Fred Thurier

Fred Thurier, who was born in Granby Quebec on January 11, 1916, played with the American Hockey League's Springfield Indians from 1937 through 1942, with brief appearances (30 games total) with the NHL's New York Americans.

Thurier's best season in the Indians came in 1939-40 when he scored 28 goals and 60 points. Thurier led the AHL in goals with 29 in 1940-41 despite playing just 41 games. He also saw his first action in the NHL, scoring 2 goals and 3 points in 3 games. Thurier then split the 1941-42 season between the AHL and NHL, scoring 20 goals and 44 points in just 22 AHL games, and chipping in 7 goals and 14 points in 27 games with the NY Americans.

Thurier then spent most of the next two years serving military time based in Montreal, where he also played with in the local senior league circuit. Thurier did not exactly want to be involved in the war effort, however. On November 13th, 1942, the RCMP arrested Thurier for failing to report to military training.

For the 1944-45 season, the New York Rangers acquired Thurier's playing rights. Thurier was relieved of his military commitments earlier than many NHLers, and his reward was his only full NHL season. He scored 16 goals and 35 points in 50 games. However by the following season the NHL was once again stocked by its returning war heroes, and Thurier lost his NHL job.

Thurier spent the next 7 seasons playing with the AHL's Cleveland Barons before retiring in 1952. The small but slick center enjoyed his finest season in 1950-51 when he scored 32 goals and 95 points in 64 games while adding another 12 in 10 playoff games.

He later served as a long time AHL referee, while also owning a meat packing company in Ohio.

A heartwarming moment happened in 1996. Thurier was inducted into the Springfield Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996. It was his first time back in Springfield since 1942 when he left the city to play with the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL. He looked up a sweetheart of his and was surprised to find her still in the area. Since they were both widowed, they rekindled their romance and were married soon after.

Thurier, who is also a member of the Cleveland Hockey Hall of Fame, scored 25 goals and 52 points in 80 NHL games.

The Springfield Union-News featured an obituary for Fred Thurier. He passed away on November 20, 1999 in Florida. He was 82.

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Vic Howe

If there is anybody who could understand what it was like to be Brent or Keith Gretzky, it was Vic Howe.

Vic, the younger and smaller brother of the legendary Gordie Howe, could appreciate the unfair pressure placed upon Wayne Gretzky's siblings. Coming from the same family everyone expects you to be similar to the most successful brother, and if you faltered early you were considered to be a big bust.

"Being Gordie's brother was great," admitted Vic. "But trying to play like him, well, that was another story! At times there was a great deal of pressure on me. I know I put a lot of pressure on myself."

"There was never any doubt in my mind that Gordie was a better player than me. But it just seemed that every time I turned around, somebody was always comparing the two of us. It was just something I had to live with."

Vic recalled a specific incident back in Saskatoon with the WHL that he would relive in his career several times.

"I had a breakaway and I went in on goal but had some trouble putting the puck past the goalie." said Vic, who like Gordie played right wing. "I missed the shot. I got back over to the bench and sat down and our coach, Doug Bentley, stepped behind me and said 'Gordie wouldn't have missed that shot.' So it didn't matter what I did. It would never be good enough."

Vic Howe never seriously pursued a hockey career until his brother turned pro. Ironically, he likely never would have been given a shot at the NHL if he wasn't the brother of Gordie Howe.

Vic played parts of 3 seasons with the New York Rangers - 33 games in total - and scoring 3 goals and 7 points. His biggest highlight was getting a chance to play against Detroit and his brother.

"I can remember playing against Gordie a couple of times. I even recall lining up against him and then having to go into the corner against him for a puck. He took it easy on me and didn't give me any of the elbows he is famous for!"

When he wasn't making a rare appearance with the Rangers, Vic bounced around the minor league circuit. He played in 6 different leagues ranging from Nelson British Columbia to the British Isles - where he played with the Harringay Racers.

Vic returned to Canada and became a constable for the Canadian National Railway in Moncton, New Brunswick.

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Ivan Irwin

There was an old-time New York Ranger press agent by the name of Herb Goren. It was his job to get the Rangers in the newspapers and capture a part of the entertainment pie in Manhattan. He would often hype up players in attempts to make them household names in the Big Apple.

Goren quickly dubbed Ivan Irwin as Ivan the Terrible. However it was never quite determined whether Goren was referring to his short temper and rugged style of play, or his lack of talent!

When Irwin was on the top of his game, the tall, balding defenseman was a sensational bodychecker, and played with a meanstreak that made other coaches envious. But when he wasn't on his game, Irwin was exploited by his poor skating abilities. Faster players would take their chances on getting creamed, knowing that if they could get the extra step on the less-than-mobile Irwin they could be in home free on the Rangers net.

Irwin was originally property of the Montreal Canadiens. After playing just 4 games in Montreal, he was traded to the Rangers for Eddie Slowinski and Pete Babando. In his first minor league call up to the Rangers he replaced none-other than team captain Allan Stanley.

For the next three years he was a mainstay on the Blue Shirts blue line. He was most noted for his fistic skills, memorably fighting Lee Fogolin Sr, and, believe it or not, his own defensive partner Leapin' Louie Fontinato in practice one day. Coach Phil Watson was surprisingly quoted as being pleased by the teammate fight because they were showing passion but his like for Irwin dissipated over time. After three seasons Irwin, who also tag-teamed with the great Bill Gadsby at times, would be banished to the minor leagues, reportedly in part due to a disagreement with the coach.

The Chicago-born Irwin continued his career in the minor leagues. In the NHL he totaled 155 games, 2 goals and 29 points.

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Dave Creighton

Back in the late 1940s, it was very unusual for a teenager to make it to the National Hockey League, but that is exactly what Dave Creighton was able to do. It wasn't easy on the Port Arthur Ontario native either.

"It was tough being 18 and playing in the NHL. The average for most guys on the Bruins at the time was about 27 or 28. Because of my age I was mostly a loner. There was nobody even close to my age to chum around with. It was sort of tough when all the rest of the guys went out for beers after a game and I would go out for a milkshake," said Creighton.

Life on the ice was equally tough too.

"Going into the NHL was a whole new experience for me," he recalled. "The first NHL game I ever saw was the first NHL I ever played in!" Creighton played in 12 games that first year, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists. He also saw action in 3 post season games.

1949-50 was his first full season, and it was a decent one, scoring 18 goals and 31 assists in 64 games.

Creighton found it tough: "You weren't given any special treatment either. If I made a mistake, I might end up sitting on the end of the bench for the rest of the game, or for a couple of games. And sometimes with no explanation. Nothing!."

Creighton survived his early introduction to live in the National Hockey League however. He would become a constant 20 goals threat and played in 5 straight all star games from 1952 through 1956. He also became a well traveled NHLer as well, playing with the Bruins, Leafs, Hawks and Rangers back in the 6 team league. For brief moments Creighton was property of the other two teams as well, the Red Wings and Canadiens, but never played for them.

By the time Dave made his second go-around with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1958-59, Dave was nearing the end of his NHL career. He was farmed out to the the minor leagues where he played with several AHL teams. He was a standout in the "A" throughout the 1960s, even winning the MVP award in 1968.

Dave hung up the blades in the summer of 1969. Though Dave was never paid nearly as much money as today's NHLers make, he was smart with the little he did have. He invested it in apartment complexes while still playing with the Rangers. Eventually he had enough money to begin investing in something closer to his heart - golf. He invested in several golf courses and lived in Florida in his later years attending to his greens.

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Laurie Scott

Hockey players, regardless of era, tend to be a superstitious lot. There are some great stories out there, but I suspect the story of Laurie Scott's superstitious ways has probably taken on mythic proportions over the years.

Scott, born in 1900, played 62 NHL games over two season. In 1926-27 he skated in 39 games with the New York Americans, scoring 6 goals and 2 assists. The following year he was on the move, though not very far. He joined the New York Rangers. But after 23 games, a single assist, and a broken nose, Scott was demoted to the minor leagues, never to return. The Rangers went on to win the Stanley Cup later that season. Scott did not get his name on the Stanley Cup. Scott continued to play pro puck until 1935, playing with minor league teams in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and St. Louis.

