Former Rangers great Hadfield swept up in series with Devils

From a distance, Vic Hadfield is keenly aware of the Stanley Cup Playoff fever that is currently sweeping New York.

At his golf facility in his hometown of Oakville, Ontario, about 450 miles northwest of Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers legend has been watching his former team battle the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference First Round.
The series is tied 2-2 with Game 5 at Prudential Center on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2, SN360, TVAS, MSG, MSGSN).
"I like the Rangers' chances," Hadfield said on Wednesday. "I know a few guys haven't been scoring and fans are down on some of them, but they have a strong enough team to beat the Devils."
Hadfield laced up in the postseason for the Rangers eight times between 1962-74, getting within two victories of the 1972 championship before New York fell to the Boston Bruins in a six-game Final.

Vic Hadfield during his playing days with the New York Rangers. Frank Prazak/Hockey Hall of Fame
It was a pinnacle almost reached for the rugged forward, who played 841 games during 13 seasons with the Rangers from 1961-74. Hadfield put up 572 points (262 goals, 310 assists), ninth on the team's all-time list, accumulating 1,041 penalty minutes and serving as captain from 1971 through his trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 27, 1974.
He was the first Rangers player to score 50 goals in a season, in 1971-72, and remains the only player in Rangers history with at least 200 goals and 1,000 penalty minutes.
Hadfield, on left wing, center Jean Ratelle and late right-wing Rod Gilbert formed the Rangers G-A-G (Goal-A-Game) Line, assembled in the 1960s by coach Emile Francis.
It was the first line in NHL history to have each of the three players score at least 40 goals in the same season: Hadfield's 50, Ratelle's 46 and Gilbert's 43 in 1971-72.
Mr. Ranger, Rod Gilbert (l.) with G-A-G Line teammates Jean Ratelle (c.) and Vic Hadfield outside Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2, 2018, hours before Hadfield's No. 11 was retired by the New York Rangers. Courtesy Doug Ball
"There's no other city like New York in the playoffs," Hadfield said. "Block after block around the Garden, it's just crazy. But it's exciting.
"It was an unbelievable scene during my day. We didn't stay in the city, 'the Cat' (Francis) put us up at a golf course in Westchester (25 miles north of the Garden), then we'd bus down into the city for the game. The crowds in the streets… they had these open-top sightseeing buses driving around, packed with people who were yelling and hollering. It was unreal."
Hadfield, 82, who played with 190 or so pounds on his 6-foot frame, looks at today's Rangers and sees a bit of himself in Chris Kreider, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound net-crashing left-wing who leads the New York this postseason in scoring with five goals and one assist in four games. Kreider was second in Rangers goals during the regular season, his 36 scored in 79 games trailing only Mika Zibanejad's 39 in 82 games.
Kreider (52 last season), Hadfield, Adam Graves (52 in 1993-94) and Jaromir Jagr (54 in 2005-06) are the only Rangers to score at least 50 goals in a season.
"I've spoken with Chris and I've wished him the best," Hadfield said. "I watch him pretty closely to see how he's doing. We've built a bit of closeness there."
New York Rangers' Vic Hadfield battles with Toronto Maple Leafs' Jim McKenny behind goalie Bruce Gamble during a 1969 game at Maple Leaf Gardens. Graphic Artists/Hockey Hall of Fame
Day by day, Hadfield continues to rebuild strength after surgery two years ago this May for the removal of four abdominal aortic aneurysms. He was on the operating table for nearly 12 hours, all of the cuts and bruises he suffered during his career flesh wounds by comparison.
Hadfield spent most of that summer flat on his back in bed, then "celebrated" his 80th birthday on Oct. 4, 2021 by getting some gentle exercise with a walker. He was crushed to be unable to attend the Sept. 7, 2021, memorial service for his dear friend Gilbert, who died of cancer at age 80 on Aug. 19.
"I was in so much pain I didn't even know where I was," he said at the time. "It really bothered me that I couldn't say goodbye to Rod. We'd known each other for over 60 years. I couldn't sleep for three days when I got the news … I couldn't function. We were very tight."
Indeed, the G-A-G Line is united in Garden rafters. Gilbert's No. 7 was retired Oct. 14, 1979, the first of 11 Rangers numbers so honored. Ratelle was the ninth, on Feb. 25, 2018, and Hadfield's No. 11 was pulled aloft next on Dec. 2, 2018. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist's No. 30 was the most recent to be retired, on Jan. 28, 2022.
Hadfield had hoped to be able to attend Lundqvist's ceremony but hasn't flown since his surgery. He has another operation yet to be scheduled for the removal of a fifth aortic aneurysm, smaller than the rest but being closely watched, and he hopes to be back at the Garden to see a few games beyond that.
Vic Hadfield with his 1968 O-Pee-Chee New York Rangers card, outside Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2, 2018. Courtesy Doug Ball.
As he recovered from his 2021 surgery, Hadfield joked that he'd be a member of Canada's Olympic swim team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, provided he could fit into a racing suit.
"That might not happen," he admitted with a laugh on Wednesday.
For now, he's happy to make the 20-minute trip from his home to the Vic Hadfield Golf and Learning Centre, "going up to the range to see if there's any trouble I can cause." And he'll be in front of the television Thursday, cheering on his Rangers with an eye on the present and the past.
"You look back and think what it was like then with only six teams," Hadfield reflected. "Sure, the game has changed but the memories are still strong. I have fond memories and still talk to most of the guys who are still with us… Jean Ratelle, Earl Ingarfield, these are bonds you'll never lose.
"I really enjoy watching the game now. The kids are big and strong and they skate. They can do things we certainly couldn't do, what with the improvement in equipment, training and facilities. I hope the Rangers move on. The kids have to work, and they are. But it's a funny game, especially in the playoffs."
Top photo: Vic Hadfield is pursued by Boston Bruins' Ron Schock during a 1966-67 game at Madison Square Garden. Frank Prazak/Hockey Hall of Fame