mrhockey193195
Registered User
Yes, a common & bittersweet refrain amongst both Red Wings & Colorado fans. Have had this discussion with many of them on other Boards here at hf.... as a Rangers fan, who would you mark as being New York's greatest foe or rival? New Jersey perhaps due to their successes, the sort of Ugly Duckling, or maybe Philly?
I'm a youngling, plus my brother is a Devils fan...so I think you can guess the answer. Didn't help that a big part of the Rangers' dark ages from 98-04 was a 23-game winless streak against the Devils. And the Devils made the finals three times in four years during that stretch, with two cups. That left a lasting hatred of the team across the river.
Objectively, I'd say the answer has to be the Islanders, if we're considering the expansion era only. But for each individual fan, I'd say it would be whatever team was best and tormented the Rangers the most when that fan first started getting into hockey. I'd guess that the vast majority of Rangers fans over thirty would say the Islanders. Guys like me between twenty and thirty would probably say the Devils. And more recent fans would say the Pens. Sprinkle in some Flyers hatred here and there.
For what it's worth, very few fans say the Bruins, even though you can argue that over the entire history of the Rangers organization, the Bruins have had more battles with the Blueshirts than anyone else.