Described as a clever goal scorer, Scott was said to be a very superstitious sort. He had to be the last player on the ice when leaving the dressing room. He also insisted on having all of his sticks facing upwards. No one was to mess with his stick preference, either. The story has it that when Scott entered the rink and found that someone had turned his sticks around, he angrily retired from the game right then and there!

Scott, who was also quite a baseball player, found his way to San Jose after leaving the ice. He initially started out coaching in the little known California Pro Hockey League, but settled into owning his own trailer park.

Laurie Scott died on February 15th, 1977.

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New York Rangers Greatest Players

Taffy Abel Lloyd Ailsby Andy Aitkenhead Clint Albright Mike Allison Oscar Asmundson Walt Atanas Oscar Aubuchon Dave Balon   Jim Bartlett Andy Bathgate Barry Beck   Danny Belisle Frank Boucher Hy Buller Steve Buzinski Larry Cahan Lorne Chabot Bruce Cline  Bill Cook Bun Cook Mac Colville Neil Colville Art Coulter Cecil Dillon Ron Duguay Frank Eddolls Phil Esposito Nick Fotiu Bob Froese Robbie Ftorek Red Garrett Mike Gartner Eddie Giacomin Rod Gilbert Phil Goyette Gilles Gratton   Adam Graves Ron Greschner Wayne Gretzky Vic Hadfield Pat Hannigan  Andy Hebenton Ott Heller Camille "The Eel" Henry Bryan Hextall   Dutch Hiller Greg Holst Harry Howell Early Ingarfield Ted Irvine Jaromir Jagr Ching Johnson

Dave Kerr Eddie Kullman Tom Laidlaw Edgar Laprade Brian Leetch Tony Leswick Dave Maloney Don Maloney Don Marshall Larry Melnyk Mark Messier   Joe Miller Billy Moe Don Murdoch Murray Murdoch Jim "Chief" Neilson Bob Nevin Bernie Nicholls Brian Noonan Brad Park James Patrick Lester Patrick Lynn Patrick Muzz Patrick Alf Pike Walt Poddubny Babe Pratt   Leo Quenneville Bones Raleigh Jean Ratelle   Mike Richter John Ross Roach Mike Rogers Reijo Ruotsalainen   Simo Saarinen Earl Seibert Alex Shibicky Irv Spencer Clint Smith Pete Stemkowski Walt Tkaczuk   Zellio Toppazzini Phil Watson Gump Worsley Sergei Zubov

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Bruce Cline

Bruce Cline spent many years starring in the minor leagues, most notably with the Springfield Indians, Hershey Bears, and Providence Reds. He scored 773 points in the AHL, won four Calder Cup championships and the 1956 AHL Rookie of the Year.

The right winger was described as "ferocious and fearless," he never really caught on in the National Hockey League. He was most likely discriminated against because of his size. He was just 5'7" and 135lbs.

The New York Rangers did give the Quebec born mighty mite a half-season look in 1956-57. He appeared in 30 games that season, often playing on a line with Larry Popein and Dean Prentice. He would only score 2 goals and 5 points in his time in the bigs. He was soon returned to the AHL where he played until 1968.

After hockey Bruce and his wife Elyse returned to Quebec and had many jobs, including restaurant owner, hockey stick salesman, real estate agent and owner of two clothing stores.

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Greg Holst

Though his NHL career consisted of only 11 games, Greg Holst had a long and rewarding hockey career, most notably in Austria.

Born in Montreal, Greg started out by playing for University of New Brunswick where he collected 28 goals and 46 points in 37 games between 1971-73 and was a second team All-Star in 1973. Greg then won a spot on the Kingston Canadians (QMJHL) team and immediately became a vital part of that squad, leading the way with an 80 point performance.

Still, NHL scouts basically ignored him because he was a relatively small player at 5'10" and 170 lbs. The New York Rangers finally took a chance on him when they selected the little center 139th overall in 1974.

Apprenticing in the minor leagues, Greg had a successful first professional season in the rough Southern Hockey League (SHL). He chipped in with 70 points in 62 games for Winston-Salem Polar Bears and didn't back down from anyone, collecting a necessary 112 penalty minutes to survive.

Greg was invited to NY Rangers training camp before the start of the 1975-76 season and did very well, but was sent to Providence (AHL). In Providence he got a flying start and eventually captured the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as AHL's top rookie. In 69 games Greg scored 81 points, including 37 goals and 44 assists. In fact he played so well that he was called up to NY Rangers for two games.

The following two seasons Greg was still playing in the minors and couldn't crack the NY Rangers lineup. He played 5 games for New York in 1976-77 and 4 games in 1977-78. At this point he realized that he would probably be stuck in the minors for the rest of his career. That's when he started to look at other options.

When the Austrian club IEV Innsbruck offered Greg a lucrative contract in 1978, he thought to himself that it was worth a shot. Little did he know at that time that Austria would become his home.

Greg was an instant hit in Austria, and he would dominate the Austrian league for 15 years. In 533 regular season games he scored an impressive 921 points (462 goals and 459 assists). He also became an Austrian citizen and represented Austria in the Pool B World Championships on four occasions, winning the scoring title in 1983. He scored a total of 15 goals and 30 points in 28 WC games. In total he represented Austria on 53 occasions.

Greg's Austrian clubs included IEV Innsbruck (10 seasons), WEV Wien (1), HC Salzburg (1),VSV Villach (1), Gösser EV (1) and EC Graz (1). Greg eventually retired at the age of 39 in 1993, immediately turned to coaching in Austria.

In 1997-98 Greg became the coach for the Austrian U-20 and U-18 teams (juniors).He also became the assistant coach for the Austrian senior national team in 2000-2001.

Although his NHL career was very brief and hardly memorable, he made it up by having a long and rewarding European career. Somehow I suspect Greg Holst would not change a thing.

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Earl Ingarfield

Throughout the 1960's, the highlights for the New York Rangers and their fans were few and far between. However one player who everyone appreciated was Earl Ingarfield.

Earl was definitely not considered to be a star hockey player by most standards, but rather a spirited and determined journeyman who did his job very well although virtually unnoticed. Only three times did the underrated Earl score more than 20 goals, yet he was known for his graceful skating and a booming shot.

After completing junior hockey for his hometown Lethbridge Native Sons, Earl turned pro in 1954, playing just two games for Vancouver of the WHL. However he soon put together 3 successful years under his belt and earned a trial with the New York Rangers in 1958. For the first two years in NY he saw little ice time, but by 1960 the soft spoken Earl made the team permanently, notching 13 goals in 66 games.

The following season, he enjoyed his best season as a pro, scoring 26 goals, 31 assists and 57 points while playing a full 70 game schedule.

Earl often played center with Andy Bathgate on the right side and Dean Prentice on the left. The 1962 playoffs against Toronto really defined Earl's career. With Earl in the lineup the Rangers were on the verge of upsetting the heavily favored Leafs. However Earl got knocked out of the series with a serious injury. The result was disastrous for the Rangers, who ended up losing the series. New York newspapers quickly immortalized Earl by criticizing the Rangers play minus Earl.

Earl remained on Broadway until the beginning of 1967-68. The Pittsburgh Penguins took the veteran forward in the first ever expansion draft. Earl played a year and a half in "Steeltown" before a trade to the west coast. Earl eventually finished his career in usual anonymity in Oakland, but did in 54 games have a 21 goal, 45 point year in 1969. He retired in 1971.

Earl's son Earl Jr also enjoyed a professional hockey career, but was nowhere near as successful. He scored 4 goals and 4 assists in 39 career NHL games.

Earl Ingarfield stayed involved with the game and went on to coach the Regina Pats (WCJHL) and later became a scout for NY Islanders as well as the director of player personnel.

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Pat Hannigan

This is Pat Hannigan as pictured on the 1961-62 Topps hockey card #58.

On the back the hockey card czars describe Hannigan as a "chunky right wing" who was "buzz-saw in the corners, not afraid to mix it with the big guys. Pat has the moxie and the good shot to worry opposition."

Hannigan was from Timmins, Ontario. Brothers Gordie and Ray played in the NHL, too. All took turns with the nickname Hopalong Hannigan, although it was Gordie who was best known by that moniker.

