Alright…after only retiring 2 numbers (Gilbert and Giacomin) in the franchises first 70+ years, they have retired 6 in the last five years. All deserving in their own way, however. With that said, its certainly going to be a while until we see another retired jersey get raised. The only person on the current Rangers that could possibly be considered at this moment in time is probably Lundqvist, but all that can change in a heartbeat if ya know what I mean..
Its nice to have all these retired jerseys though. As an Original Six team, I always thought it was pretty strange that they only had 2 retired numbers. Seemed that a lot of tradition was being pushed to the back-burner. It certainly brings a lot of pride back to the fan-base and the retired players to have seen and played with these Ranger greats. And if the current Rangers need to keep trying to find ways to motivate themselves (which we know has been like pulling teeth this season), seeing these numbers being honored should give them something to strive for.
Also, is there anything better than looking at “old-time hockey” players today? There is something about the way these guys talk and the way these guys look that just sets them apart from any demographic of professional athletes. Not only do they have an incredible amount of respect and knowledge of the game, but they share all that in their stories. And they wear their stories on their faces, most noticeable by the scars that fill them. You can tell the game was played with immeasurable amount of passion, devotion, and love…something that is void in professional sports todays.
Besides, some of these mustaches these guys have are just plain awesome…..
Obviously, I wasn’t born when either of these two Ranger greats donned the Ranger sweater. That doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate everything they have accomplished.
To many, Graves’ number shouldn’t have been #9, that Bathgate should have had his number retired long ago. Bathgate, a fan favorite then and now, and a Hall of Famer, ranks 4th all time in Ranger history in the major scoring categories:
Goals – 272 (4th all time)
Assists – 457 (4th all time)
Points – 729 (4th all time)
Although he never won the Cup in NY (not many have), he helped Toronto to a Cup in the 1963-1964 season. He is also a Hart Memorial Trophy winner in the 1958-1959 season.
Perhaps Bathgate’s greatest claim to fame was his feared slapshot. His shot was the driving force behind goalies starting to wear masks (see: Plante, Jacques).
As for Howell, well his #3 being raised is a long time coming. Ranger fans love their bruising, stay at home defensemen now, and it was no different then. Howell, the Ranger leader in games played (1160), and 3rd in PIMs (1147), spent 17 years wearing Ranger blue, one of the longest tenured Rangers ever and was a 7 time All Star.
Howell too never won the Cup as a Ranger. His time finally came in 1990, when he won the Cup as a scout for the Oilers.
Sunday will be another fun night at the Garden, these two Ranger legends will live forever in the rafters, and I must say, it has been a long time coming.
I got home from work in time to catch the final two minutes of the game. What a shot by Naslund to tie the game, after some great work along the boards by the Rangers. They stole a point from that game, one that they should have lost outright. I’m also with Rick Carpiniello, that I believe the shootout is a terrible way to end a game. Play 4-on-4 for 10 minutes, then some 3-on-3 for another 10 minutes. If no one scores a goal, then abolish both teams to the AHL.
As for the ceremony (I DVRed it and watched it after the game), it was a great ceremony that I think captured Gravy’s personality and what he meant to this team and what he means to the city. I haven’t heard Sergei Nemchinov’s name in a long time, so I was happy to see him there, and Mike Gartner.
Next up: #3 Harry Howell and #9 Andy Bathgate on Feb 22.
Messier may have been the leader, Leetch the home grown superstar, but Adam Graves was the heart and soul of the Rangers. His contributions on the ice are only surpassed by his contributions off the ice; tirelessly working with the children of the city, participating in Toys For Tots every year, just being Adam Graves. Tonight, Ranger fans everywhere will be dropping everything to watch this ceremony.
During my commute to work this morning, I was thinking about what my favorite Graves moment was. I was 10 when he scored in Game 7 in 1994, just old enough to know it was a big goal, but still too young to fully appreciate it. I nearly hit my ceiling when he scored the OT series clincher against the Devils in 1997, propelling the mediocre Rangers to the Conference Finals. I also thought about his return to the Garden after being forced out of NY, and the video tribute, and Graves shedding a tear as he watched. You could tell he never wanted to leave. I thought about his return to NY as a part of the front office, and when Leetch announced that his number would be retired last year. All of them were special moments, but none of them fully embraced what Gravey meant to the fans.
My favorite Adam Graves moment came on February 4th, 2004. Mike Richter Night. It was his first appearance on Garden ice since 2002. I remember as JD was introducing everyone, he would start by reciting his accomplishments for the Rangers. The fans would listen to the first accomplishment, identify the player, and start to cheer. Not for Graves. The camera panned over Graves, and the Garden just erupted. You could hear it from across the street, I heard it from college in Binghamton. The roar was deafening, and just continued for what seemed like forever. When a lull finally occurred, JD joked that he didn’t even need to introduce Graves. On a night honoring Mike Richter, Adam Graves may have received the loudest ovation.
So let me be another person, another Ranger fan, another New Yorker, to say thank you. Thank you Adam Graves, for being you.
Retired Numbers | Stas, 22 Feb 09 | 
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