Rangers honored the Original Six era

New York, NY- The New York Rangers continued to honor their centennial season at Madison Square Garden as they honored more former Rangers who are no longer with us at this time. During their game against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, November 16th, and during television timeouts, family members of those who played for the Broadway Blueshirts were honored for their time.

Chuck Rayner

For eight seasons from 1945-46 to 1952-53, Rayner was in goal for the Rangers and had a solid career. Born on August 11th, 1920, in Sutherland, Saskatchewan, he played in the NHL for ten seasons. He was a member of the New York Americans in the 1940-41 season, then the hockey club moved to Brooklyn the following season, which later ended operations. Played 376 Games, 123 Wins, 180 Losses, and 72 Ties.

His Hockey career was put on hold during World War II when he joined the Royal Canadian Navy for three seasons, and played hockey for their Naval Teams based in Victoria, British Columbia. After World War II ended, he signed with the Rangers as a free agent and had some solid seasons. A puck-handling goaltender, he won the Hart Trophy in 1950, and lost his starting job to Lorne “Gump” Worsley in the 1952-53 season

Rayner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.

Andy Bathgate

For 11 1/2 seasons from 1952-53 until the middle of the 1963-64 season, Andy Bathgate was born on August 28th, 1932, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was chased after by two American universities to play college hockey at the University of Denver and at Colorado University, but instead decided to play at Guelph for Junior Hockey. That team back in the day had its connections with the New York Rangers, like a certain French Canadian superstar back in the day.

Bathgate played in 631 Games, scored 272 Goals, 457 Assists, for a total of 729 Points. He won the Hart Trophy in the 1958-59 Season, and during his final season with the Rangers in 63-64, he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, then stayed for a full season, played a season and a half with the Detroit Red Wings and then was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a half season, then returned to Pittsburgh for one more season to finish his hockey career.

The New York Rangers retired the number nine jersey twice in the 2008-09 season. Bathgate’s banner was raised to the rafters at the Garden on February 22nd, 2009, along with former Rangers defenseman Harry Howell’s number three. 19 nights earlier, Adam Graves, who also wore number nine, raised his banner in celebration.

Andy Bathgate was named a part of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players in the 100 years of the National Hockey League

Rod Gilbert “Mr. Ranger”

He spent his entire 18 seasons with the New York Rangers. From 1960-61 to 1977-78, Rod Gilbert was the best hockey player the Rangers had for a very long time. Born on July 1st, 1941, in Montreal, Quebec, Gilbert was one of the few French Canadian players who joined the other five teams because he wasn’t part of those youth teams that had partnerships with the Montreal Canadiens.

He began in Guelf before he was called up to the Rangers. Playing in his final season, he slipped on some garbage that was thrown on the ice and landed backwards into the boards, which broke his vertebrae. He had a spinal fusion to help him walk again, let alone the hope to play hockey again. From that scary moment to now, being in the NHL and a threat to the league, he was joined by his friend Jean Ratelle and Vic Hadfield to create the GAG Line (Goal a Game).

Played in 1,065 career games, scored 406 goals, 615 assists, for a total of 1,021 points. He holds the majority of the Rangers’ records in Goals, Points, most even-strength goals, most even-strength assists, and most even-strength points. Currently, Brian Leetch has passed Gilbert for Assists, Power Play Points, and Power Play Assists.

Gilbert said goodbye to hockey as he officially retired from the Rangers after a contract dispute with Rangers General Manager John Ferguson. So the hockey club decided to retire his number seven jersey and raised his banner to the rafters on October 14th, 1979. His number was the first to be retired by the club.

He worked for a Fundamental Banking firm on Wall Street, opened his own restaurant called Gilbert’s on Third Avenue near East 75th Street, but the Rangers came calling and hired him to be their director of special projects and community relations representative, as well as president of its alumni association in 2017. He made upward of 30 appearances a year on behalf of the Garden of Dreams Foundation.

These men, either defending the puck or scoring the puck, were a part of some fantastic memories during the era when it was only the Rangers, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal & Toronto, until the League started expansion in the 1967-68 season. The beginning of the California Golden Seals, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the St. Louis Blues. We thank them and miss them so much.

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