NYR TODAY Sun 9/4: Alumni Birthdays, TDINYRH

NYR Alumni Birthdays September 4: 

Sergio Momesso LW (1995-1996) Tomas Sandstrom RW (1984-1990) John Vanbiesbrouck G (1981-1983)

Sergio Momesso
Seasons with Rangers: 2
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 28
Playoff Games with Rangers: 11
Acquired
Traded to Rangers by Toronto in exchange for Wayne Presley on Feb. 29, 1996.
Departed
Traded by Rangers to St. Louis in exchange for Brian Noonan on Nov. 13, 1996.
RANGERS DEBUT
March 1, 1996 (Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres)
FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS
Nov. 13, 1996 (Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers)
Uniform Number: 32
Retired from pro hockey: 2001

Tomas Sandstrom
Seasons with Rangers: 6
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 407
Playoff Games with Rangers: 29
Acquired
Selected by Rangers in Round 2 of 1982 NHL Entry Draft (Second Rangers pick, No. 36 overall).
Departed
Traded by Rangers to Los Angeles with Tony Granato in exchange for Bernie Nicholls on Jan. 20, 1990.
RANGERS DEBUT
Oct. 11, 1984 (Rangers vs. Hartford Whalers)
FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS
Jan. 18, 1990 (Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins)
MAJOR NHL AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS WITH RANGERS
NHL All-Rookie Team — 1984-85
NHL All-Star Game — 1988
RANGERS TEAM AWARDS
Rangers MVP — 1984-85
RANGERS RECORDS
Most hat tricks in one season — 4 in 1986-87
RANGERS TEAM LEADER
Most points — 1988-89
Most goals — 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87 (tie)
Most assists — 1988-89
Most playoff points — 1989 (tie)
Most playoff goals — 1989 (tie)
Most playoff assists — 1989 (tie)
Uniform Number: 28
Retired from pro hockey: 2002

John Vanbiesbrouck
Seasons with Rangers: 11
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 449
Playoff Games with Rangers: 38
Minor-league games: 37
Minor-league teams: Tulsa (CHL) 1983-84
Acquired
Selected by Rangers in Round 4 of 1981 NHL Entry Draft (Fifth Rangers pick, No. 72 overall).
Departed
Traded to Vancouver in exchange for future considerations (Doug Lidster) on June 20, 1993.
RANGERS DEBUT
Dec. 5, 1981 (Rangers at Colorado Rockies)
FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS
April 5, 1993 (Rangers vs. Hartford Whalers)
MAJOR NHL AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS WITH RANGERS
U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame — Inducted 2007
Vezina Trophy — 1985-86
NHL First All-Star Team — 1985-86
RANGERS TEAM AWARDS
Rangers MVP — 1985-86
Players` Player Award — 1985-86
Boucher Trophy (Most Popular) — 1985-86
Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award — 1989-90 (co-winner)
"Crumb Bum" Award (Community Service) — 1986-87
Rangers Good Guy Award — 1984-85
Rangers Fan Club Rookie of the Year — 1984-85 (inaugural winner)
RANGERS RECORDS
Most career assists by a goaltender — 25
Most career penalty minutes by a goaltender — 212
Most assists by a goalie in one season — 5 in 1984-85 and 1987-88, shares record)
Most assists by a goalie in one game (2 at Winnipeg on Jan. 8, 1985, shares record)
NHL LEADER
Most wins — 1985-86
Most playoff shutouts — 1986
RANGERS NO. 1 GOALTENDER (played majority of games)
1985-86 to 1989-90, 1992-93
Nickname: Beezer
Uniform Number: 34
Retired from NHL: 2002

Today in NYR History September 4, 2003: 

Mike Richter announces his retirement from the NHL. The Rangers retired Richter’s #35 on February 4th, 2004.
Richter, at the time, the Rangers winningest goalie and their only one to win a Stanley Cup since 1940, choked back tears several times while reading from a prepared speech.

''It's a bit of a confusing day for me,'' he said. ''I feel great sadness, because I have to give up something I truly love.''

After he took a particularly long pause, Richter tried to make a joke that this was not the place in his speech where he was supposed to cry. But then he whispered into the microphone, ''I'm in denial.''

And that appeared to be true. His teammates and friends knew he wanted to keep playing, but Richter, the father of two sons, ages 3 and 1, knew he would be risking his health if he were hit in the head again.

So, in a room decorated with action photos of him, Richter said he would end his career after 14 seasons, all with the Rangers. Mark Messier, the Rangers' stoic captain, left the dais as a video of Richter's highlights was shown.

