Worst NYR Captain from 1991 on..?

[KingWantsCup]

Drury was an awful captain IMO. Callahan wasn't my ideal kind of captain but served honorably until money got in the way. I like McDonagh significantly better than both of them. He's not all about showing a fire but he certainly does when it's necessary.

 

[cwede]

McD may end up as a good C, but i never liked naming him last year, coming off his break out year, i wish they'd left him as is to keep growing as a top tier NHL'er

I'd have named Staal.
I already know many of you will disagree, no need to hijack this thread, spending time explaining why i must be clueless

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

The answer is "Suds", AINEC.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Yeah. I did watch during that era, and was old enough, and I don't agree with you. So enough with the "my opinion is fact" BS.

Apparently we're either dumb according to beacon or just young-ins who couldn't possibly know better if you ask ELC. Tbf I wasn't watching yet during the Leetch era so I can't argue Leetch vs Drury. I do wonder what leetch would have done with NDrury's team and vice versa. Can't imagine Drury would have done any better.

 

[Machinehead]

Put Leetch on Drury's teams and put Drury on Leetch's teams. Watch the hilarity ensue on one side and the trophies ensue on the other side.

 

[Edge]

I'm going to go with Leetch.

Not because he couldn't lead, but because the timing and the mix were wrong. Leetch proved his leadership capabilities at the World Cup and other venues. The challenge was that his personality was probably not the right fit for a Rangers team that was defined by Messier's presence and struggled to redefine itself in the wake of his absence.

I've said it in other threads, but I strongly believe that Messier's impact on this franchise cannot be understated. It transformed everything. Obviously, the overall result in the early to mid 1990s was positive. But with that big of a transformation comes certain challenges. One of those challenges is that the team struggles to find or develop an identity beyond that transformational figure.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

One of my favorite players of all time and one of the all time greats but don't see how it's' not Leetch.

During the span of his captaincy, only the islanders, canucks and lightning won fewer games than the Rangers.

Leetch himself had the worst goal differential of any defeseman in the entire league during that time. Only Darcy Tucker and Mike Sillinger had a worse goal differential.

Although he was injured and missed some games, still no excuse to finish 14th in scoring for defenseman over that span when you're arguably the best offensive defenseman in the game at that point.

Jagr's 06 season literally turned around the franchise and will probably be the closest a NYR will ever get to winning an Art Ross trophy. **** you Jonathan Cheechoo/Thornton.

And, while he had his struggles in those playoffs and in the following seasons, he still was a scoring machine that pretty much transformed this organization. Although he didn't lead them past the 2nd round, I don't see how you could choose Jagr or even say he was a bad captain.

Drury sucked and was afforded much better teams than Leetch but Leetch is such a greater caliber of player than Drury that it's hard to really look past that. Drury was a better leader though but nowhere near the player Leetch was, obviously.

And, lol @ Messier being an option here unless Eric Messier somehow was named NYR captain for a practice once or something....

 

[Tawnos]

I don't like that this poll doesn't distinguish between the two Messier stints.

 

[IAMREALITY]

I gotta say, I think it's pretty clear that the only reason Drury is leading like that (I guess he's a leader after all, HA!) is because there are so many here who probably weren't old enough fans yet during the Leetch days. Cause Drury was no Messier, but even he was well above Leetch in the captain category. Leetch, even admittedly so, was a horrible captain. He just was. I think without even any legitimate argument, hands down, he is the only right choice in this poll. I mean, just clearly.

 

[mti79]

Really makes you wonder what the outlook of the franchise is if Callahan was traded for Nash instead of Dubinsky. Callahan was so beloved at the time and people were down on Dubinsky after holding out and having a bad year so that would have been a significantly less popular trade.

Also, that would have eliminated the need for St. Louis, but maybe with Dubinsky's clutch playoff performances the Rangers would have won it all in 2015 in spite of probably losing earlier in 2014.

Food for thought.

As for the poll, Drury was the worst captain. Leetch wasn't good, but at least he was a good player. Drury didn't lead, didn't step up his play in the playoffs, and was abysmal at even strength. Drury did nothing well here. People forget how bad that 2009 team was just because they made the playoffs and took Washington to 7 games. By far our worst post-lockout team and it isn't close. 2010 missed the playoffs. 2011 the team snuck in and Drury missed 60 games. Not a great run as a captain.

Yeah, not like he scored a game tying goal on his first shift back or anything against the Devils in a game we needed to win to make the playoffs...

Drury gets hated on because he didn't score 30 goals like he did in Buffalo. 2 completely different offenses. Drury was a great captain. Went to work every day, played hard, led by example. Oh, but he wasn't a Rangers draft pick so he sucks.

Callahan, drafted by the Rangers, learned how to be a captain from Chris Drury and played the game the same way. He was a great captain!

In order of the poll: Messier, Jagr, Drury, Cally, Leetch.

 

[mti79]

In fairness to Jagr, he didn't really want the C. It seemed forced on him after playing the season without a C

Yeah, I always got the impression that he was a reluctant captain. I think Slats and Renney went to him and said, we want a captain this year, we're bringing in Shanahan. If you don't take the C, we're giving it to him. Jagr then took it and performed very well with it.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

In fairness to Jagr, he didn't really want the C. It seemed forced on him after playing the season without a C

That's a large part of why he got my vote.