Hannigan was a proud star of the St. Michaels Majors junior team. Conn Smythe very much wanted to sign Hannigan for his Toronto Maple Leafs. He eventually got Hannigan's signature on the dotted line, although he did it rather unconventionally.

The story goes like this: Hannigan was refusing to sign with the Leafs so Smythe flew Pat's father down from Timmins to persuade him. Smythe told Mr. Hannigan that his "idiot son" should sign with the Leafs. Well, as hard as it may be to believe, that did not go over very well. The senior Hannigan stood up and angrily stated "I didn't raise any idiot sons" and left!

Pat eventually did sign with the Maple leafs, making his debut just before Christmas 1959. That would be his only game he would ever play for Toronto. The Leafs traded him and Johnny Wilson to the Rangers for Eddie Shack the next year.

Hannigan, utilized as a checking winger, did play the better parts of 1961 and 1962 with the Rangers but ultimately he was destined for many more years in the minor leagues. He played in Baltimore, Portland and Buffalo before the NHL expanded to 12 teams in 1967.

"It was a lot of fun, even in the minors. Though travelling by bus was hard. Hockey was very competitive then and with only six teams, it was hard to get up to the NHL and harder to stick. I made the first all- star team when I played in the Western League and the first all-star team when I played in the American League but that didn't seem to help me stick in the NHL."

Hanning was taken by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1967 expansion draft.His greatest thrill came when he was with the Flyers.

"My dad and mom came down and it was the first time they had ever seen me play in the NHL. I guess I got lucky because I scored two goals against Chicago and set up the winner and was picked the first star of the game."

Hannigan played in 72 games with the Flyers over 2 seasons before returning to bounce around the minor leagues until 1971. In 182 career NHL games Hannigan scored 30 goals and 69 points.

Long after he left the ice Pat found work for a beer distributor in Buffalo. But he always remained close to hockey. For a time he also served as a color commentator on Buffalo Sabres telecasts.

Hannigan later moved to be Fort Erie, Ontario where initially he started his own company which sold telephone systems, eventually selling it to a larger competitor. He later found the most rewarding work of his life when he worked at a safehouse for refugees to Canada.

Pat Hannigan died of a rare intestinal infection on December 11th, 2007. He was 71 years old.

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Leo Quenneville

Not a whole lot is known about Leo Quenneville. But to answer your immediate question - no, he was not related to NHL player/coach Joel Quenneville.

Leo Quenneville was born wasy back on June 15th, 1900 in St. Anicet, Quebec. He played most of his hockey in Quebec, although he did get a 25 game tryout with the New York Rangers in the 1929-30 season. He was used sparingly, and picked up just 3 assists. He was a noted goal scorer in the minor and senior leagues.

Leo Quenneville died on April 9th, 1986.

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Eddie Kullman

Eddie Kullman, an aggressive right winger out of Winnipeg, was a defensive forward extraordinaire with the New York Rangers from 1947 through 1954, excluding the 1949-50 season when he was sent to the minor leagues.

Teammate Glen Somnor described Eddie as "the most diligent checking forard I've ever played with. Kullman never would think about scoring; just trail his check wherever the guy went."

Two of Kullman's primary targets were larger than life legends Maurice Richard and Gordie Howe. Kullman would inferiorate his opponents with his aggressive shadowing. Somehow he would eventually master the art of grabbing his target hard enough to stop him while hiding out of the sight of the referee!

Of course frustrating the league's top players can be a dangerous job, especially when you are ticking off two of the shortest-tempered players of all time in Richard and Howe. Once Richard turned around and clubbed Kullman over his bare head with his stick, poleaxe style. The resilient Kullman was taken off the ice but returned, wearing a helmet!

Howe once sucker punched Eddie behind the play. Howe kayoed Kullman with all his might!

Not surprisingly, Kullman's professional hockey career was relatively short. When the Rangers discarded him at the end of the 1954 season, he headed back to western Canada where he split a season between Saskatoon and Vancouver before hanging up the skates for good.

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Robbie Ftorek

Although he was too small to make a major impact at the National Hockey League level, Robbie Ftorek is a legend in Massachusetts where he starred in high school hockey. He is also a legend of the biggest major league outside of the NHL in the World Hockey Association.

Although stats are hard to come by, stories of Robbie's days at Needham High School are plentiful. One such story recently was remembered in the Boston Globe newspaper article:

They packed the place. A winter night in 1970. Ridge Arena in Braintree. People stuffed in every corner, filling the balcony.

They came to see Robbie Ftorek play hockey.

It was the 16th game of a perfect season for Needham High School, the defending state champions. Walpole, led by defenseman Mike Milbury, was the opponent. Walpole was the only team to beat Needham the previous season and the rink was rocking.

With about a minute and a half left in the game, Walpole scored to take a 3-1 lead. The Rebel bench exploded, players jumping onto the ice to celebrate, throwing their gloves into the air and into the stands.


In the minutes it took to restore order, Ftorek skated back to the goal to talk to his dejected sophomore goalie Cap Raeder.

''How many you want?'' he said.

''Huh?'' said Raeder.

''How many do you want?'' Ftorek repeated, jabbing his finger into Raeder's chest.

''Just get enough to win.''

In 52 seconds, Ftorek and his mates scored four goals, the last into an empty net, to pull off a miraculous victory. They went on to repeat as state champions and post an undefeated season.

''It was like magic,'' said Raeder, now a scout for the San Jose Sharks.

Magical is a good word to describe the highly skilled Ftorek. With his hockey stick as his wand, Ftorek carved out a reputation as an electrifying skater, a wonderful puck carrier, and an absolute wizard of a playmaker. He could also almost score at will, although he loved to set up a teammate for a picture-perfect goal even more so.

Ftorek went on to play hockey at higher levels once he graduated from high school. He spent a year playing Canadian junior hockey in Halifax, he joining the US national team. With the Nats Ftorek competed in the World Championships where he was an All Star scoring 7 goals and 10 points in 6 games. More importantly, Ftorek also got a chance to play with the 1972 US Olympic team. He chipped in 2 assists in 6 games, helping the Americans win a silver medal in Sapporo, Japan.

After the Olympics, he signed with the Detroit organization and played for Virginia of the AHL. He played two strong seasons with the Va. Wings, averaging a point a game. He also got a couple of brief callups to the NHL. He played in 15 NHL games over those two seasons, and scored 2 goals and 5 assists.

He jumped to the Phoenix Roadrunners of the fledgling World Hockey Association in 1974. It was a great career move for Ftorek. He had no idea just how much success he'd achieve with the upstart league, but he got a big pay raise from his minor league salary and got to play with some much more talented players.

Robbie achieved some dizzying numbers in the WHA. In total he scored 216 goals and 307 assists for 523 points in just 373 games. He spent the first three years in the WHA with the Roadrunners, scoring 68, 113 and a career-high 117 points respectively. The Roadrunners folded in 1976 and Ftorek move on to Cincinnati where he continued to light up the scoreboard. In 1977-78 he scored a career high 59 goals along with 50 assists for 109 points. He followed that up with his best season in the WHA. He scored 116 points, just one shy of his personal best, but more importantly was named the league MVP.

In 1979, the NHL absorbed the WHA, and Ftorek became a Quebec Nordique. He played two years in Quebec City, serving as team captain. However he never was able to come close to his dominating self in the NHL. He had one good NHL season, his second with the Nords when he scored 24 goals and 73 points, but otherwise was shutdown. He had some injury problems and was getting on in age by the time he finally stuck in the NHL, but it just goes to show you the difference in quality between the two leagues.

Robbie finished his playing career as a part time player with the New York Rangers, occasionally seeing time in the minor leagues. He finished his career with 77 goals, 150 assists and 227 points in 334 NHL games.

A great student of the game, Ftorek was a popular television commentator in his post-playing days. However he was better known as a coach in the minors and the NHL. He was the coach in Los Angeles when Wayne Gretzky first arrived. He later went on to coach the New Jersey Devils and, his career coming full circle, the Boston Bruins.

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Joe Miller

Who is Joe Miller? That's how many of these biographies start out. At first glance he was an old time goalie with some pretty bad teams. But a closer look suggests Miller was actually a pretty good netminder!