''That was a tough one,'' Messier said. ''It was a tough day for everybody. I can speak for every Ranger fan, and every hockey fan, especially in New York, that it was a tough day in New York.''

James Dolan, the chief executive of Cablevision, which owns Madison Square Garden and the Rangers, said, ''For us, it's not a happy day at all.''

"If you're going to be successful, you're going to need to have all the characteristics of a Mike Richter," Sather said.

The Rangers had signed him for two years last July and wanted him to come back.

Sather said it took Richter a long time to come to grips with his medical history, because Richter did not want his career to end.

Richter played in 666 games and won 301, more than any other Rangers goaltender, and he helped the Rangers win the Stanley Cup in 1994.

Richter played his final game on November 5, 2002 against Edmonton, and he was inadvertently kneed in the head during a collision with Oilers forward Todd Marchant.

Richter had missed the last nine games of the 2001-2002 season with a fractured skull and concussion incurred when a rising shot by Atlanta's Chris Tamer hit him in the face mask.

NYR TODAY Sat 9/3: Alumni Birthdays, TDINYRH

NYR Alumni Birthdays September 3: 

Cliff Barton LW (1939-1940) Doug Bentley LW (1953-1954) Jed Ortmeyer RW (2003-2007) Michal Rozsival D (2005-2007) Martin Stratka LW (2005-2007)

Cliff Barton
Seasons with Rangers: 1
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 3
Playoff Games with Rangers: 0
Acquired
Claimed by Rangers from Philiadelphia Quakers in NHL Dispersal Draft on Sept. 26, 1931.
Departed
Pro hockey rights sold to Hershey on April 4, 1940.
RANGERS DEBUT
Nov. 16, 1939 (Rangers vs. Chicago Black Hawks)
RANGERS ORGANIZATION STATISTICS
Minor-league games: 186
Minor-league teams: Springfield (Can-Am) 1931-32; Philadelphia (AHL) 1936-1940)

Uniform Number: 17
Retired from pro hockey: 1944

Doug Bentley
Seasons with Rangers: 1
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 20
Playoff Games with Rangers: 0
Acquired
NHL rights sold to Rangers on June 30, 1953.
Departed
Retired from pro hockey to pursue coaching career in 1956.
RANGERS DEBUT
Jan. 20, 1954 (Rangers vs. Boston Bruins)
FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS
March 13, 1954 (Rangers at Detroit Red Wings)
MAJOR NHL AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS WITH RANGERS
Hockey Hall of Fame — Inducted 1964
RANGERS ORGANIZATION STATISTICS
Minor-league games: 163
Minor-league teams: Saskatoon (WHL) 1953-1956

Uniform Number: 14
Retired from pro hockey: 1956

Jed Ortmeyer
Seasons with Rangers: 3
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 177
Playoff Games with Rangers: 13
Acquired
Signed with Rangers as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2003.
Departed
Signed with Nashville as an unrestricted free agent on July 2, 2007.
RANGERS DEBUT
Nov. 4, 2003 (Rangers vs. Dallas Stars)
RANGERS TEAM AWARDS
Players` Player Award — 2005-06 (co-winner with Kevin Weekes)
Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award — 2003-04, 2006-07
RANGERS ORGANIZATION STATISTICS
Minor-league games: 82
Minor-league teams: Hartford (AHL) 2003-2005, 2006-07

Nickname: Orty
Uniform Numbers: 41

Retired from pro hockey: 2015

Michal Rozsival
Seasons with Rangers: 2 (2005-2007)
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 432
Playoff Games with Rangers: 31
Acquired
Signed as a free agent on September 6, 2005.
Departed
January 10, 2011 traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for Wojtek Wolski
RANGERS DEBUT
Oct. 5, 2005 (Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers)

Uniform Number: 3, 33

On February 22, 2009, Rozsíval switched his jersey number to 33 when former Rangers Harry Howell had his number 3 retired.

Martin Stratka
Seasons with Rangers: 2 (2005-2007)
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 224
Playoff Games with Rangers: 24
Acquired
Signed as a free agent on August 2, 2005.
Departed
In July 2008, Straka returned home to the Czech Extraliga, signing a one-year deal with HC Lasselsberger Plzen
RANGERS DEBUT
Oct. 5, 2005 (Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers)
RANGERS TEAM LEADER
Most playoff assists — 2007
INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS WHILE IN RANGERS ORGANIZATION
2006 Olympics at Torino, Italy

Uniform Number: 82

Retired from pro hockey: 2014

Today in NYR History September 3, 1991: 

The Rangers sign free agent forward Adam Graves.

