, we managed a tie.

One of the most frustrating aspects was that our best young player, Rod Gilbert, was chronically hurt, twice needing major back surgeries.

When Francis took over, the team began a new era.

It's interesting, looking back at the entire Francis era, how we built with young players. When he first became a playoff team in 1966-67, our #1 line was completely homegrown (Ratelle-Gilbert-Hadfield: well, if I recall Hadfield was actually drafted from the Blackhawks, but we got him very young), but our #2 line, Phil Goyette-Bob Nevin-Donnie Marshall, had been acquired from elsewhere. But as we continued to build and become elite, that second line gradually morphed into an all homegrown line (Tkaczuk-Fairbairn-Vickers). Vickers replaced Dave Balon, who, IIRC, was originally with the Rangers in the early 60s, was traded away, and then returned in the late 60s.

Those early 60s teams were bad...bad....bad. Especially defensively. It was always a battle to see who would finish 5th (and not last), us or the Bruins.

But one thing about that era, the last years of the Original 6. There were only five teams besides your own. Rosters were smaller, there wasn't much changeover from year to year, and as a fan, you knew every player in the league. Today, with 29, soon to be 30 other teams, it is impossible to know all the players. Also, you played each team 14 times, so each game was a traditional rivalry game and had that "rivalry itensity" to it. Since nobody wore helmets, you knew each player by sight, not just by number.

Today's players are just so much better. When I watch clips of old games from the 60s, I am amazed at how slow the skating was (although it didn't seem slow at the time). Some teams, especially the Habs and the Hawks, had a few guys who could fly, but teams also had many plodding, especially on defense, skaters. Sometimes I watch games today and I am still just blown away with how fast the game is.

But those days were sure fun even if, in the early 60s when I became a fan as a young teenager, we were terrible. Those years of suffering made the Francis era especially sweet. It took a long time to fully accept the fact that, hey, we were pretty good!

 

[eco's bones]

How about Eddie Johnstone tough little guy, and Jerry Butler a solid player we dealt for JD.

Rangers traded Ted Irvine, Jerry Butler and Glen Sather for JD.

The 70's gave us Nick Fotiu--not very good hands but he could really skate, hit and fight.

Don Murdoch could have been a HOF'er if he took his job seriously.

Also the Rick Middleton trade for Ken Hodge is the worst trade the Rangers ever made.

 

[cwede]

Potvin's hit was a cheap shot. Ruined Ulfie's career.

If Mario Marois laid that same hit on Bossy in the same game, would NYR fans consider it dirty?
or just another hard hit in the corner by a D-man on an opposing forward

Ulfie wasn't facing the boards

was Kreider on Price dirty or just a player following through?
Habs fans and Ranger fans differ ...

I love the Rangers, loved Ulfie, it sucks how it turned out
Hockey is a tough and risky sport

Phaneuf ended Sauer's career, but more blame on Sauer for the loose chin strap
(as pointed out by a NYR management guy i met at a rink)
Seeing guys like Hagelin, with the dangling chin strap, always gets my attention

NY Times may not be the greatest hocky paper, but some quotes

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/19/sports/hockey/19potvin.html
"It was a check — by most accounts a clean play — on Rangers forward Ulf Nilsson on Feb. 25, 1979, at the Garden that instigated the chant"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/sports/hockey/24vecsey.html
"Never once has Nilsson suggested that it was anything but a normal nasty hit, the kind hockey players respect"

 

[Captain Lindy]

Part of the reason the early 1970s Rangers were so loveable is that they were the result of a total tear down and rebuild that Emile Francis started in the 1960s. Those of us fortunate to have seen the whole thing have great memories of "our guys" becoming a great team. Watching young players being developed and seeing a number of shrewd trades (some very unpopular when they happened) come together was very exciting. They came oh so close.

And as for 1979, the Rangers won the first game in Montreal and the Canadians were set to pull Ken Dryden out of the second game but Montreal's other goalie was hurt in the warmups. Dryden played and the Canadians swept the next four games. A lot of great stories about that playoff run.

And yes, Potvin's hit was a cheap shot. Ruined Ulfie's career.

I remember crying my eyes out after we lost that series. I was okay until I saw Don Murdoch, Don and Dave Maloney crying in the locker room after the game. I was inconsolable right along with them. ugh.....That really hurt.

 

[Boris Zubov]

If Mario Marois laid that same hit on Bossy in the same game, would NYR fans consider it dirty?
or just another hard hit in the corner by a D-man on an opposing forward

Ulfie wasn't facing the boards

was Kreider on Price dirty or just a player following through?
Habs fans and Ranger fans differ ...

I love the Rangers, loved Ulfie, it sucks how it turned out
Hockey is a tough and risky sport

Phaneuf ended Sauer's career, but more blame on Sauer for the loose chin strap
(as pointed out by a NYR management guy i met at a rink)
Seeing guys like Hagelin, with the dangling chin strap, always gets my attention

NY Times may not be the greatest hocky paper, but some quotes

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/19/sports/hockey/19potvin.html
"It was a check — by most accounts a clean play — on Rangers forward Ulf Nilsson on Feb. 25, 1979, at the Garden that instigated the chant"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/sports/hockey/24vecsey.html
"Never once has Nilsson suggested that it was anything but a normal nasty hit, the kind hockey players respect"

Agree with all the comparisons except the bolded one. Kreider wasn't following through; he was hacked, HARD, on his ankle by a defenseman who was badly beaten on the play. He lost his balance at a extremely high rate of speed & was lucky he wasn't the one badly hurt on the play. This is the point the ridiculous fans in MTL will never concede. Obviously it wouldn't fit their narrative.