Born in Morrisburg Ontario, Miller play senior hockey in Ottawa for many years before turning pro in 1924. He then played 3 seasons in the minors before signing as a free agent with the New York Americans in 1927.

Miller, like many of his teammates in New York, emerged from his first season in the NHL as a bit of a joke. Despite playing really solid in net, he had little support from his team. He appeared in 28 games and won only 8, while losing 16 and tying 4. But he also earned an impressive 5 shutouts. Though it was hardly Miller's fault, he sported the 9th worst GAA in a 10 team league and the unforgiving NY media and fans dubbed him "Red Light Miller." Soon enough he was kidded around the entire league!

But Joe would get the last laugh. Later in the same season, long after the NY Americans were eliminated from Stanley Cup competition, Miller was called upon once again, this time by a New York team that didn't even employ him!

You see, during the 1928 Stanley Cup finals between the Montreal Maroons and New York Rangers, regular Ranger keeper Lorne Chabot was seriously injured in the second game of the series. In one of the greatest moments in the long storied history of the great game of hockey, Ranger's 44 year old coach Lester Patrick replaced Chabot for game 3, as no replacement could be found in time for the game. Patrick went on to backstop the Rangers to a victory. Patrick however was unwilling to step back into nets for the rest of the series, so he asked Joe Miller if he would fill in as an emergency replacement. Joe agreed and Maroons approved.

Miller was very solid in the remainder of the series. He lost his first game as a Ranger 2-0 despite playing very well. The Rangers however went on to win the next two games and Miller surrendered only 1 goal in backstopping the Rangers - his cross-town rivals all year long - to their first Stanley Cup.

"Joe Miller, the substitute goalie, was the hero" stated Toronto Star columnist Lou Marsh at the conclusion of the series. Marsh may have been the only one to notice though. Most of the attention went to Patrick for his legendary stunt. Miller was quickly forgotten about.

Despite his heroics, the Americans traded Miller to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Roy Worters. The Pirates were an awful team that not even "Shrimp" Worters could save. But Miller tried his best in two seasons.

His first season, 1928-29, Miller had a spectacular season that is all but forgotten about now. His personal win-loss record was awful as was to be expected - just 9 wins in 44 contests. Yet somehow, he managed to post 11 shutouts! Obviously there was a couple of scoreless ties in there somewhere. That is amazing! It is also probably the only time a starting goalie has posted more shutouts than he did wins!

Miller couldn't hold the fort in 1929-30. He got just 5 wins in 43 appearances. He had no shutouts this time around. In fact he gave up more than double the amount of goals against. The Red Light jokes were back.

The Pirates became the Philadelphia Quakers in 1930-31. Miller only got into 12 games that season, winning 2 of them while surrendering 47 goals against. That was the last year that Miller appeared in the National Hockey League.

Miller played one more year of minor league hockey before hanging up his goalie pads in 1932.

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Simo Saarinen

Simo Saarinen may have only played 8 NHL games in his career, but he is an interesting story nonetheless.

Saarinen was a late round 1982 draft pick of the New York Rangers. Their scouting staff thought they had a steel as the undersized defenseman from Helsinki flew under the radar of most NHL scouts. The Rangers brought Saarinen overseas at the age of 20 after the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics.

Saarinen, who's name apparently translates to "islander" in English, a bad omen for a Rangers prospect, started off strong, earning a roster spot on Broadway right out of training camp. He would play in eight games before disaster struck.

While retrieving a loose puck in a game against Los Angeles, Saarinen lost his footing and crashed into the net. These were the days before the break-away nets with the Marsh Pegs that made the game safe for players. The nets were very much unmovable, a scary thought for any wayward player.

Saarinen's worst nightmare became reality at this moment. He terribly damaged his left knee, missing the rest of the season after surgery. He attempted a comeback the following year, but he was able to play in just 13 minor league games. His knee swelled up so badly he was forced off the ice for a second consecutive season.

Saarinen's hockey career appeared to be over before it began. He received a $175,000 disability pay-out and returned home to Finland. But he was still determined to play. After undergoing another surgery in Finland and persevering through many more weeks of rehab, he found he was able to return to the ice, rejoining his old team HIFK Helsinki.

By doing so Saarinen made the tough decision to return the $175,000 disability payment, but he would not regret it. He would play with his home club until 1996, earning legendary status and the retirement of his number 7. He was also able to take part in two more Olympics (1988 and 1992) and in two world championships.

Saarinen began a new career as a referee, although he disappeared from the public limelight after being arrested for driving under the influence.

Special thanks to Risto Pakarinen

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Jim Bartlett

I want you to think back to when Rocket Richard was infamously suspended for the balance of the 1954-55 season and playoffs. Upon his incarceration, who did the Montreal Canadiens call up from the minor leagues to take his spot on the roster?

The answer is Jim "Rocky" Bartlett, a 5'9" 165lb mighty mite from Verdun Quebec.

Bartlett's stay in Montreal was short, just two regular season contests and 2 more in the playoffs. He did not score a point, and was drafted by the New York Rangers in something called the Intra-League draft later that summer.

Although he spent most of the next three seasons in the minor leagues, the move to the Rangers organization was a good one for Bartlett. By 1958-59 he enjoyed his first of three full seasons in the NHL, two with the Rangers and a third with Boston. He scored 34 goals and 57 points in 191 career NHL games. A willing fighter, he was a fan favorite in New York along side partner in crime Eddie Shack. The pugilistic duo was dubbed "Nuts and Bolts."

By 1961 he was back in the minor leagues, playing with the Providence Reds and then the Baltimore Clippers until 1973. He was somewhat of an AHL legend, famously playing on the "B" line in Providence with Stan Baluik and Pierre Brillant. He almost lost an eye though in 1963, thanks to an errant stick. Bartlett obviously returned.

Bartlett would one day go on to work as a chauffeur for none other than New York Yankee's owner George Steinbrenner.

"I don't have any problems with him," Bartlett says. "He's a little gruff with people who work for him. He can be a little harsh with them, but with me, it's no problem. I just say it the way it is and that's it. "Sometimes he'll get in the car and he'll tell me, `I'm not in the mood for talking.' I'll say, `Well, I'm going to tell you my story anyway.' When I'm done, he wants to talk and he's asking me questions about what I told him."

Bartlett thanks his hockey career for landing him the driving job, a position he held for 20 years.

"When he found out I used to be a hockey player, that's when one thing led to another."

Bartlett became Steinbrenner's unofficial hockey tutor when his company bought into the New Jersey Devils. Bartlett had to explain the game to him.

"He'd take me up to the box with him. I had to show him everything. Why did the whistle blow when the puck went across the red line. That's a two-line pass. What about when the whistle blew when it was touched up. That's icing. When he has other people in his box, he'll say to them, `Anything you want to know about the game, just ask Jimmy."

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Oscar Asmundson

"And the Oscar for best lighting technician goes to . . . Oscar Asmundson!"

Okay, so former NHL player Oscar "Ossie" Asmundson never won an Oscar award, but there was a time where perhaps he dreamed of just such an honour. After retiring from hockey he moved to Hollywood and became a lighting technician on the sets of movies and television shows.

The 5'11" 170 forward from Red Deer, Alberta firs made a name for himself playing on Canada's west coast in Victoria and Vancouver before heading to New York to play for a little known team called the Bronx Tigers of the little known league called the Can-Am League. Asmundson's strong play in the Bronx helped him move to classier digs in Manhattan as he joined the NHL's New York Rangers in 1932-33, just in time to help the Rangers win the Stanley Cup!

A low scoring, defensive minded winger, Asmundson played one more year with the Rangers before he became a hockey vagabond. He would mostly play in the minor leagues, most notably with the Cleveland Barons, but he also saw brief NHL action with the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Eagles, New York Americans and Montreal Canadiens.

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Oscar Aubuchon

A 5'10" 175lb left winger from St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Ossie Aubuchon was a noted player with various Montreal teams in the Montreal junior leagues of the 1930s. But he would first rise to fame in Great Britain of all places.

After Britain knocked off Canada at the 1936 Olympics and won the gold medal, hockey was at an all time high in England. Many Canadian players were invited to come play in the British League. Ossie Aubuchon took up the offer and played two seasons with the Brighton, Tigers.