On Sept. 3, 1991, most of the hockey world was focused on an Ottawa arbitrator’s shocking decision to award All-Star defenseman Scott Stevens to the New Jersey Devils as compensation for Stevens’ former club, the St. Louis Blues, having signed Group 1 free agent forward Brendan Shanahan.

That very same day, however, the New York Rangers made a move that would help cement their future just as much as that arbitrator’s ruling did for the Devils. The club went out and signed a Group 1 free agent of their own, 23-year-old forward Adam Graves.

Adam Graves had to prove the skeptics wrong when he first arrived in New York as a free agent in September 1991.
The signing of Graves, who had scored only seven goals in 76 games the season before with the Edmonton Oilers, was, at first, overshadowed by the news of Stevens heading to New Jersey. When the Rangers and Oilers could not agree on compensation and an arbitration hearing date was set to resolve the dispute, the signing of Graves was openly questioned by many among the local media and fans.

Even after the arbitrator ruled in the Rangers’ favor -- awarding rugged winger Troy Mallette to the Oilers instead of Edmonton’s wish for forwards Steven Rice and Louie DeBrusk -- many people still questioned the wisdom of signing a player who had scored only 23 goals over the first 217 games of his NHL career.

Adding fuel to the fire was the fact that Mallette had become a very popular player with The Garden Faithful. Only 21 years-old at the time of the arbitrator’s ruling, Mallette had actually scored more goals (12) than Graves in the previous season, and he had netted 13 as a 19-year-old rookie two years earlier in 1989-90. Plus, Mallette was a stand-up teammate, who had racked up 305 and 252 penalty minutes in each of his first two seasons on Broadway, endearing himself to the home crowd with a wild fighting style that rocked The Garden.

However, Neil Smith, the Rangers’ general manager at the time, was confident that he had made the correct decision in signing Graves, who had a tremendous upside both as a player and a leader, at the expense of the often out-of-control Mallette.

Smith knew Graves quite well. When Graves was starring as a two-way power forward for the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League, Smith was watching his every move closely as the head of scouting for the Detroit Red Wings. After Graves scored 27 goals in his first season with Windsor, Smith and the Red Wings selected him 22nd overall in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft.

Graves responded with a 100-point season the following year at Windsor and by late in the 1987-88 regular season, the earnest, hard-working forward from Ontario had already made his NHL debut in Detroit.

However, two seasons later, after Smith had moved on to New York to become general manager of the Rangers, Graves was shipped to the Oilers as part of a trade that saw the high-scoring Jimmy Carson head to Detroit. That spring, playing on the so-called “Kid Line” with Joe Murphy and Martin Gelinas, Graves helped the Oilers capture their fifth Stanley Cup Championship, recording 11 points in 22 postseason games.

The big-game capabilities and passion for winning that would later become staples of Graves’ professional career began to emerge in the spring of 1990 during the Oilers’ run to the Cup. And Smith was not surprised at all, because he had seen these very same traits even when Graves was just a teen-ager playing in Windsor.

So when Graves became available through the controversial -- and short-lived -- Group 1 free agency loophole that prevented a player’s previous team from matching an offer sheet, Smith knew he had to find a way to bring him to New York, even with the dicey proposition that was arbitration to determine compensation.

And when local media outlets cried that the Rangers had surrendered Mallette for “a seven-goal scorer”, as The New York Times did, Smith was confident that over time the team would be vindicated for the signing.

It didn’t take long for Graves to show that the Rangers had made a wise move in signing him to a five-year contract. Offered the opportunity by head coach Roger Neilson to play as a top-six forward right from the outset of training camp, as opposed to the third and fourth-line duties he had logged with the Red Wings and Oilers, Graves began to flourish. And when Graves was placed on the left side of his former Oilers’ teammate Mark Messier upon The Captain’s arrival two games into the 1991-92 campaign, his game began to reach new heights.

Graves would go on to record 26 goals his first season in New York, helping the Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy. He quickly won over Rangers’ fans everywhere with his intense play and willingness to stand up for his teammates, as well as for his goal-scoring and off-ice involvement in the community.

The rest, of course, is history, as the old cliché says. For 10 years Graves was the heart and soul of the Rangers, a leader on and off the ice as well as a star player. The mutual love affair between Graves and the fans at The Garden played out unabated whether he was scoring 52 goals and helping the Rangers win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years during the 1993-94 campaign or whether he was grinding through debilitating back pain trying with all his might to lead the Rangers back to the postseason when the new millennium arrived.

