"Career" Rangers

[TheMorningSkate]

What's up guys-- Was thinking about players that have spent their entire career in one sweater. Other than Hank, can you guys see any other Rangers spend the entirety of their career with the Blueshirts?

Also-- Is this a new thing? I feel like in the past it was WAY more likely to see a player spend their career with one team. Is this more of a super star thing? I don't see Crosby ever switching teams, Malkin probably too. McDavid seems to be locked up for a long time. When is the last time a player like a Jesper Fast spent their entire career in one uniform?

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[Irishguy42]

Aside from Hank, I don't feel 100% confident about anyone else being a career Blueshirt.

 

[Thirty One]

When is the last time a player like a Jesper Fast spent their entire career in one uniform?

I've thought about this for two minutes now, and the closest I can think of is Sergei Brylin playing 13 seasons with the Devils.

 

[Thordic]

I've thought about this for two minutes now, and the closest I can think of is Sergei Brylin playing 13 seasons with the Devils.

Good one.

Chris Neil was my first thought.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

P. J. Axelsson? Not really an elite player but only played for the Bruins.

 

[Roo Returns]

Greschner, Tzachuk, and Erixon are the three that come to mind when I think of the Rangers from the 70s-early 90s.

Jan Erixon probably would be closest to a role player like Fast. He played as a shutdown checker in the 80s and retired one year before the Cup win because his back just went out.

Tzachuk could have gone a few more years but had a career ending eye injury the second half of the 1981 season.

Gresch got an offer to play with Pittsburgh by his old GM Craig Patrick after 1990 but declined.

Richter also played his entire career with the Rangers but technically was Nashville and Edmonton property back in the days when if a team lost more upcoming UFAs than sign UFAs. they'd get comp picks. So the Rangers would trade him and Messier and also Fleury to teams and get comp picks, one of which was Callahan. Zubov also was one of these comp picks in 1990 for Guy LaFleur.

 

[sbjnyc]

What's up guys-- Was thinking about players that have spent their entire career in one sweater. Other than Hank, can you guys see any other Rangers spend the entirety of their career with the Blueshirts?

I don't see the rangers trading McD.

 

[Player big P]

Zuccarello in another jersey would break my heart

 

[dstoffa]

I don't see the rangers trading McD.

It doesn't mean there will come a time when the Rangers do not tender him a contract, and he accepts one from another club for one last season.... That would take him out of the "Career Ranger" club, but by some, he may not be in it because he was Montreal property at one time...

 

[dstoffa]

Zuccarello in another jersey would break my heart

But didn't he already play elsewhere? (Different league / lockout and all, I know - but then he isn't a career Ranger.... right?)

 

[sbjnyc]

It doesn't mean there will come a time when the Rangers do not tender him a contract, and he accepts one from another club for one last season.... That would take him out of the "Career Ranger" club, but by some, he may not be in it because he was Montreal property at one time...

True he wasn't drafted by the rangers but he went straight from the badgers to the pack. The rangers won't let him go for free - he either gets traded or he gets signed. I think this year we'll see how good he is without Girardi and hopefully an extension gets worked out the following year.

 

[sbjnyc]

But didn't he already play elsewhere? (Different league / lockout and all, I know - but then he isn't a career Ranger.... right?)

A lot of players played in the KHL during the lockout, McD included. I really don't think that should count.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Richter was a career Ranger (I know he was traded but that wasn't real). I think the cap makes it hard for guys to stay their whole career in one city. I would like McD and Zooks to retire as Rangers. I think Hank will probably as well.

 

[Kovalev27]

Richter was the guy that came to my mind despite the paper trade.

Mcdonagh will have a shot. That kid will get another contract from us guys like him can skate forever.

 

[sbjnyc]

According to this site, 14 players played their entire NHL career with the rangers.

Neil Colville
Bill Cook
Jan Erixon
Rod Gilbert
Ron Greschner
Ott Heller
Bryan Hextall
Edgar Laprade
Murray Murdoch
Lynn Patrick
Don Raleigh
Mike Richter
Walt Tkaczuk
Steve Vickers

Edit: Minimum 10 seasons

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

But didn't he already play elsewhere? (Different league / lockout and all, I know - but then he isn't a career Ranger.... right?)

Lundqvist played for Frolunda before being drafted. If we are going by that logic, nobody has played for one team

 

[dstoffa]

Lundqvist played for Frolunda before being drafted. If we are going by that logic, nobody has played for one team

So then what is the criteria? No other NHL team? No other professional team after signing your entry-level deal? except for lockouts?

Personally I'd consider a player a career Ranger if he never wears another NHL team's sweater unless there was a lockout or strike.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

So then what is the criteria? No other NHL team? No other professional team after signing your entry-level deal? except for lockouts?

Personally I'd consider a player a career Ranger if he never wears another NHL team's sweater unless there was a lockout or strike.

You can't play for another NHL team when there is a lockout

 

[NickyFotiu]

You can't play for another NHL team when there is a lockout

LOL at first I thought good call but then I saw he only said wear another NHL teams sweater.

 

[Edge]

Lundqvist is the highest probability.

Outside of him, I'm not confident giving favorable odds to anyone else.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Lundqvist is the highest probability.

Outside of him, I'm not confident giving favorable odds to anyone else.

Staal is not unlikely. If he retires after being bought out

 

[dstoffa]

You can't play for another NHL team when there is a lockout

LOL at first I thought good call but then I saw he only said wear another NHL teams sweater.

I overthunk it. I was debating in my head if another team's minor league affiliate would disqualify the "Career" Status (and I say no DQ if he is traded before making the big club), so I put in "NHL" w/o taking the step back to see how it impacts lockout play...

 

[NickyFotiu]

I overthunk it. I was debating in my head if another team's minor league affiliate would disqualify the "Career" Status (and I say no DQ if he is traded before making the big club), so I put in "NHL" w/o taking the step back to see how it impacts lockout play...

Don't walk it back. You had it in the clear if a guy just wore a new jersey (didnt play) in a lockout!

 

[Machinehead]

This will be Marc Staal's 10th season, and he may finish here if we can't do anything with that contract, especially since he may consider early retirement due to his vision.

 

[eco's bones]

Start with Bill Cook (HOF) and Murray Murdoch who were original Rangers.

Other career Rangers of significance:

Ott Heller, Lynn Patrick (HOF), Alex Shibicky, Mac Colville, Neil Colville (HOF), Bryan Hextall (HOF), Muzz Patrick, Alf Pike, Don Raleigh, Edgar Laprade (HOF), Rod Gilbert (HOF), Walt Tkaczuk, Ron Greschner, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson if you don't include their WHA team, Jan Erixon, Mike Richter.

Henrik Lundqvist will probably be another--though you would have thought Brian Leetch would have been too but that didn't happen. Kreider? Zuccarello? McDonagh? Staal? Miller?

Dale Purinton was a career Ranger too.