Aubuchon returned to North America upon the starting of World War II. He would play professionally in the minor leagues, bouncing around from Pittsburgh to Cleveland to New Haen and most notably with Providence, all of the AHL.

Oscar was bought from the Providence Reds in 1943 to fill in for the depleted Boston Bruins roster, thanks to leaves of absences on the war front. He played three games in 1942-42, scoring 3 goals even! But Oscar will be best remembered as the player who wore #15 in Milt Schmidt absence.

Sold to the Rangers early in the 43-44 season he tallied a respectable 15 goals for the Rangers in his only full NHL season.

As NHLers began returning from the War, Aubuchon found himself back in the minor leagues, bouncing around again from Buffalo to Hersey to St. Louis. He had enough by 1946, and opted to return home to Quebec where he continued playing in the local senior leagues.

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Lloyd Ailsby

When I started researching this particular player, I ashamedly admit I had never heard of him or his birthplace. I quickly became intrigued.

Lloyed Ailsby was born on May 11, 1917 in little known Lac Pelletier in Saskatchewan. He would go to a long professional career, from 1936 to 1958 as a vagabond defenseman. He played in New York (EHL) and Philly (AHL), Ottawa (QSHL) and Seattle (WHL), amongst other places, but he was best known for his all star campaigns with the St. Paul Saints of the USHL in the late 1940s.

Despite his long, long tenure on the professional scene, Ailsby only managed to appear in three NHL contests, all with the New York Rangers in 1951. It was Christmas week, and he even had to play on Christmas day. He probably did not mind too much though. After 15 years in the minors, he was happy just to be in the show.

Ailsby would unfailingly return to the minors the next week, playing and also coach parts of the next eight campaigns.

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Clint Albright

They nicknamed the studious Clint Albright "The Professor" for good reason. He loved text books as much as he loved hockey.

In his youth Albright was quite the hockey legend in his hometown of Winnipeg. He went all the way to major junior with the Winnipeg Monarchs, twice playing for the Memorial Cup and winning the famous trophy in 1946.

While he likely could have made the jump to the professionals that next season, Albright opted to stay home and enroll in classes at the University of Manitoba. He would also play for the school team and for the Winnipeg Flyers of the local senior circuit. The Flyers even challenged for the Allan Cup that year.

Albright, who wore glasses when he played, was convinced to turn professional in 1948. He played in 59 games with the New York Rangers, scoring a respectable 14 goals and 19 assists. He quietly seemed to have earned a spot in the tough days of the Original Six.

That's when Albright walked away from it all. Instead of returning to Manhattan for more big league hockey, he returned to the University of Winnipeg to finish his engineering degree. He briefly played some semi-pro hockey in St. Paul in the 1951, but otherwise he dedicated himself to his career as a mechanical engineer for Cominco. His 34 year career with the company saw him live in Trail and Kimberly, BC and Calgary Alberta.

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Mike Allison

Many players split their hockey careers between the NHL and the minor leagues. Mike Allison's NHL career was split between the NHL and the doctor's offices. A left winger who also was spotted at both right wing and center ice, Mike suffered through serious knee injuries early in his career which altered his effectiveness at the NHL level.

Mike was drafted by the New York Rangers 35th overall in 1980, coming off of an outstanding 71 assist, 95 point season with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL. The 6', 200 pounder from Fort Frances, Ontario made the immediate jump to the NHL in 1980-81 and made a promising contribution in year one, scoring 26 goals and 38 assists for 64 points. He even scored his first goal on his first shot in his first game. In his second game he scored a hat trick!

However those totals would all prove to be career highs as serious knee injuries limited his playing time and playing style for the rest of his career.

Mike remained in the Rangers organization for the next 5 years despite repeated ankle and serious knee injuries. In those 5 years he played in 48, 39, 45, 31 and 28 games respectively. Mike's promising offensive contributions were all but wiped out due to the injuries. Even when he was healthy enough to play his knees hobbled his skating style so badly that he had to reinvent his game. Instead of being a scorer like he was in his earlier days, Mike became a mucker and grinder. His anticipation skills allowed him to be very good defensively and excelled as a penalty killer.

A very proud man, Allison was also highly regarded as an excellent team man, bringing infectious enthusiasm and heart both on and off the ice. And Mike only knew how to play the game one way - full out - and he continued to play that way despite the injuries. His reckless abandon only contributed to further injuries.

Mike was traded to Toronto in exchange for Walt Poddubny on August 18, 1986. That season Mike played a full season for the first time since his promising rookie season 6 years earlier. However by this time Mike had reinvented himself as a grinder and penalty killer. Allison played in 71 games and scored 7 goals and 23 points. He also had a nice playoff for a surprising Leaf team in the spring of '86. He scored 3 goals and 8 points in 13 post season contests, all of which was gravy compared to his invaluable hustle and specialty team's play.

Mike started the 1987-88 season with the Leafs but after a slow start (0 goals in 15 games) was traded to Los Angeles in exchange for Sean McKenna on December 14, 1987. It proved to be a good Christmas gift for Allison. He was in LA for Wayne Gretzky's first year with the Kings. It was an exciting time to be a member of the Kings, with all the hoopla surrounding Gretzky. Mike actually found himself playing with Wayne at times! He even scored 16 goals and 28 points in just 37 games with the Kings. If that were calculated over a full 80 game schedule, Mike would have posted career highs in those categories.

Mike played almost 3 years in Los Angeles but never played in more than 55 games. His bad knees combined with a nagging groin injury forced him to sit out more than he wished to. He also rarely got to play with Wayne in subsequent seasons, as the Kings acquired more skilled depth, which allowed Mike to concentrate on a supporting role which he was more suited for anyways.

Allison retired scoring 102 goals and 166 assists in 499 NHL games. He added 9 goals and 17 assists for 26 points in 82 playoff contests, but never was able to sip from Lord Stanley's Cup. He was an excellent team man with lots of desire and heart. His excellent and attitude and work ethic made him a valuable asset.

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Walt Atanas

It was none other than the legendary Eddie Shore who discovered Walt "Ants" Atanas. He was a star scorer with his hometown Hamilton Whizzers in the early 1940s. After scoring a league leading 37 goals in 23 games in the OHA, Shore signed the right winger to his AHL team in Buffalo.

Atanas stepped in nicely into Buffalo, using his great speed and shot to help the Bisons win the AHL championship. With 6 goals and 13 points in 9 playoff games Atanas was now on the radar of all NHL teams, too.

It was the New York Rangers that were able to secure Atanas' release from Buffalo, via the inter-league draft. With the Rangers' roster depleted by World War II commitments, Atanas stepped in nicely in 1944-45 and score 13 goals and 21 points in 49 games.

Oddly, Walt Atanas would never play hockey in the NHL after that season again.

The Rangers were looking to make wholesale changes after missing the playoffs. With most of the players returning from their various war commitments Atanas was demoted to the Minor Leagues. After first reporting to the Cleveland Barons of the AHL he soon joined the Minneapolis Millers of the USHL. After struggling the first two years in Minny he found his scoring touch and enjoyed several seasons in Minny.

Atanas continued to play until 1957, making stops in Buffalo, Victoria, Vancouver, Springfield, Syracuse and North Bay. But he didn't hang up his skates when he left the ice as a player. He remained active as an on-ice official. He even served as a NHL linesman in 1961-62.

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John Ross Roach

Standing just 5'5" high and tipping the scales at about 130lbs, John Ross Roach was one of the smallest goalies ever to guard a NHL cage. He also had two great nicknames. He was dubbed "Little Napoleon," a reference to both his size and temperament. He was also more enamouredly called "The Port Perry Woodpecker," referring to his hometown in Ontario. He may also have been known as "The House Cleaner."

Roach was an outstanding senior player with the Toronto Granites of the OHA Senior league, never more so than in 1920-21 when he lead the league in wins and goals against average. When the NHL's Toronto St. Patricks started searching for a replacement for their regular goaler "Jumping Jakie" Forbes, boss Charlie Querrie did not have to look far and signed Roach.