And it all started on an early September day in 1991, when so few could know that the Rangers had made, perhaps, the most important free-agent signing in franchise history.

OFFICIAL: NY Rangers have promoted Chris Drury to Assistant General Manager. Press Release:

New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has promoted Chris Drury to Assistant General Manager.

In his expanded role, Drury, 40, will assist Gorton on all player transactions and contract negotiations, and he will continue to assist in overseeing and evaluating all players at the collegiate level. Drury, who rejoined the Rangers organization as Director of Player Development on September 4, 2015, will continue to assist in the development of Rangers prospects, both on and off the ice, and serve as a liaison between the hockey operations department and prospects in the organization.

During his 12-year NHL career, the Trumbull, Connecticut, native skated in 892 games with the Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, and the Rangers, registering 255 goals and 360 assists for 615 points, along with 468 penalty minutes. Drury captured the Stanley Cup as a member of the Avalanche in 2000-01, ranking second in the NHL with 11 goals in 23 games during the team’s playoff run. In 1998-99, Drury received the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year after registering 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points with Colorado. Drury recorded at least 20 goals in nine different seasons in his career, and he registered at least 50 points in eight different seasons.

In addition, Drury’s team reached the playoffs in nine of his 12 seasons in the NHL, and his team advanced to the Conference Finals on six occasions. In 135 career NHL playoff games, Drury registered 47 goals and 42 assists for 89 points, along with a plus-24 rating and 46 penalty minutes. Over the 12 seasons in which he played in the NHL (1998-99 – 2010-11), Drury led the league in playoff game-winning goals (17), ranked second in playoff overtime goals (four), ranked fourth in playoff goals, and ranked ninth in playoff games played.

Drury played four seasons with the Rangers (2007-08 – 2010-11) after signing with the team as a free agent on July 1, 2007. In addition, Drury served as the Rangers captain for three seasons (2008-09 - 2010-11) after being named the 25th captain in franchise history – as well as the second American-born captain in franchise history – on October 3, 2008. In 264 regular season games with the Blueshirts, Drury recorded 62 goals and 89 assists for 151 points, along with 116 penalty minutes. Over his first three seasons with the Rangers, Drury led the team in goals (61) and points (146), ranked second in assists (85), and tied for second in game-winning goals (10). In addition, the Rangers made the playoffs three times during Drury’s four seasons with the team.

Prior to joining the NHL, Drury completed one of the most impressive collegiate hockey careers in NCAA history. Over four seasons at Boston University (1994-95 – 1997-98), Drury tallied 113 goals and 101 assists for 214 points in 155 games. During his collegiate career, the Terriers captured the National Championship in 1994-95, appeared in the National Championship Game twice (1994-95, 1996-97), and appeared in the Frozen Four three times (1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97). Drury was selected as a First Team All-American on two occasions (1996-97, 1997-98), a Hobey Baker Finalist as the Top Player in College Hockey on three occasions (1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98), and he became the first Terrier to receive the Hobey Baker Award in 1997-98. Drury is Boston University’s all-time leader in goals and ranks third on the school’s all-time points list.

Internationally, Drury represented the United States in numerous tournaments and earned several medals. He participated in three consecutive Winter Olympics (2002, 2006, 2010), capturing a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Drury was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.

NYR TODAY Fri 9/2: Notes, Alumni Birthdays, TDINYRH

NYR NEWS AND NOTES:

Rangers Players take Part in Olympic Trials:
Mats Zuccarello (Norway), Michael Grabner (Austria) and Nicklas Jensen (Denmark) are all taking part in Olympic qualifying matches for their countries.
Grabner and Austria lost 8-1 against Latvia and he had two shots on goal and was a minus-5.
Jensen scored a goal in Denmark's 5-2 loss to Belarus. Jensen had four shots on goal and carried a minus-2 rating and was called for hooking.
Zuccarello and Norway lost 4-3 to Kazakhstan in OT and he had a goal and an assist as well as nine shots on goal.

Prospect Notes:
Rangers goalie prospect and 2014 fourth-round pick Igor Shesterkin has signed a three-year deal to stay with SKA in Russia.

In his rankings of the top-120 prospects, Corey Pronman lists Pavel Buchnevich at No. 30 and Jimmy Vesey at No. 82.

Alumni Notes:
Former Rangers center Scott Gomez has announced his official retirement from the NHL after 16 seasons.

