Rangers complicated trade history with rival Devils

The Hudson River rivalry between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils is now 42 years old. When the Colorado Rockies relocated to East Rutherford, NJ, in 1982, they became the Rangers’ closest competitor, with their home games just 7.8 miles from Madison Square Garden. And it’s led to one of the biggest rivalries in Rangers history.

Over the past four decades, these two franchises have given hockey fans some memorable moments in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs. Because of their animosity on the ice and proximity to one another, it wouldn’t surprise anyone that they do not conduct business together. Since 1982, the two franchises have conducted a single trade, in 2018. But before the Devils came into existence, the Rangers were more willing to work with the Rockies.

Related: Rangers brief history of trades with rival Islanders

Rangers have made 1 trade with Devils in 42 years

Here’s a breakdown of trades the Rangers have made with the Devils franchise since their inception in 1974.

Feb. 22, 2018: Rangers acquire Yegor Rykov and 2018 second-round pick for Michael Grabner

Michael Grabner came to the Rangers as a free agent in July 2016. Initially a Vancouver Canucks draft pick, the fleet forward played one season in Western Canada before finding a home with New York Islanders, where he played five seasons from 2010 to 2015, scoring an NHL career-high 34 goals in 2010-11.

After a disappointing nine-goal season with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015-16, Grabner returned to New York — but this time with the Rangers. He played two seasons on Broadway, scoring 27 goals in 2016-17. He had 25 goals in 59 games the following season, but was traded away prior to the 2018 deadline as part of The Letter aftermath, when Rangers management announced a rebuild.

Grabner’s trade to the Devils was the first transaction between the franchises since the Rockies relocated to East Rutherford in 1982.

In exchange for Grabner, who finished the season with 27 goals for the second straight year, New York received Yegor Rykov , who never played in the NHL. However, the defenseman dressed with the Hartford Wolf Pack for 27 games in 2019-20, scoring 11 points. As of 2023-24, he’s still playing professionally in Russia in the KHL.

The Rangers packaged the second-round pick from the Devils to acquire the No. 22 overall pick in the first round from the Ottawa Senators. With that pick, the Rangers selected K’Andre Miller, who is currently a staple on their defense corps.

Rangers wheel and deal with Colorado Rockies

Before the Devils existed, the franchise played in Colorado and Kansas City. Although the Rangers made no deals with the Kansas City Scouts (1974 to 1976), they were busy making deals with the Rockies, conducting four trades within a calendar year, including one of the biggest in franchise history.

Nov. 1, 1978: Rangers acquire cash for rights to Don Awrey

Don Awrey was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Boston Bruins, winning in 1970 and 1972. The defenseman spent 10 seasons in Boston before trades sent him all over the League. First, he was dealt to the St. Louis Blues, then to the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins.

As a free agent in 1977, Awrey signed with the Rangers and dressed for 78 games, finishing with two goals and 10 points. On Nov. 1, 1978, the Rangers traded him to the Rockies for an undisclosed amount of cash. He finished his 16-year NHL career in Denver, playing 54 games and totaling five points.

May 12, 1979: Rangers acquire Dennis Owchar and Larry Skinner for future considerations (Bobby Sheehan)

Larry Skinner was a Rockies sixth-round pick (92nd overall) in 1976. He played 47 games for them from 1976 to 1980, tallying 10 goals and 22 points in the NHL. The forward mainly skated in the AHL for seven seasons, scoring 313 points in 285 games with seven minor league franchises. Skinner never played for New York and finished his career in France in 1988.

Dennis Owchar never played for the Rangers either, though the defenseman previously skated with the Penguins and Rockies. After the 1980-81 season, he left pro hockey and only returned for a single run in 1986-87 with the Thunder Bay Twins in the Ontario Hockey Association Sr. League. Owchar scored 30 goals and 115 points in six NHL seasons and 288 games.

