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New York Rangers on The Hockey News
The Blueshirts Battle Of The Banners
By Stan Fischler,
1 day ago
You want a real, good Rangers family fight? How about this one? Brad Park vs. Ron Greschner. Who deserves a banner atop MSG?
Or, how about Emile Francis vs.Lester Patrick? Ditto.
It's all about which honorable Rangers from the past should have his banner raised alongside those of such icons as Andy Bathgate, Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle, just to name a few.
The Maven believes the main event should pit defenseman Park against Greschner. And since I consider both fine fellows and good friends, I will take no sides; at least not yet.
What makes this one a toughie is that Park is a Hall of Famer while Greschner is not, but Ron has substantial points in his favor.
After all, Greschner spent his entire 16-year career wearing the Blueshirt while Park emigrated to Boston – of all loveable places – and points west, namely Detroit.
What makes these – and other banner-worthies – so relevant is that the Rangers 100th anniversary (1926-2026) is just around the calendar.
When that happens Blueshirts history will come to the fore and banner-hanging, like the eternal Potvin chants, will become a top priority.
Mind you, this is not one of my original thoughts. My buddy Sean McCaffrey wrote a whole book about this admirable concept, with one of the world's longest titles. Matter of fact it's so long that – after having written it, I feel as if I just ran the marathon!
Stan Fischler US Hall Of Fame MSG (3:13)
Are you ready for this?
"The New York Rangers Rink of Honor And The Rafters Of Madison Square Garden." (Time out for some oxygen!)
Kidding aside, McCaffrey is more serious about respecting Blueshirt history as well as individual heroes as anyone I know – short, of course, of The Maven.
What puzzles my pal and me is a simple question: why a banner for Harry Howell, who never played for a Cup-winner, and why not a number-raising for Hall of Fame defender Ching Johnson who skated for Cup-winners in 1928 and again 1933?
The biggest pet peeve I share with author Sean is the omission of Frank Boucher who not only starred on the same two Cup-winners as Johnson but also coached the Blueshirts to their 1940 championship.
"For an Original Six club that has won four Stanley Cups in their near hundred years of existence," says McCaffrey. "It's mind-boggling that the franchise can ignore the men responsible for three-quarters of them."
This much is certain, MSG suits already are in the 100th anniversary planning mode. Between now and then, guaranteed, there'll be arguments galore, over how to honor past heroes.
The St. Louis Blues recently announced that the franchise will boast its own "Rink Of Honor" and ten Blues will be featured.
Hey, if the Blues can add ten, I say the Rangers should add Boucher, Johnson, Greschner, Park, Bill Cook, Bun Cook, Bryan Hextall, Lester Patrick, Davey Kerr and Mike Keenan.
That's ten worthies, matching the Blues and settling the argument, Who's Better – Brad Park or Ron Greschner? Both; so let's start with those two banners. I checked; there's room for 100!
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