BOS/NYR Rivalry?

[Kaapo Cabana]

Bruins beat the Rangers in the playoffs in 2014 and it didn't ignite the rivalry. Last year, there was some heat between the two teams in the games they played but overall it just doesn't have the pull you would think a Boston team vs a New York team would draw.

We went to the cup final that year, you’re thinking of the ‘13 conference semis

 

[GarbageGoal]

Meh, never felt it, started watching in '83. I also don't fall for the Boston vs NY crap.

 

[Bruins4Lifer]

1 playoffs series in the last 38 years isn't going to keep a rivalry going.

 

[JimmyG89]

Rivalries are made either by proximity or playoff series. With the Rangers, they've got plenty close proximity rivals. Islanders and Devils are so close, neither really existed in the 60s and early 70s. Even the Rangers/Flyers rivalry has cooled to a degree. Washington was built over many many years of postseason matchups (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015) but while the Caps core of players remains similar, the Rangers have a new group. Same thing goes for the Penguins (2014, 2015, 2016).

Boston just doesn't have anything with the Rangers at this point. Outside of nostalgia and the NY/BOS narrative fueled by other sports, there really isn't a thing about the Bruins that makes me think rival.

 

[Machinehead]

1 playoffs series in the last 38 years isn't going to keep a rivalry going.

Meanwhile, I watched the Rangers and Capitals play THIRTY ASS THREE playoff games against each other from ages 17-23. That's half a season almost. That'll do it.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

No.

#1 and #2 are Isles and Devils (Order varies depending on who you ask, for me easily #1 is Isles).

#3 changes from time to time between Caps and Pens.

 

[Dust]

This, people keep wanting to make all Boston/NY matchups into Sox/Yankees and it just isnt gonna happen

Bruins fans couldnt care less about the Rangers
Celtics fans dont give a s**t about the Knicks

The only other matchup that has any sense of a rivalry is Patriots/Jets, and even then its far more on the Jets side than the Patriots side

It helps when the Knicks haven't been relevant in over 20 years.

 

[ElLeetch]

The 2nd and 3rd fiddle Devils and Islanders means little attention is left for Boston. Also doesn't help they are in different divisions now.

 

[LEAFSANDBILLSFAN]

the Rangers have more rivarlies that any team in the league it feels like. Boston is one of them but they are down on the list.

Didn't want to go this way, but seriously?

Cough cough Leafs cough

 

[danpantz]

Didn't want to go this way, but seriously?

Cough cough Leafs cough

Uh what? You don't have to bring the leafs into every single thing lol.

The guy is saying that Boston isn't near the top of rivals of the New York Rangers, I'd bet the Leafs are even lower on that list. Not sure why you had to try and shoe horn them into this discussion.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Didn't want to go this way, but seriously?

Cough cough Leafs cough

What rivalries do the leafs have besides Montreal and Ottawa? I guess maybe Boston as well because of the playoff series the last decade

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Not being in the same division and the current playoff format kills any rivalry between the Bruins and us.

 

[Hockey Gamer]

I feel like rivalries involving the Rangers have declined across the board really. Maybe rivalry hockey isn't as dramatic as it used to be. Even when the Rangers play the Islanders or Devils, it sometimes just feels like another game. Perhaps the decline in physical play over the years is a factor.

 

[clmetsfan]

I feel like rivalries involving the Rangers have declined across the board really. Maybe rivalry hockey isn't as dramatic as it used to be. Even when the Rangers play the Islanders or Devils, it sometimes just feels like another game. Perhaps the decline in physical play over the years is a factor.

A big part is that since the Devils beat the Rangers in the conference finals in 2012, the teams never seem to be good at the same time. There have been no more playoff series between them, and even when more than one has made the playoffs, at least one of them has just been 1st round fodder.

When you look at who made the playoffs between the three in the years since, it becomes pretty clear:

2013 - Rangers & Islanders, Rangers make 2nd round, Islanders lose in 1st round
2014 - Rangers only, lose in SCF
2015 - Rangers & Islanders, Rangers lose in ECF, Islanders lose in 1st round
2016 - Rangers & Islanders, Rangers lose in 1st round, Islanders lose in 2nd round
2017 - Rangers only, lose in 2nd round
2018 - Devils only, lose in 1st round
2019 - Islanders only, lose in 2nd round
2020 - Rangers & Islanders, Rangers lose in qualifying round, Islanders lose in ECF
2021 - Islanders only, lose in ECF
2022 - Rangers only (if standings hold)

 

[Section 104]

Bruins vs Rangers and Knicks vs Celtics were the big rivalries in the early 1970s (from a New York perspective). Yankees vs Red Sox. came around in mid 1970s. Not being in the same division for a half cent hurt the rivalry and would need that, or several playoff series in a short period, to resume.

 

[Zenos]

What rivalries do the leafs have besides Montreal and Ottawa? I guess maybe Boston as well because of the playoff series the last decade

Detroit and Buffalo were rivals at one time - but both seem pretty dead / dormant at the moment.

And the Leafs have a huge following in western Canada, so games in Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver usually feel bigger than your average regular season tilt, but I'd hardly consider any of those teams really rivals.

 

[Bernie Federko]

I'm sorry, but your name, pic, title, and location are all perfect. Just saw this episode again last night.

Mr. Williams here doesn't play golf.

 

[HFBS]

When I first started watching hockey the Bruins were the Rangers #1 rival. When the Flyers became dirtier than the Bruins that changed

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Bruins beat the Rangers in the playoffs in 2014 and it didn't ignite the rivalry. Last year, there was some heat between the two teams in the games they played but overall it just doesn't have the pull you would think a Boston team vs a New York team would draw.

2013. And that's probably because it was a listless one sided series.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

Hard to hate the Rangers as a Bruins fan when they have a guy like Panarin. He is a great player and speaks the truth about his homeland
.

 

[Thordic]

The Devils, Islanders and Capitals are their primary rivals. Capitals and Rangers developed a solid rivalry because they were meeting in the playoffs every year, the Tom Wilson incident only further ignited it.

I would love to see a Rangers and Bruins rivalry though.

Rangers / Caps games used to always be pretty rough back in the Patrick/ Atlantic division days. The Southeast cooled things off but good to see it picking back up.