Rangers Release pictures of Center Ice at MSG for upcoming 90th Season
The center ice logo will include the 90th Anniversary logo along with a white Rangers logo embedded into the red line from boards to boards.

NYR Alumni Birthdays September 2: 
Don Jackson D (1986-1987) Stephane Matteau LW (1994-1995) Kevin Miller C (1988-1991) Glen Sather LW (1970-1973)

Don Jackson
Seasons with Rangers: 1
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 22
Playoff Games with Rangers: 0
Acquired
Traded to Rangers by Edmonton with Mike Golden and Miroslav Horava in exchange for Reijo Ruotsalainen, Ville Kentala, Clark Donatelli, Jim Wiemer and future considerations (Stu Kulak) on Oct. 2, 1986.
Departed
Retired from NHL following 1986-87 season.
RANGERS DEBUT
Oct. 11, 1986 (Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins)
FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS
Feb. 25, 1987 (Rangers at Toronto Maple Leafs)
Uniform Number: 29

Stephane Matteau
Seasons with Rangers: 3
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 85
Playoff Games with Rangers: 32
Acquired
Traded to Rangers by Chicago with Brian Noonan in exchange for Tony Amonte and Matt Oates on March 21, 1994.
Departed
Traded by Rangers to St. Louis in exchange for Ian Laperriere on Dec. 28, 1995.
RANGERS DEBUT
March 22, 1994 (Rangers at Calgary Flames)
FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS
Dec. 26, 1995 (Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators)
Uniform Number: 32
Stanley Cup Champion: 1994
Retired from pro hockey: 2003
Stephane Matteau’s most notable contribution to the Rangers came in the Conference Finals of the 1994 Stanley Cup run. His double-overtime wrap-around goal against Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils in Game 7 advanced the team to the Stanley Cup Finals.

In his 23 playoff games that year, the left wing tallied six goals and three assists. But the Game 7 goal was not the only clutch goal he scored as a Ranger. In Game 3 of the same series, Matteau also scored the double overtime winner at 6:13.

Matteau’s first goal in a Blueshirts uniform came in his first game with the team. On March 22, 1994, he tied the game against the Calgary Flames with 14 seconds remaining in the game.


Kevin Miller
Seasons with Rangers: 3
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 103
Playoff Games with Rangers: 1
Acquired
Selected by Rangers in Round 10 of 1984 NHL Entry Draft (10th Rangers pick, No. 202 overall).
Departed
Traded by Rangers to Detroit with Jim Cummins and Dennis Vial in exchange for Joey Kocur and Per Djoos on March 5, 1991.
RANGERS DEBUT
Dec. 23, 1988 (Rangers at Washington Capitals)
FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS
INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS WHILE IN RANGERS ORGANIZATION
1988 Olympics at Calgary, Alberta
RANGERS ORGANIZATION STATISTICS
Minor-league games: 103
Minor-league teams: Denver (IHL) 1988-89; Flint (IHL) 1989-90
Uniform Numbers: 26, 32
Retired from pro hockey: 2004

Glen Sather
Seasons with Rangers: 11 (4 as player from 1970-73; 7 as president and GM from 2000-2015; 2 as head coach, 2003-2004 )
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 186
Playoff Games with Rangers: 38
Acquired
Traded to Rangers by Pittsburgh in exchange for Syl Apps Jr. and Sheldon Kannegeisser on Jan. 26, 1971.
Departed
Traded by Rangers to St. Louis with Rene Villemure in exchange for Jack Egers on Oct. 28, 1973.

As a member of the Rangers from 1970 through 1974, Sather appeared in 186 regular season games, recording 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points, along with 193 penalty minutes. In addition, he was a member of the 1971-72 Rangers club which advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals.

RANGERS DEBUT
Jan. 27, 1971 (Rangers vs. Boston Bruins)
FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS
Oct. 21, 1973 (Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens)
MAJOR NHL AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS WITH RANGERS
Hockey Hall of Fame — Inducted 1997
RANGERS COACHING STATISTICS
Head coach — Jan. 30, 2003 to Feb. 25, 2004
Career regular-season coaching record — 33-46-11
Uniform Number: 6
Retired from pro hockey as player: 1977
On June 1, 2000, Glen Sather became the New York Rangers` 12th President and 10th General Manager. In the process, he joined an elite group of Rangers players who have had the honor of both playing for and running the New York Rangers` hockey operations.