The Rangers traded away Stanley Cup Playoffs hero Bobby Sheehan in the deal with Colorado. Sheehan never played a regular-season game for the Rangers, but was called up from the minors during the 1979 postseason and helped the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in five games to the Montreal Canadiens. The speedy forward scored four goals and had seven points in 15 playoff games that spring, and then was traded away.

Sheehan played two seasons with the Rockies. He bounced between the NHL and World Hockey Association (WHA) in his 12-season career. In the NHL, he scored 48 goals and 111 points in 310 games and helped the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 1971. He had 185 points in 241 WHA games.

July 2, 1979: Rangers acquire Bill Lochead in exchange for rights to Hardy Åström

Bill Lochead was a former No. 9 overall pick by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1974 draft. The forward played five years and 296 games in the Motor City, netting 65 goals and 125 points before the Rockies claimed him on waivers in February 1979. A few months later, he was traded to the Rangers in exchange for the rights to goalie Hardy Åström . Lochead played only seven games with the Rangers before moving to Germany in 1980-81 to play the final seven years of his professional career.

Åström, who played only four games (2-2-0) with New York before the trade, relocated to Denver and played 79 games over the next two seasons, compiling a 15-42-13 record with a 3.77 GAA and .870 save percentage. Unable to continue his career in North America, he returned to Sweden to play in Elitserian, now the SHL.

Nov. 2, 1979: New York acquires Barry Beck for Lucien DeBlois, Pat Hickey, Mike McEwen, Dean Turner, and future considerations (Bob Crawford)

Barry Beck was the No. 2 overall pick by the Rockies in the 1978 NHL Draft and scored 108 points in 148 games with Colorado before this blockbuster trade sent him to the Big Apple. It was a controversial trade because the Rangers gave up three young players who had helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1979. And even though Beck had several big seasons with the Rangers, he was never fully embraced and didn’t quite live up to his hype because of injuries.

Over seven seasons with the Rangers, Beck scored 66 goals and had 239 points in 415 games. In 1981-82, he finished sixth in Hart Trophy voting as NHL MVP and twice was a top-10 candidate for the Norris Trophy as top NHL defenseman. He was Rangers captain from 1981 to 1986, before he was sidelined for three years with a shoulder issue.

His time on Broadway ended in a September 1989 when he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for a fourth-round draft pick.

In exchange for Beck, the Rangers gave up forward Lucien DeBlois , who had 62 points in 139 games with New York before winning the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1986. Shortly after toasting his championship, he returned as a free agent, collecting another 74 points in 187 games with the Rangers before leaving again in 1989.

Pat Hickey also played twice with the Rangers; the first stint lasted from 1975 to 1979, ending with the Beck trade. In 317 games, the forward scored 228 points, not missing a single game in his final three seasons. He skated in Colorado and Toronto before a trade brought him back to Broadway. During his second stint, he had 29 points in 53 games before finishing his career with stops in Quebec and St. Louis.

Mike McEwen began his career with the Rangers, scoring 40 goals and totaling 127 points in 226 games before moving to Denver. His stay in the West was short-lived, since the defenseman returned to New York to play with the Islanders, where he won three Stanley Cup titles in 1981, 1982, and 1983. After those championship years, he bounced around skating with the Kings, Washington Capitals, and Red Wings before returning for 16 games with the Rangers in 1985-86. McEwen finished his career with the Hartford Whalers.

Dean Turner played 35 games (one with the Rangers) and scored a single goal in the NHL. His best season came in 1979-80 when the defenseman appeared in 27 games. Still, after just four more games the following campaign, he signed a free agent with the Buffalo Sabres, who traded him to the Kings in 1982, when he played three games and departed the League, skating 66 games in the AHL before retiring.

Eventually, the Rangers sent Bob Crawford , who had the shortest NHL career out of any player involved in his trade, to Denver on Jan. 15, 1980, to finalize the deal. Initially signed as a free agent, he never played with New York and dressed for 15 games with the Rockies, scoring four points in 1980-81. As a free agent in 1982, he moved to the Red Wings, where he played one game before going to Europe to finish his pro career in 1992.

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