 

[Off Sides]

I view Drury as the worst, not because of him, but because of what the Rangers were doing at the time.

He pretty much stood for everything I disliked about how they were building their roster and was made captain of it.

Drury as a captain, how would I even know what he brought to the team in regards to being a captain?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I view Drury as the worst, not because of him, but because of what the Rangers were doing at the time.

He pretty much stood for everything I disliked about how they were building their roster and was made captain of it.

Drury as a captain, how would I even know what he brought to the team in regards to being a captain?

Yet, you find a reason to label him the worst captain despite this

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

Yet, you find a reason to label him the worst captain despite this

Because he was an albatross that hurt the team's chance to succeed more than any other captain on this list did.

 

[Off Sides]

Yet, you find a reason to label him the worst captain despite this

Since I do not know or pretend to know what these guys do in the locker room, I can only base my vote on the management choices that were being made at the time and who represents those choices best.

 

[Whiplash27]

Worst to best:
Drury
Messier 2
Leetch
Callahan
Jagr
Messier 1

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Because he was an albatross that hurt the team's chance to succeed more than any other captain on this list did.

Okay. So we blame a player now for signing a contract. That's insane. This thread is about who was the worst captain. Drury might have been the least influential player during his captaincy, but as a captain he was miles ahead of Leetch. Guys like Anisimov, Dubinsky, Callahan, Girardi, Staal and even Lundqvist learned a lot from Drury.

 

[Chaels Arms]

Okay. So we blame a player now for signing a contract. That's insane. This thread is about who was the worst captain. Drury might have been the least influential player during his captaincy, but as a captain he was miles ahead of Leetch. Guys like Anisimov, Dubinsky, Callahan, Girardi, Staal and even Lundqvist learned a lot from Drury.

I love how in your previous post you call out a guy for forming an opinion on Drury after admitting that we don't know what goes on in the locker room and than in this post you make a statement like this that's completely unprovable. I want you to prove to me that Henrik Lundqvist learned "a lot" from Chris Drury.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I love how in your previous post you call out a guy for forming an opinion on Drury after admitting that we don't know what goes on in the locker room and than in this post you make a statement like this that's completely unprovable. I want you to prove to me that Henrik Lundqvist learned "a lot" from Chris Drury.

Well, maybe because they said so in interviews? Example: http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/rangers/reaction-from-u-s-olympians-callahan-drury-1.1680225

I'm on my phone now, so unable to look any further, but there are several interviews from that era where players stated they learned from Drury and he was instrumental as a mentor to the team with his play off experience.

 

[Chaels Arms]

Well, maybe because they said so in interviews? Example: http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/rangers/reaction-from-u-s-olympians-callahan-drury-1.1680225

I'm on my phone now, so unable to look any further, but there are several interviews from that era where players stated they learned from Drury and he was instrumental as a mentor to the team with his play off experience.

OK, so we can check Callahan off the list. Now how about all the other players you so confidently declared learned "a lot" from Chris Drury: Anisimov, Dubinsky, Girardi, Staal and Lundqvist?

I can post hundreds of articles and interviews with players, former players and even referees raving about Jaromir Jagr. First guy in, last guy out. Claude Giroux can't stop talking about him. Brenden Dillon, Cody Eakin and Reilly Smith stayed late after practice just to do drills with him. Jonathan Huberdeau and Alex Barkov think he's a god. So, by your logic, since I can post more interviews of players saying nice things about Jagr, that means he's a better "leader" than Drury, right?

Oh, and BTW, since we like to throw out quotes from players, here's Callahan on Jagr:

“You can see he’s still got something left,” said Tampa Bay winger Ryan Callahan. “I had a chance to play with Jags early in my career (2006-08) with the Rangers and I saw the leadership he brings to the room. He’ll be valuable for Florida, on and off the ice.”

http://www.tbo.com/sports/lightning/bolts-notes-lightning-see-jagrs-impact-on-panthers-20150301/

How about Brendan Shanahan:

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Jaromir,” Shanahan said. “I love his competitiveness. He’s not like a lot of hockey players — he doesn’t grit his teeth or bang his stick on the boards. He just puts so much into it. He’s all over the ice. He’s such a proud hockey player.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/sports/hockey/03anderson.html

 

[Ola]

Cally, bolted to a rival

 

[Tawnos]

Cally, bolted to a rival

Not really. He was traded.

Messiers departure was much worse.

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

Okay. So we blame a player now for signing a contract. That's insane. This thread is about who was the worst captain. Drury might have been the least influential player during his captaincy, but as a captain he was miles ahead of Leetch. Guys like Anisimov, Dubinsky, Callahan, Girardi, Staal and even Lundqvist learned a lot from Drury.

No, because with his awful contract and subpar player Drury contributed most to a Rangers team being bad.

Leetch was a generational talent playing for bad, old teams in the late 90s. Drury was an over the hill free agent who did not contribute to the teams success. Everyone here considered Callahan the real C of the team in the early 2010s because Drury was not good. Of course players are going to say they learned a lot from older players, that's how sports work.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Cally, bolted to a rival

Honestly, I respect Ryan Callahan, but a rival of the NYR paying a 3rd liner 6+ million actually helps the NYR.

Glad Callahan is gone honestly. He was always overrated but was not the worst NYR captain from 1991- now.