Sather followed in the footsteps of the legendary Frank Boucher, Muzz Patrick, Emile Francis, Fred Shero and Phil Esposito as ex-Rangers players who went on to become general managers. In serving as the team`s head coach from Jan. 30, 2003, to Feb. 25, 2004, Sather became the Rangers` 15th coach who had also played for the team.

Current Position:
President and Alternate Governor

Today in NYR History September 1, 1926: 

The Rangers sign Lorne Chabot, Ivan “Ching” Johnson, Murray Murdoch, Melville “Sparky” Vail, and Frank Waite.

Inside look at New York Rangers

Below is NHL.com's 2016-17 inside look for the New York Rangers.

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NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 30 teams throughout August. Today, the New York Rangers.

The New York Rangers know their window to win the Stanley Cup may be closing. After reaching the Eastern Conference Final three times from 2012-2015, they were eliminated in the first round last season by the eventual Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Rangers made a big splash last week in hopes of avoiding another early exit, signing highly coveted forward Jimmy Vesey on Friday. The 23-year-old met with seven teams after becoming an unrestricted free agent Tuesday before deciding he would begin his professional career in New York.

"From talking to [the Rangers], it seemed like they really needed to have me in their lineup, seemed that they believed in me," said Vesey, who won the 2016 Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA player after he had 24 goals and 22 assists in 33 games as a senior at Harvard University. "That was something I was looking for, and I think that based on our talks, New York was the right fit.

"Talking to coach [Alain] Vigneault, [general manager] Jeff Gorton and [director of player development] Chris Drury, I was really impressed with those guys and I just thought that New York was somewhere that I could play and hopefully stick in the NHL."

Gorton said signing Vesey was a no-brainer.

"Any time a guy like this becomes available, we're going to try to be in the race, and we're really excited to have him," Gorton said. "... I think he's got an ability to score, he can make plays, he's a very talented player. ... What number? What line? I wouldn't want to go down that road and say yet, but I think he can come in and play."

Vesey could be a linemate of another player acquired by the Rangers this offseason, center Mika Zibanejad, who on July 18 was traded from the Ottawa Senators with a second-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft for center Derick Brassard and a seventh-round pick in 2018.

"I want to have that goal or mindset to not just make the playoffs, but also go far and aim for the Cup. It's going to be exciting," said Zibanejad, who had NHL career highs of 21 goals, 30 assists and 51 points last season. "[I want] to be more of a threat to the other teams and having the opponents know that I'm out there, to be a big presence."

Gorton took some heat for trading Brassard, whose 27 goals led the Rangers last season, but he said Zibanejad has a lot of upside.

"He's just scratching the surface at age 23," Gorton said. "This is a younger player that is almost six years younger (than Brassard, 28), that's coming off two 20-goal seasons that we think is heading to the prime of his career. The ability to get him, to get a younger player, to get a guy that's fast, big, plays real well in his own zone, can do a lot of things for us, that's the exciting piece."

New York made several other moves to attempt to shore up its penalty kill, which ranked 26th (78.2 percent) in the NHL last season; in the previous two seasons, the penalty kill ranked sixth and third, respectively. Other players new to the Rangers this season include defenseman Nick Holden and forwards Michael Grabner, Josh Jooris, and Nathan Gerbe

"There's no secret our penalty-killing was not good, and some of the moves we made, if not all of them, have had some part in that," Gorton said. "We have to be better there. When we got a guy like Grabner or Gerbe, or to add Jooris or Holden … and now Zibanejad, yeah, that's a significant part of the game now, and for us to be in the top of the League is important.

"That's something we strive for and it didn't happen [last season], and I think it says so in all the moves that we made."

The first-round loss last season wasn't something the Rangers were expecting, but having an extended summer could help considering they have played 81 postseason games since 2012, most in the League.

"We've been fortunate to have some pretty long runs, obviously not successful as we want to be," defenseman Ryan McDonagh said last month. "It's not a good feeling to lose in the first round in five [games] the way we did. That's the biggest motivation, kind of that feeling of embarrassment and letting your teammates down, letting your organization down, letting the fans down that appreciate us and watch us all year. So like I said, I'm really anxious to, hopefully, see a lot of hard work from the guys paying off this year."

Four players who scored more than 20 goals last season will return for New York: Mats Zuccarello (26), Derek Stepan (22), J.T. Miller (22) and Chris Kreider (21). The Rangers also hope left wing Rick Nash will bounce back from an injury-plagued season (15 goals after 42 in 2014-15), and they will look for forward Kevin Hayes to increase his production (14 goals last season, 17 as a rookie in 2014-15).

