NYR Alumni Birthdays 8/17:
Jim Dorey D (1971-1972) Mike LaBadie RW (1952-1953)
Remembering William M. Jennings
William M. Jennings (December 14, 1920 – August 17, 1981)
President of the New York Rangers: 1962–80
Chairman of the NHL Board of Governors: 1968–1970
Born in New York, New York, Jennings graduated from Princeton University and then earned a law degree from Yale Law School. He became a partner in a Manhattan law firm and through his capacity as counsel to Madison Square Gardens, in 1962 he was named president of their subsidiary, the New York Rangers. He was president of the Rangers until his death in 1981. During this time, the Rangers became Stanley Cup contenders. He was a key figure in the first ever expansion of the NHL in 1967 when it doubled in size from the original six teams. Jennings also helped initiate the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1966, which he would win in 1971.
The William M. Jennings Trophy was named in his honor. In 1975, he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame and in 1981 to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.
In 1966, Jennings founded the New York Metropolitan Hockey Association, one of only a few outlets in the area at that time available for young hockey players. In 1967, Jennings founded the Westchester Classic golf tournament in Harrison, New York as a means to raise funds for charitable purposes in Westchester County.
Today in NYR History 8/17:
1967: Rangers acquire Camille Henry from the Blackhawks in exchange for Paul Shmyr.
Camille Henry originally had hopes of becoming a professional baseball player but that dream soon gave way to another when his outstanding hockey skills became apparent.
Henry, whose slippery moves near the net earned him the nickname Camille the Eel, played in 727 games over 14 National Hockey League seasons, from 1953-54 to 1969-70, including parts of 12 seasons with the Rangers. He scored 279 goals and had 249 assists for 528 points and amassed only 88 penalty minutes. He also played for the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues.
He was used mostly as a power-play specialist. Henry made the most of every opportunity scoring 24 goals and winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s outstanding rookie beating out Beliveau who was beginning his career with the Montreal Canadiens. Late in that season Camille also did what no NHL player had ever been done before, scoring four goals in a game against Detroit’s legendary goalie Terry Sawchuk, who is considered by many to be the best netminder to ever strap on the pads.
Unfortunately Henry’s Broadway run ended on February 4, 1965, when he was traded to Chicago with Don Johns, Wally Chevrier and Billy Taylor for Doug Robinson, Wayne Hillman and John Brenneman. He later returned to the Rangers for Paul Shmyr in August 1967. In fact Cammy was on the ice with Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert for the opening faceoff at the “New” Garden on February 18, 1968. But the NHL was getting bigger and Henry, one of the smallest players to ever make it to the big leagues, wasn’t. He was once again traded away, this time to St. Louis with Bill Plager and Robbie Irons for Don Caley and Wayne Rivers in June of 1968.
2009: Rangers sign free agent forward Vinny Prospal.
Prospal went on to play 2 seasons in New York putting up 29 goals and 52 assists in 104 games during the 2009-2010 & 2010-2011 campaigns.
In 2009-2010 Prospal established a career-high in average icetime (20:06), Ranked second on the team in assists, points, power play assists (13), even strength goals (13) and home goals (13), tied for second in goals, third in power play goals, and ranked fourth in power play points (19) and was named Alternate Captain on November 3, 2009.
In 2011 he departed the Rangers as an Unrestricted Free Agent and signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, playing 2 more seasons before retiring at the end of the 2012-2013 season.
2016: Rangers sign NCAA UFA Defenseman John Gilmour to a 2 year deal.
