Bob Froese G (1986-1990) Ken Gernander RW (1996-97,2004) Ron Harris D (1972-1975) Jamie McLennan G (2003-2004) Bert Robertson D (2000-2001) Steve Weeks G (1980-1984)
Today in NYR History June 30
1976: The Rangers acquire Nick Fotiu from the New England Whalers (WHA) in exchange for cash and an agreement to play two future preseason games against the Whalers.
The first New York City born Ranger, Fotiu got his shot at playing for his hometown Rangers, where his role as an enforcer endeared him to Ranger fans. He was loved for his fighting style, which he picked up as a golden-gloves boxer and his passion to don a Blueshirt.
Fotiu's popularity as a Ranger was enhanced by his willingness to throw pucks up into the Madison Square Garden "blue seats" after pre-game warmups, where previously he sat as a young fan. The "blue seats" were the least expensive and farthest seats from the action, far beyond where pucks would normally land during game play.
After retiring, Fotiu moved into coaching, and was most recently an assistant coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack. Currently, Fotiu runs a successful construction business and a charitable foundation, in addition to doing public relations for the Rangers. Fotiu is Ranked No. 100 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats.
In 8 years as a Ranger, Fotiu played in 455 games, scored 41 goals and tallied 62 assits for 103 points and had 902 penalty minutes.
1992: Eric Lindros was traded by the Quebec Nordiques to the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers. An arbitrator was needed to officiate a week-long hearing to determine which team would receive Lindros' rights.
The Quebec Nordiques selected center Eric Lindros with the first pick in the 1991 NHL Draft, but he refused to report and spends the season with the Canadian Olympic Team.
The Rangers had reportedly agreed to trade Sergei Nemchinov, Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, James Patrick, and either John Vanbiesbrouck or Mike Richter, as well as multiple first-round draft picks and $20 million to Quebec in exchange for Lindros. However the Philadelphia Flyers had also made a deal with the Nordiques, for centers Peter Forsberg and Mike Ricci, goaltender Ron Hextall, defensemen Steve Duchesne and Kerry Huffman, a first-round pick in the 1993 NHL Draft and cash in exchange for Lindros.
The Flyers claimed that the Nordiques had reneged on their agreement, and filed a complaint with the NHL. The NHL appointed Larry Bertuzzi, a lawyer from Toronto, as the arbitrator of the conflict. Bertuzzi held a five-day hearing after the 1992 draft, in which he reviewed over 400 pages of handwritten notes and called 11 witnesses, including Lindros. Betruzzi found in favor of Philadlphia therefore negating the trade to New York. The Rangers did not challenge the arbitrator's decision.
After fueding with new GM Bobby Clarke, Lindros sat out for the entire 2000–01 NHL season after rejecting a one-year, $8.5 million offer as he demanded a trade from the Flyers. Lindros was shipped to the New York Rangers, in return for Jan Hlavac, Kim Johnsson, Pavel Brendl and a third-round 2003 draft pick.
2009: The Rangers acquire Chris Higgins, Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Valentenko and Doug Janik in exchange for Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto.
The Rangers sent Scott Gomez and his hefty contract that still had five years and more than $30 million left on it to Montreal in exchange for Long Island, N.Y. native Christopher Higgins. In the deal, Montreal also sent the Rangers their 2007 first-round draft pick Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Valentenko and the rights to Doug Janik to New York while the Rangers gave up Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto.
Gomez laboured to score with the Canadiens and was mediocre at best. Pyatt spent two seasons as a decent fourth-line winger in Montreal before leaving for Tampa Bay as a free agent, Gomez just seemed to fade further and further away from the 84-point man he was with the New Jersey Devils in 2005-06.
Higgins who only played in 55 games for New York putting up 6 golas and 8 assists was flipped by the Rangers to Calgary for Olli Jokinen, who left in 2010 as a free agent, and useful fourth liner Brandon Prust, who had 13 goals and 160 penalty minutes. Valentenko never cracked the lineup, but Ryan McDonagh developed into a solid two-way defenceman and perhaps the best player in the deal and eventually became the Blueshirt captain.
McDonagh spent 8 years in New York before being traded in 2018 at the trade deadline to Tampa Bay. As a "workhorse" for the Rangers, in 516 games he scored 51 goals along with 187 assists for 238 points and was a plus 141 while averaging 23:33 minutes of ice time per game. As a Ranger, McDonagh was a 2 time NHL All Star and was in the top 20 voting for the Norris Trophy for best defesenman 5 times and Rangers captain for four years from 2014-2018.