"For us, [Hayes is] a 6-foot-5 center that has shown at times how good of a player he can be in this league, and I would expect that he comes back with a chip on his shoulder and plays really well," Gorton said. "And I would expect that from a lot of our players. After losing in the first round, I would expect that most of our players, if not all of them, are coming back with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder."

New York Rangers fantasy outlook

Check out NHL.com's 2016-17 fantasy hockey preview for the New York Rangers.

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As part of NHL.com's 30 in 30 series, our fantasy hockey staff is breaking down each team's fantasy landscape. From most valuable assets to underrated options, impact prospects and more, this guide should help fantasy owners prioritize players for drafts.

Starting at the top: Henrik Lundqvist, G

Fantasy owners set on selecting Lundqvist any earlier than the fifth round of a draft may want to reconsider. He's 34 years old, coming off the worst single-season goals-against average (2.48) of his NHL career, and has a Rangers defense in front of him that faltered down the stretch last season. Lundqvist leads the League in wins since 2005-06 and has been a consistent top-five fantasy goalie, but his supporting cast is arguably more questionable than ever. The Rangers haven't done much to improve their roster since Lundqvist allowed 15 goals in five Stanley Cup Playoff games against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He will be the first Rangers player off the board come draft day, and rightfully so, but there's a good chance he'll finish worse than his draft position for the second straight season.

Undervalued: Mats Zuccarello, RW

Excluding center Derick Brassard, who was traded to the Ottawa Senators on July 18, Zuccarello, 28, is the Rangers' points leader (110 in 159 games) over the past two seasons. That's not a good look regarding Rick Nash, Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider, but it speaks to how underrated Zuccarello has been in fantasy. The Norwegian forward finished 81st in Yahoo last season after being drafted on average with the 170th pick and likely will go outside the top 100 again in most leagues. He'll be a bargain if available in the 10th or 11th round considering his spot on the Rangers' top line and first man-advantage unit (18 power-play points last season). It was an amazing story to see him lead New York in scoring with 61 points (26 goals, 35 assists) after sustaining a brain contusion and a hairline fracture of his skull in the 2015 postseason.

Overvalued: Ryan McDonagh, D

McDonagh, 27, plays major minutes (22:21 per game) and provides a ray of hope for a Rangers defense that struggled last season. That said, his fantasy value has not lined up with his worth in reality. McDonagh (nine PPP last season) has never had more than 13 PPP in a season, and it remains to be seen if he can carry the load in those situations with Keith Yandle, Brassard and Dan Boyle out of the picture. His plus/minus has been outstanding throughout his NHL career (plus-26 last season; plus-114 in his career), but that trend could change if the Rangers defense performs anything like it did in the postseason.

McDonagh's best fantasy season came in 2013-14, when he had 43 points (14 goals, 29 assists), a plus-11 rating and 177 shots on goal. He has had fewer than 10 goals, 35 points and 150 SOG in each of the two seasons since, and carries injury concerns after missing 20 games over the past two seasons. McDonagh, who finished 35th among defensemen in Yahoo, is ranked 32nd at his position by NHL.com because of an anticipated power-play uptick. But considering his lack of coverage and the state of the Rangers, it's risky to invest in him before the 11th round.

Sleeper: Mika Zibanejad, C/RW

Zibanejad's point total has improved in each of his four full NHL seasons, with last season his best fantasy performance yet with 51 points (21 goals, 30 assists), 11 PPP and 184 SOG. He mostly was the second-line center for the Senators but thrived in a late-season stint on their first line after Kyle Turris was injured. From Feb. 27 to the end of the season, Zibanejad had 10 goals, five assists, a plus-2 rating and 63 SOG in 20 games to become a late-season commodity. Acquired by the Rangers in the Brassard trade, the 23-year-old could emerge as their No. 1 center and lead them in scoring as early as this season. Brassard's departure opens up a first power-play spot Zibanejad could fill, and his even-strength minutes could rejuvenate Nash. Reach for Zibanejad, ranked 130th in NHL.com's fantasy top 200, as early as the 10th round of a 12-team league, and much higher in keeper leagues.

Bounce-back: Rick Nash, LW

Nash, 32, ranks third in even-strength goals behind Alex Ovechkin and Jarome Iginla since entering the League in 2002-03. He scored 42 goals two seasons ago (third in NHL) but was limited to 60 games last season and was unproductive when healthy with 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists). Power-play production has been missing for Nash since joining the Rangers in 2012-13 (34 PPP in 248 games). He is the top-ranked Rangers forward and 99th overall in NHL.com's rankings because of his bounce-back potential, specifically because his high shot volume (183) suggests he could be in line for a shooting percentage (8.2) correction. If he skates with Zibanejad and Zuccarello on the top line, stays healthy, and scores at least 60 points, the 32-year-old would turn into a big steal for fantasy owners who should be able to land him in the eighth round or later.