 

[Giacomin]

And yes, Potvin's hit was a cheap shot. Ruined Ulfie's career.[/QUOTE]

Potvin S***s!

 

[Mandar]

Mio41.....thanks for those great pics....hope you have more!!

A few of my memories:

Ron Harris was such a good fighter, I remember him beating up a guy when he was on his back.....and he could hit....just ask Espo in the '73 playoffs!

I never forgave Dale Rolfe for hitting Ratelle with that shot in '72

Nothing hurt worse in the 70's than game 3 of the '75 playoffs

That Potvin hit might not have technically been dirty, but that idiot Potvin didn't even have to hit him...the play was going away from Ulfie...he didn't have to do what he did.

Oh what a player Murdoch could have been.....

I'll still never forgive Francis for that trade in November of 75

 

[Vickers8]

Ron Harris was such a good fighter, I remember him beating up a guy when he was on his back.....and he could hit....just ask Espo in the '73 playoffs!

Harry was built like a fire hydrant and hit like a mack truck

 

[Vickers8]

 

[Vickers8]

The Cat and Jack Egers

 

[Vickers8]

 

[Vickers8]

 

[Vickers8]

 

[Vickers8]

 

[Vickers8]

 

[Vickers8]

 

[Vickers8]

 

[Vickers8]

 

[cwede]

Bobby Rousseau is exactly what today's NYR PP needs 8^)

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

I was eight in 1979 and remember that spring still today. Great early hockey memory for me. I recall listening to game 5 on the radio in my sisters room, if not mistaken it was an afternoon game. And then watching game 6 in my den with my mom and dad. They aren't with me anymore so it's a nice memory to have.

As for remembering this team...I think frustration is what I think of. The Kings series could have gone the other way with a break here or there. Then I allowed myself to get excited the following year, thinking they were going to win. All season long I kept saying, only Tampa scares me. If only Detroit had knocked them out early. Never liked the Red Wings, still don't even more after that.

Of all the teams of recent years, the two that stand out to me are the 11/12 team and before them, the 10/11 team. They were a fun team to root for and I liked their style of play. The 10/11 team had some memorable wins. The Staal short handed goal in Pittsburgh that tied it up late leading to the Dubi/Callahan two on zero winner. The late season comeback win over the Bruins, that was only soured by Callahan breaking his leg. The next season, they really shouldn't have lost to NJ, who I thought was an above average team. They wore worn out. The game that comes to mind with that team was the Richards late goal in game 5. Also the long game three in D.C.. Gaborik scoring just as that clown with the horn was honking. HONK HONK HONK...silence.

I was just making the switch from roller to ice hockey and I patterned my play after that team, specifically Dan Girardi. I was dropping down and sliding around blocking shots all over the place. Teammates where like, "I never saw a guy in beer league hockey block as many shots as you." To be fair, I was doing that since my deck hockey days, but those Ranger teams made it an art form.

I wasn't alive in the 70s, but that 2014 team has a lot of parallels to the 79 team. Mid ranked team that got hot at the right time and was even looking good in the final only to lose. The LA series hurt in more ways than one. I think we could have won it but our D was just out muscled in every game and LA just kept pouring it on. They also had won prior to that just like Montreal.

I thought 2015 the team would step back but boy was I wrong, as mad as I am about that Tampa series it wasn't game 7 where we blew it it was game 3 we had the 2-0 lead and let Tampa get back into it, lots of people blame Hank but our D went to sleep in that game and I still have in my mind that routine shot on hank that Nash picked up, only to have Stamkos swoop in and score to get Tampa back in the game. We win game 3 that series is over in 6, where we meet Chicago who I also don't think we beat and we get a Buffalo Bills moniker attached to us. Had Anaheim beat Chicago, I think we beat them in 4 straight. It sucks because we could have had a dynasty here especially if 2012 went our way( thanks torts).

1 other parallel I see here are 2 years that no one has mentioned, from the highlights I saw that 71 team was the strongest. If they beat the Hawks they win the cup,74 also jumps out in my mind too if they beat the Flyers I really think they get revenge on the Bruins and win another cup in the 70s. It parallels to 12-13 for me, I feel that if there was no lockout in 12-13 and AV is coach that team could have won it all, provided 2 other things change, which was they kept Anisimov (Include Boyle in the Nash trade) and had Zucc for the full year.

Finally whats happening now is almost like a reverse of the 70s it feels like the teams we had recently were like the late 70s teams and the teams were gonna see will be more like the early 70s teams (homegrown talent). I just hope we can get a cup for Hank sooner rather than later. Chicago proved that it doesn't take very long for teams to develop now a days.