During the lockout, we selected The Rangers Best All-Time Lineup. We chose a 22-man roster, consisting of 12 starting forwards, 6 starting defensemen, two reserve skaters and two goaltenders. That lineup resulted in some differences of opinion, including the make up and line combinations of the roster.
Major League Baseball in conjunction with the All-Star Game had the fans vote on their Franchise Four. Those selections also brought a healthy amount of debate, including with my beloved Mets, where the four were Seaver, Piazza, Wright and Hernandez, where the latter two beat out Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. Today, Larry Brooks listed his Franchise Four for each team, including the Rangers.
Brooks selected for the Blueshirts:
Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Mike Richter, Andy Bathgate. Apologies to Bill Cook. Rod Gilbert, Jean Ratelle, Brad Park, Ed Giacomin and Harry Howell just miss. And though it’s tempting to go with Henrik Lundqvist over Richter based on numbers, 1994 trumps all until the King hoists the chalice.
The debate in general is an interesting one. Do you favor original Rangers or current ones? How much of an impact does the passage of time or when a player skated for the team impact your vote? Does winning a Cup boost into the four or does not winning one take you out? Does longevity as Ranger or starting your career as a Blueshirt matter to making the list?
My four are:
Brian Leetch - there are arguments for Harry Howell or Brad Park, but hard not to select a Calder Trophy winner, who also won the Conn Smythe and a pair of Norris Trophy awards.
Mark Messier - arguments can be made for Jean Ratelle and Frank Boucher, maybe some will like Phil Esposito, but the choice here clearly is the Messiah. Ended a 54-year Cup drought. A tremendous leader, and while his stats paled to what he posted in Edmonton, he posted at least 84-points in each of his five full, non-lockout seasons with the Rangers.
Andy Bathgate - you can make arguments for Rod Gilbert or Adam Graves or Jaromir Jagr but Bathgate won the Hart Trophy, was a first or second team All-Star in four of his nine full years as a Ranger while playing in an era with Howe, Geoffrion and Rocket Richard, averaged more than a point-a-game while finishing in top-five in scoring in eight years as a Ranger and has his number retired.
Now the tough one. Do I go with the All-Time wins leader in Franchise history, who has won at least 30 games in each of his nine full seasons along with a Vezina Trophy and Gold Medal and win be a Hall of Famer? Or, do I select the goalie who originally had the record for most franchise wins, won a Stanley Cup and backstopped the US to a win at the 1996 World Cup and is a borderline Hall of Famer? This is a vote that could change in time, and one I would be most happy to do so because it would mean another Cup, but I to have to go with Mike Richter. Ending the 54-year drought is good enough for me to select him.
Who are your Franchise Four?