Roach was a nervous rookie, but his team did well enough to make the playoffs in 1921-22 and the St. Patricks pulled off a shocking upset of the powerful defending Stanley Cup champion Ottawa Senators in the two game, total goal NHL playoff. They then went on to beat Vancouver to win the Stanley Cup in Roach's very first year. It would be the only Stanley Cup champion Roach would ever play on, though he would achieve all-star status later on.

After 1921-22 he was the regular goaler for the St.Pats but with mixed success. In 1924-25 he led the NHL in wins as the team captain, only to revert back to his indifferent play and when the St. Pats became the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Feeling it was time for another change, the newly named Leafs traded Roach to the New York Rangers for goaltender Lorne Chabot for the 1928-29 season.

In his very first year with the Rangers he set still-standing team records with a 1.48 average and 13 shutouts. He also led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup final, only to come up short against the Boston Bruins and their sensational rookie goaltender Tiny Thompson.

The fidgety Roach was the goat of the 1932 Stanley Cup final when Roach allowed 6 goals in each of the three games dubbed by the fans as "the tennis series" when Roach's old team won their very first Stanley Cup as the Maple Leafs.

As a result, Lester Patrick sold Roach to Detroit. In Detroit he came closest to winning the Vezina Trophy in 1932-33 with his fine 1.93 goals against average and 10 shutouts, losing the trophy to Tiny Thompson by a small margin, but beating out Thompson for the first all-star team.

His 13th year in the NHL proved unlucky. He broke his jaw in a car accident and manager Jack Adams shelved him in favor of Wilf Cude about halfway through the 1933-34 season. He and Normie Smith shared the goaltending duties in 1934-35. He closed his career by playing one game with Toronto when George Hainsworth was out of action.

John Ross Roach died July 9th, 1973.

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Adam Graves

In an era when the NHL was being dominated by hockey's version of globalization, Adam Graves was the traditional Canadian hockey player.

"He's very physical, he will do anything to get his team geared up," said one NHL coach "He plays the game every inch of that ice. He wants to command, and he commands a lot of respect out there. He's a total player. He's a spark. He's an inspiration. There's an m.v.p. guy, let me tell you. He's just an outstanding player and an outstanding person."

"Adam was always the type of kid you wanted to make it," Colin Campbell, his former coach said. "He is conscientious, nice, hard-working, respectful. And usually those guys don't make it. Adam is the milk-drinker who goes through hell for you."

He plays a rugged, aggressive game of hockey, with a mean streak that enhances his talent and inspires his teammates. He parks his often bruised body in front of the net, especially playing on the power play. Graves is a willing fighter, often known as Mark Messier's bodyguard, both in Edmonton and later New York. Kevin Lowe, team-mate of both in both cities, calls Graves "the sheriff" for his willingness to defend fellow Rangers.

Graves was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings out of the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. He finished the 1988 season with the Wings after leading the Spitfires to the OHL championship. He split the 1988-89 season with the Wings and their AHL affiliate. He was quickly traded in the beginning of the 1989-90 season in a huge trade. Graves, Petr Klima, Joe Murphy and Jeff Sharples were all moved to Edmonton in exchange for Michigan-born Jimmy Carson and long time Oiler tough guy Kevin McClelland.

Graves filled a similar role to McClelland while in Edmonton, but possessed much promise which never really was tapped in the City of Champions. He played 2 seasons with the Oil, scoring 15 goals in 139 games. He teamed with Martin Gelinas and Joe Murphy to form the Oilers version of the "Kid Line." The trio combined speed and youthful enthusiasm in a supporting role in the Oilers 1990 Stanley Cup Championship.

The New York Rangers plucked Graves away from Edmonton in 1991 via the free agency market. It was in New York that Graves blossomed into a star. He blossomed in 1991-92 to score 26 goals, more than doubling his career total. The next year he improved to 36 goals and by 1993-94 he joined Vic Hadfield as only the second New York Ranger in history to score 50 goals. In fact Graves' 52 goals better Hadfield's then-team record by 2. Graves of course would add 10 goals and 17 points in 23 playoff games to help bring Lord Stanley's Cup back to Broadway for the first time since 1940.

Graves would have trouble reaching the same plateau again. Playing in pain but rarely missing a game, he became a consistent 20 goal scorer in the years following.

Though not known for using a stick in flagrant ways, one of Graves' most infamous moments involved a stick foul against the Pittsburgh Penguins' star Mario Lemieux in the 1992 playoffs.While killing a Pittsburgh power play, Graves swung his stick and broke a bone in Lemieux's right hand, putting him out of the series. Graves received a suspension that kept him off the ice for the rest of that series, and the Rangers, regular-season champions then, as they are now, were eliminated by the Penguins.

Gravy is also one of the NHL's nicest guys. The 1994 King Clancy Memorial winner, Graves participated in many activities involving under privileged kids in New York.

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Bill Moe

When Billy Moe played in the NHL from 1944 through 1949, he was part of a definite minority in the league. He was an American.

In fact only two other players in the NHL during that time span were Americans - Frankie Brimsek and John Mariucci. All three are are US Hockey Hall of Famers while Brimsek is a Hockey Hall of Famer and Mariucci is inducted as a builder.

But back to Moe. Moe was a defensive defenseman who was largely overlooked because of his quiet contributions to team. He used to uniquely crouch down tightly to check an opposing forward and had a reputation as a rock solid stay at home blueliner and shot blocker.

Such aggressive bodychecking of course would make Moe a target - but not from who you would think. Opposition players never really tried to punish Moe for his low blow. Instead, Moe became the target of Madison Square Garden camera lenses! So ununusal were Moe's hits that cameramen would single in on him alone for the entire game in hopes to obtain the perfect capture of of Moe's talent.

The best known photo was taken by Andy Lopez of Acme Newspictures. In it, Moe checks Toronto Maple Leaf forward Gaye Stewart during the 1947-48 season. Stewart is perfectly upside down in the photo.

Born in Danvers, Massachusetts but grew up in Minneapolis where he first picked up the game of hockey. He joined the EHL in unusual hockey cities like Atlantic City and Baltimore before the AHL's Hershey Bears signed him. The AHL of course was desperate for players as they, like the NHL, were losing players to WWII commitments. Had it not been for the war, Moe might never have been give the chance to play at the AHL level.

With the Bears he dominated the AHL 1942 through 1944. He was named as the AHL's MVP in 1944 and quickly attracted the attention of the NHL at the point. It was Lester Patrick's New York Rangers that landed the AHL MVP.

Moe played a strong but quiet role for 5 years in New York. With the war over, NHL teams were once again stocked with the best talent. While Moe never got the chance to play the same role as he had in the minors, he certainly never looked out of place in the big leagues either.

After Moe's 5 years with the Rangers, Moe returned to Hershey to finish his career by the 1953 season.

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Danny Belisle

A 13 year veteran of hockey's notorious minor leagues, Danny Belisle received his best Christmas gift ever in 1960. Danny learned he would get his first NHL appearance on Christmas Day, 1960.

The New York Rangers called him up in to play the Montreal Canadiens as the Rangers roster - namely Dan Prentice and Camille Henry - was depleted with injuries. Like only a Hollywood script would dream of, Belisle responded with his first goal in his first game. He went on to add another in the 3 games that followed.

After his 4th game, it appeared that Camille Henry was nearly ready to return to action, however it wouldn't be until game time before the final decision was made. As a result, Ranger coach Alf Pike couldn't make up his mind what to do with Belisle. He told him to get dressed, then to get undressed. Finally he told him to get half dressed of all things.

Belisle, somewhat confused at the moment yet as always a jolly soul, decided to take that literally. He dressed in his hockey pads, shin and knee pads and hockey socks. Then he put on his street shoes, his shirt and his tie! His teammates were hysterical with laughter, but Pike was not.

Pike ordered Belisle to remove his hockey gear. Pike was determined to not use Belisle, even if that meant dressing a unhealthy Henry.

"And that was my last game in the NHL" laughs Belisle years later. "I did exactly what the coach ordered - I got half dressed. But putting on that shirt and tie pissed him off so much that I was back in the minors the following day!"

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James Patrick

This is James Patrick. "Jeep" played in nearly 1300 NHL games, 4 world championships, 2 world juniors, 1 Canada Cup and 1 Olympics, but somehow is one of the most underrated defensemen in the history of the game.

