Ten Most Underrated Rangers Players

We all know about Henrik Lundqvist, Mark Messier, Mike Richter and all the other Rangers celebrities dating back to the 1928 Stanley Cup Winner.

But how about the men behind the men who got the big headlines? Well, here they are, The Maven's Ten All-Time Underrated Rangers.

1. JOE MILLER, S.O.S. PUCKSTOPPER; When regular goalie Lorne Chabot was badly injured in the 1928 Cup Final, "Red Light" Miller – considered a sieve – was rushed in to save the series. He fooled everyone by starring in the clincher for New York's first Stanley.

2. IRON MAN MURDOCH: Behind the Cook Brothers – Bill and Bun as well as Frank Boucher – Murray Murdoch emerged as the most reliable first decade Rangers forward. He played his entire career for New York, never missing a game – all 508 over a ten year career spanning 1926-27 to 1936-37 with the Blueshirts.

3. HANDY ANDY GOALIE: Boss Lester Patrick was stuck for a goalie to start the 1932-33 season, so he took a huge gamble. The Rangers had a farm team in the Bronx with a Scottish-born goalie, Andy Aikenhead. He was a two-season phenom and won the second Cup for New York in 1933. Curiously, he disappeared in two years.

4. PHIERY PHIL: Bryan Hextall got center stage for scoring the 1940 Cup-winner in overtime of Game Six, but Phiery Phil Watson, center on the line with Hexy and Lynn Patrick, was the fella who skimmed the perfect pass to Broan. (Another underrated New Yorker, Dutch Hiller, also assisted on the play.

5. SWEET SUGAR JIM: Charlie Rayner deservedly would be hailed for his Hart Trophy and 1950 playoff goaltending heroics. But before he went off to war, Sugar Jim Henry was the goalie who paced the Rangers to first place in the 1941-42 season.

6. FLASHY FORGOTTEN FINN: Don Raleigh may have scored two OT goals in the 1950 Final vs. Detroit. But the Blueshirts never would have made it that far had Finnish-born Pentti Lund not been the scoring star in the semis, knocking off the Habs.

7. JOHNNY ON THE SPOT: Lorne "Gump" Worsley is in the Hall of Fame for a reason; splendid puck-stopping. But so is Johnny Bower. J.B. broke in with the New Yorkers in 1953-54, played all 70 games and finished with a 2.60 average, likely better than what Gump would have done. But the brass bounced Bower who went on to win four Cups in Toronto.

8. GOOD D-MAN FROM GOODSOIL: Maybe Ron Greschner wasn't quite as good as Hall of Famer Brad Park but the Goodsoil, Saskatchewan native was darn close in ability, longevity and all other good things that Rangers fans wanted in a defender. The Maven loved the way Ron made just about every play look so smooth and easy. Unlike Park, Greschner played his entire career with the Rangers – 982 games spread over 14 years!

9. CHECK OFF TROCHECK: Granted this all-over-the-ice guy finally is getting recognized but when talk of a "next captain" comes up it's either Breadman Panarin or Bagelman Fox who are more mentioned. Today, I'd take Vinnie over both.

10. IT'S TOO EASY WITH VESEY: What more does Gentleman Jim Vesey have to do to get a regular berth on the first or second lines? He does just about everything else for the hockey club short of washing dirty jerseys. Calling him "underrated" is an understatement.