Impact prospect: Pavel Buchnevich, LW

Buchnevich signed an entry-level contract with the Rangers on May 13 after playing in the Kontinental Hockey League for the past four seasons. He's 21 years old and remains a wild card in terms of immediate fantasy value but is a deep sleeper in the hope he can crack the top six. He's probably destined for a third-line role to start, considering Nash, Zibanejad, Zuccarello, Stepan, Kreider and J.T. Miller are projected to land on New York's top two lines, not to mention recent free agent addition Jimmy Vesey now is part of the competition. That said, the forward prospect will be aiming high in training camp and could show off his untapped potential if given consistent ice time in the NHL. After Artemi Panarin, an underrated KHL product, flourished last season for the Chicago Blackhawks, fantasy owners need to have prospects like Buchnevich on their radar.

Goalie outlook

The Rangers had the fifth-worst shot attempts percentage in the League last season, but Lundqvist remains a good enough individual goalie to singlehandedly steal games. He had at least 35 wins and a .920 save percentage for the fourth time in his NHL career, and is a lock to start 60-65 games if healthy. ... The Rangers brought back Antti Raanta on a two-year contract. He won 11 of 18 decisions with a 2.24 GAA, .919 SV% and one shutout, his second straight season with quality totals as a true backup. If you're bold enough to draft Lundqvist early, be sure to handcuff Raanta for insurance.

NYR TODAY Thurs 9/1: Rangers & Alumni Birthdays

New York Rangers Birthday 9/1: Mats Zuccarello

Position: Right Wing
Uniform Numbers: 48, 36
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 179
Shoots: Left
Born: Sep 1, 1987  (Age 29)
Birthplace: Oslo, Norway
Hometown: Oslo, Norway
   
Acquired: Signed with Rangers as an undrafted free agent on May 26, 2010.

Career Regular Season Rangers Stats: GP 303, G  71, A  132, PTS  203, +/- +43, PIM 129, PPG 12. SHG 1, GWG 14

Career Rangers Playoff Stats: GP 48, G 7, A 17, PTS 24, +/- +4, PIM 30, GWG 1

NYR Alumni Birthdays September 1: 
Norm Maciver D (1986-1989) Alexi Vasuliev D (1999-2000) Jeff Woywitka D (2011-2012)

Norm Maciver
Seasons with Rangers: 3
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 66
Playoff Games with Rangers: 0
Acquired
Signed with Rangers as an undrafted free agent on Sept. 8, 1986.
Departed
Traded by Rangers to Hartford with Brian Lawton and Don Maloney in exchange for Carey Wilson and 1990 fifth-round draft pick (Lubos Rob) on Dec. 26, 1988

RANGERS DEBUT
Oct. 9, 1986 (Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils)
FINAL GAME WITH RANGERS
Dec. 23, 1988 (Rangers at Washington Capitals)

RANGERS ORGANIZATION STATISTICS
Minor-league games: 98
Minor-league teams: New Haven (AHL) 1986-87; Colorado (IHL) 1987-88

Uniform Number: 37
Retired from pro hockey: 1999

Alexi Vasuliev
Seasons with Rangers: 1
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 1
Playoff Games with Rangers: 0
Acquired
Selected by Rangers in Round 5 of 1995 NHL Entry Draft (Fourth Rangers pick, No. 110 overall).
Departed
Traded by Rangers to Nashville in exchange for a 2001 conditional draft pick on Sept. 25, 2000.

RANGERS DEBUT
April 5, 2000 (Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens)

RANGERS ORGANIZATION STATISTICS
Minor-league games: 150
Minor-league teams: Hartford (AHL) 1998-2000

Uniform Number: 36

Vasiliev also spent 12 seasons playing for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Russian Superleague & Kontinental Hockey League. His contract was not renewed for the 2011–12 KHL season, which saved his life as he was not on the plane that crashed September 7, 2011, killing the majority of the team.

Jeff Woywitka
Regular-Season Games with Rangers: 27
Playoff Games with Rangers: 0

Acquired
Claimed by Rangers off waivers from Montreal on Oct. 6, 2011
Departed
July 2, 2012 signed with St Louis Blues as UFA