Patrick, who suffered from the digestive disease colitis, was an exceptional talent. He was an excellent skater in every way - speed, agility and power. His skating was amplified by his superior puck handling ability, often rushing the puck. He had a great point shot, always kept low for tips and rebounds.

That is how Patrick picked up most of his points, because he was not an elite passer. He was never great at the perfect breakout pass from his own zone. His instinct was always to skate with the puck. Once he reached the neutral zone he would either dump the puck into the offensive zone, or just drive all the way to the net, whether the defenseman should be or not. He was unlikely to utilize the players ahead of him when rushing the puck.

Though his skating and hockey smarts always placed him in strong defensive positioning, he was often criticized for his defensive play. Despite his good size, he was never a physical presence by any stretch of the imagination. It was not in his demeanor, or in his upper body strength. Still, his skating and balance should have allowed him to be a smart take-out defenseman, but too often players would drive through his checks.

James comes a great Canadian athletic family, but not the family you may expect. He is no relation to Frank and Lester Patrick, hockey's most influential family. He is the son of Steve Patrick, a former CFL star quarterback turned Manitoba politician. James' brother Steve Jr. also played in the NHL, including a short time with James on the Rangers.

James was the Rangers 9th overall draft pick in 1981, selected ahead of the likes of Al MacInnis and Chris Chelios. Patrick was named as the Canadian Tier II junior player of the year that year, leading Prince Albert to the Centennial Cup. But the Rangers would have to be patient with Patrick, who was heading to the University of North Dakota to hone his game and study business administration.

Patrick immediately established himself as one of the best players in the NCAA, winning WCHA Rookie of the Year in 1982. That year North Dakota won the NCAA championships, with Patrick being named as the team's MVP. Patrick would be named as a finalist for the Hobey Baker award as the best college player in the country in 1983.

Patrick would leave North Dakota early. In his magical 1982 season he also discovered international hockey, helping Canada earn it's first World Junior gold medal. He enjoyed that experience so much that he jumped at the opportunity to return. He spent the 1983-84 season playing with Dave King's Canadian national team, earning a spot on the Canadian Olympic team. The Canadians finished just out of the medals in 4th place, but Patrick would credit the experience with readying him for the NHL.

Patrick would finish the season with the Rangers, immediately taking a spot on the power play. He would be a regular on the point for the next decade.

Although he had better offensive years, his best year was in 1987-88. He began the year playing with Canada at the Canada Cup, and finished the year being named as the Rangers best defenseman and team MVP.

In late 1993 the Rangers traded Patrick in a complex three way trade to land Steve Larmer. Patrick would play most of the season with Hartford before being traded again to Calgary where the Flames were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. The Rangers, meanwhile, won the Stanley Cup, a reward that would prove to be elusive for Patrick.

Patrick would play in Calgary for six years, battling serious knee, neck and concussion injuries. The Flames would not renew his contract in 1998, and some speculated Patrick's career was done.

The Buffalo Sabres were looking for a veteran presence on their blueline, and signed Patrick up. Neither party probably expected Patrick to play in Buffalo for six seasons, although injuries limited his playing time. Patrick's career highlight came in 1999 when he helped the Sabres reach the Stanley Cup finals. The Sabres would fall to the Dallas Stars in six games.

In 21 NHL seasons Patrick played in 1280 games, scored 149 goals and 639 points. Patrick finally retired in 2004 and took a spot behind the Sabres bench, coaching the defensemen.

For a player with such a great mind for the game, there was never such an obvious transition.

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Ron Greschner

It's hard to believe a kid from tiny Goodsoil, Saskatchewan, population of 200-plus, would become the toast of Manhattan.

That's exactly what Ron Greschner did. The son of a hotelier, the only hotel in the tiny farming community, Greschner not only went to become a popular hero of Manhattan, but married supermodel Carol Alt, owned trendy restaurants, guest-starred on TV shows Ryan's Hope and The Nanny and was a judge at a Miss Universe contest.

Manhattan's Finest

Gresch was a big but mobile defenseman who was playing against senior players aged 20 and over when he was just 12 years old. By 1974 he was an established WHL star out of New Westminster, and was drafted 32nd overall in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft. He quickly established himself as a NHL star blessed with size and skating. He would run the Rangers power play in the era between Brad Park and Brian Leetch.

He lacked the polish of those two legends, which holds him back in history's eyes. But those who played with him disagree.

"I mean no disrespect to guys like Brian Leetch and Mike Richter," said Tom Laidlaw, a former defensive partner, "but playing his whole career there, doing the things he did and the points he put up, Greschner belong in the same category as them. He was a quiet leader but definitely proud to be a Ranger."

Lack of team success never helped either. Outside of an unexpected Stanley Cup finals appearance in 1979, the Rangers never really challenged for much in Greschner's days. Had the Rangers been a true top team during Greschner's time, his status may very well have landed him as a Hockey Hall of Famer.

New York loved Ron Greschner, and Ron Greschner loved New York equally in return. "There is no other city. The rest of the world is a suburb," he would say.

The Natural

"He was probably one of the most naturally talented guys we had and also the most likeable guy you would ever want to meet," said long time teammate Pat Hickey.

A hockey natural is a great way to describe him. He was a super stickhandler with a good shot. He was big and aggressive, though not necessarily strong or punishing. He was a smart skater, gifted in his balance and lateral mobility, although he lacked speed. His ice savvy was his biggest asset, able to read plays developing from either end of the ice and to be in the right spot at the right time.

In 982 career games, all with the Rangers, Ron Greschner scored 179 goals, 431 assists and 610 points. In 84 post season contests he added 17 goals and 49 points.

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Mike Richter

When Russ Cohen, John Halligan and Adam Raider listed and ranked the all time great players for the New York Rangers in the 2009 book 100 Rangers Greats, many were really surprised to see Mike Richter ranked so high.

The authors determined he was the third greatest player in Rangers history, ahead of Mark Messier, Bill Cook and Eddie Giacomin. To hockey history fans, of which the three authors clearly are, that takes guts.

After all, Richter had 8 losing seasons out of 14 in his career, never was a league leader in GAA or save percentage or shutouts. His career win totals are small compared to his contemporaries.

Yet his high ranking was a welcome surprise, as many felt Richter never quite got the recognition he deserved. Statistics never tell the whole story He was a spectacular puck stopper, never more so than in 1994 in the Stanley Cup run or in 1996 at the World Cup. In both instances he almost single-handedly stole victory from the Vancouver Canucks and Team Canada, respectively. Even fans of the opposing teams were quickly and not necessarily secretly becoming huge fans of the man in the Statue of Liberty mask.

Yet, despite his impressive resume, he never seemed as highly regarded as peers Patrick Roy or Dominik Hasek or Eddie Belfour, and it continues as suggested by his exclusion from the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Maybe he had some consistency issues, but many hockey fans in the 1990s will agree that he was the most exciting goalie of his era. He was a hybrid between the classic stand up goalie but with acrobatic reflexes. When he was on top of his game he was unbeatable. He was a Stanley Cup and World Cup champion. The three time Olympian (2002 silver medalist) has a legendary international record that ranks him as the best American goalie ever.

Serious injuries, including a fractured skull and serious concussion that forced him into retirement, wore him down too.

Mike was also a very interesting person off the ice. While he played at the University of Wisconsin, and took classes at Columbia while still playing. He returned to school after retiring, majoring in Ethics, Politics and Economics from Yale. He has shown a great interest in politics and has hinted at a run for congress some time in the future.

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Cecil Dillon

Playing in the shadows of the likes of Frank Boucher and Cook brothers, Bill and Bun, it is easy to understand how a player like Cecil Dillon was one of the most underrated players of his day.

But in 10 NHL seasons, 9 with the Rangers, Dillon was the consummate professional, never missing a game with the Rangers.
In 409 consecutive games he scored 160 goals and 281 points.

A right winger with a left handed shot, Dillon made a name for himself early playing on a line with Butch Keeling and Murray Murdoch. The trio were instrumental in the Rangers' 1933 Stanley Cup championship, especially Dillon. In 8 games he scored 8 goals and 10 points in 8 games, leading all NHLers in scoring. Had there been a playoff MVP award back then, Cecil Dillon was sure to have won it that spring.

