This NHL Saturday entry looks at the long history of the New York Rangers, one of the Original Six teams that has been in existence since 1926. Considering the team went five decades without a Cup championship, there were a lot of great players in organizational history who didn’t get to skate with Lord Stanley’s trophy on their shoulders. That should not diminish their accomplishments below, however. Enjoy the read today!

No. 10: Harry Howell, D—74 PS (1952-1969)

He seemingly played forever, and yet he was an All Star just once—in the same season where he won the Norris vote (1967, at age 34). That was the final year of the Original Six, incidentally. That was his best season, too, by far, with 8.2 Point Shares. The Rangers were not good during his tenure in New York, either, making the four-team playoff just 7 times in his 17 years with the franchise, in a six-team league. No Cups!

No. 9: Gump Worsley, G—77 PS (1952-1963)

He never won a Cup, either, of course, but he won the Calder in 1953, finished third in the Hart vote once (1956), topped the league in saves four times (1956, 1957, 1959, 1963), and posted the best save percentage once (1958). In over a decade of futility, he stood tall in the crease no matter what was thrown at him. The Rangers made just 4 playoff appearances with him, winning a total of 5 games out of 20. Rough times.

No. 8: Jean Ratelle, C—80 PS (1960-1975)

His only All-Star season came in 1972 when he was 31 years old, but he did win the Lady Byng that year, too, as he topped the NHL in even-strength goals (40) at the same time. He posted a crazy 25.1-percent shot percentage that season as well. In 65 playoff games with the team over 9 postseasons, he tallied only 42 points, however, as the Rangers won just 3 series matchups while he was with the organization. Painful.

No. 7: John Vanbiesbrouck, G—80 PS (1981-1993)

A fourth rounder, he won the Vezina in 1986, and we gave him another one in 1988, too. He also was an All Star in 1986 when he topped the NHL in wins (31). His 200 wins for the Rangers stand out prominently, but he was just 13-20 in the postseason and sadly left the team one year before it ended its Cup drought in 1994. He was definitely a fan favorite in New York, though, with a strong league following even after he moved on.

No. 6: Ron Greschner, D—84 PS (1974-1990)

He was drafted in the second round and played his whole career with the Rangers without much distinction. He finished fifth in the Calder voting (1975) and 14th once in the Norris voting (1981). His best season came in 1978 when he finished with 10.9 PS. In 84 postseason games, he posted 49 points and 106 PIMs. Generally, there’s not a lot that stands out about him, other than the fact he played 16 years here.

No. 5: Rod Gilbert, RW—95 PS (1960-1978)

Another Rangers lifer who never saw Cup success, he did manage 2 All-Star campaigns (1968, 1972). He put up 1,021 points (406G, 615A) in 1,065 regular-season games, too. He finished Top 10 in the Hart vote twice (1967, 1972), and his best PS mark (11.5) also came in 1972. He accrued 67 points (34G, 33A) in 72 playoff games, as well, even though the team only made it to the Cup Finals once (1972) with him on the roster.

No. 4: Ed Giacomin, G—101 PS (1965-1975)

We gave him 3 straight Vezina trophies for his hard work (1968, 1969, 1970), and he was an All Star for 5 consecutive seasons (1967-1971), too. Did we mention he won the Vezina vote in 1971, as well? You get the picture here. He topped his peers in wins 3 times (1967-1969), in shutouts 3 times (1967-1968, 1971), and goaltender PS mark 4 consecutive times (1967-1970). His 5-season peak from 1967-1971 was amazing.

No. 3: Mike Richter, G—117 PS (1989-2003)

The No. 28 overall pick in the 1985 Draft, he will live forever in team lore as the goaltender who finally won a Cup for the Rangers (1994). Yet he was never an All Star, and he never won the Vezina. However, in his prime, he was considered the best American-born goalie ever in NHL history. Three times he led his peers in postseason shutouts (1991, 1994, 1997), and his 41-33 playoff record demonstrates what he meant here.

No. 2: Brian Leetch, D—139 PS (1987-2004)

He won the Calder in 1989; won the Norris vote in 1992 and 1997; and won the Conn Smythe in 1994. In addition, he was a 5-time All Star (1991-1992, 1994, 1996-1997). He certainly delivered as the No. 9 overall pick in the 1986 Draft. The All-Star seasons all featured double-digit PS marks, and in 82 playoff games with the team, he posted 89 points (28G, 61A). He had 4 game-winning goals in the team’s 1994 Cup title run, too.

No. 1: Henrik Lundqvist, G—173 PS (2005-2020)

He was a seventh-round pick in the draft; let that sink in for a moment. We gave him the Calder (2006); we gave him the Vezina twice (2009, 2011); he won the Vezina vote in 2012, as well; and he was a 2-time All Star (2012-2013). Twice, he topped the NHL in goalie PS mark (2013, 2016), and twice he led his peers in shutouts (2008, 2011) as well. He got the team to the 2014 Cup Finals, but the Rangers ran into a buzzsaw there. Sad.