From 1936 through 1938 he led the Rangers in scoring three consecutive years, joining an exclusive club of Boucher, Bill Cook, Andy Bathgate, Phil Esposito and Wayne Gretzky as the only players to do so.

Dillon, who was known to love Frank Boucher's stories, most of them completely fabricated, about his days in the RCMP, was sold to the Detroit Red Wings for the 1939-40 season, Dillon's last season in the NHL. That year the Rangers won another Stanley Cup, as Dillon prepared to say good bye.

Dillon was one of the very few American born players in the early days of the NHL. Dillon was born in Toledo, Ohio on April 26th, 1908 although he actually grew up in Thornbury, Ontario.

Dillon returned to Thornbury after hockey and worked for the local phone company. He died at the age of 61 in 1969.

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Art Coulter

Arthur Edmund Coulter was born in Winnipeg on May 31, 1909.

Art entered the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Blackhawks where he was teamed up with Taffy Abel. Art helped the Blackhawks through the 1933-1934 season ending with the honor of winning the Stanley Cup. In 1935 Art was chosen to be a member of the esteemed Second All Star Team.

Although Art was an obvious asset to Chicago on January 15, 1936 it was decided that he was to be traded to the New York Rangers for Earl Seibert. Skeptical about the trade at first, it became evident that this trade would become beneficial to both teams.

Art succeeded Bill Cook as the Rangers' captain in 1935-1936 season. Art's great defensive play helped to earn him a spot on the Second All Start Team three more years - 1938, 1939 and 1940. He led the New York Rangers to win the Stanley Cup in 1940.

After two more years of play, Art traded in his hockey skates and stick for the honor of defending his country by enlisting into the Canadian Armed Forces during the second World War. This courageous and honorable act ended his pro hockey career.

Art was recognized in the hockey world as a "team player." He believed in teamwork and knew early on that teamwork was the crucial ingredient to winning games and having fun...and ultimately earning the team the right to hold the Stanley Cup.

Art's physical strength and endurance was the key to his defense. He was a punishing hitter, and was not afraid to drop the gloves.

In the 465 games he played he managed to chalk up 112 points and 543 penalty minutes. Deservedly, Art Coulter was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974.

Unfortunately, Coulter soured on the game of hockey in retirement. An outspoken and stubborn type, Coulter vowed never to step into Madison Square Gardens again after he was not invited by the Rangers for a special evening. He lived in Georgia and Alabama, where it was easy to not follow hockey. In fact, when he was contacted by a writer in the 1990s and asked his opinion about Wayne Gretzky, Coulter had never heard of him. He said he did not watch modern hockey because "that's not real hockey. They're not as tough as we were."

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Ott Heller

This is Ott Heller. For 15 seasons he patrolled the blueline for the New York Rangers, winning the Stanley Cup in 1933 and in 1940, the only player to play on both championship teams.

Though the red-haired Heller was said to be a very personable character off the ice, on the ice he was a quiet, steady defenseman who excelled at keeping opposition forwards outside of the slot and towards the perimeter. He was said to have incredible upper body strength, allowing him to quickly pin his opponent and by doing so avoiding many penalties. He was tough too, often training with local boxers at a local gym.

Heller was a great skater, and not afraid to join or even lead the rush from time to time. His most famous goal came in a playoff game against Montreal very early in his career. He dashed from one end of the rink to the other to score the game's only goal.

In those 15 years Heller played with many of the Rangers' greats on defense. He started out partnering with Ching Johnson. In the 1933 championship season he teamed with Babe Siebert. Over the next several years he partnered with the likes of Doug Brennan, Art Coulter, Joe Cooper, Babe Pratt and Muzz Patrick.

Heller, who captained the Rangers in his final three seasons, played in 646 career games, once a team record. He scored 55 goals and 231 points in an era when defensemen really were there for defense only. He added 6 goals and 14 points in 61 Stanley Cup playoff games.

Though Heller was demoted to the minor leagues after 15 NHL seasons, he continued on, playing an amazing 11 more seasons in the minor pros. He just loved the game.

"Ott was a hockey player, simple as that," recalled Emile Francis, in the book 100 Rangers Greats. "He was as tough as nails, and not an ounce of fat on him. What an athlete. It seemed like the guy played forever, and at such a high level. He was amazing."

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Edgar Laprade

Born in Mine Centre, Ontario on October 10, 1919, Edgar Laprade moved to Port Arthur, Ontario as a four year old with his family. It was in Port Arthur where Laprade established himself as an amateur hockey legend before moving on to the National Hockey League.

After being a junior standout in Port Arthur, Edgar joined the local senior team named the Bearcats from 1938 until 1943. Edgar helped the Bearcats win the Allan Cup championship in 1939, something that Edgar considered one of the greatest moments of his life. The Allan Cup was given to the best senior team in all of Canad and at one time was nearly as highly regarded as the Stanley Cup. Laprade was also a two time MVP and two time leading scorer in the Thunder Bay Senior Hockey League.

Laprade joined the Canadian Army Ordinance Corps on October 20, 1943. Despite serving for his country he still managed to find time for his passion. He played in one game with the Ottawa Commandos of the Quebec Senior Hockey League before being transferred to Winnipeg and played for Army in the Winnipeg Services Hockey League until it was disbanded in January 1944. The following year, Laprade was stationed in Kingston and played with the Barriefield Bears in the Kingston Hockey League senior league.

After the war ended, Laprade was finally lured into the world of professional hockey. The Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers, who had put him on their negotiation list as a junior in 1938 were the two most interested parties. The Rangers won that bidding war when they gave him a $5000 bonus for his mortgage on a house in Port Arthur. He joined the Rangers in 1945-46 and played with them until he retired 1954-55.

A two time team MVP, Edgar captured the Calder Trophy as the league's best rookie in 1946 and the Lady Byng Trophy as the NHL's Most Gentlemanly Player in 1950. He was selected to play in four consecutive NHL All Star Games from 1947 through 1950.

While Edgar was able to display his true hockey talents in his first few years in the NHL, a serious ankle injury in 1952 really humbled the effortless skater. He actually retired after the 1951-52 season only to return the following year. He played until 1955 but numerous injuries limited Laprade's effectiveness.

Known as "Beaver" because of his hustle and work ethic on the ice, Laprade was known as a aggressive but very clean player. Twice he went the entire season without recording a single penalty minute, and only had 42 PIM in in his 500 NHL game career. He was also known as a play making center with great speed and athleticism. He was a tremendous defensive player as well, making him one of the greatest two way centers in NHL history. A strong back checker and prolific penalty killer, Laprade perfected the "poke check" as an effective strategy.

He was a small man in stature, standing just 5'10" and weighing in at 160lbs. But he was the biggest member of his "Three Little Shaefers" line, with wingers Tony Leswick (5'7" 160lbs) and Knobby Warwick (5'5" 155lbs).

Laprade scored 108 goals and 172 assists for 280 points in 500 regular season games, all with the Rangers. While he never hoisted the Stanley Cup, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the veteran's category in 1993.

Edgar retired from hockey to return to Ontario. He opened a sporting goods store and was involved in local politics.

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Dutch Hiller

This is Wilbert Hiller, universally known as "Dutch" Hiller thanks to the strong Dutch population in his hometown of Kitchener, Ontario, even though he was not Dutch at all.

He was also universally hailed as the fastest man on skates.

"Nobody could keep up with Dutch. Nobody," proclaimed Frank Boucher, Hiller's coach with the Rangers.

Hiller was best known as a New York Ranger, playing on a line with Alf Pike and Snuffy Smith when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1940. In his nine year career he also played with Boston, Detroit and twice with Montreal, winning another Stanley Cup in 1946

Hiller scored 91 goals and 113 assists in 383 regular-season games in the NHL. He was primarily a defensive player, though his production increased to around the 20 goal mark during the World War II.

After finishing his hockey career in 1947 with a season with AHL Pittsburgh, Hiller eventually relocated to Los Angeles where he was the Kings' long time goal judge.

Dutch Hiller died at the age of 90 on November 12th, 2005, just days after the Hockey Hall of Fame arranged for a special surprise for him - a visit from the Stanley Cup.

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