Building a Champion: The 1994 Rangers
by Staff Writer / New York Rangers One of the most popular activities for hockey fans in the off-season is to speculate on moves that must be made to turn their favorite teams into champions. Here is one case study:
The 1994 Stanley Cup champion New York Rangers team took nearly nine years to build, from the first piece of the puzzle -- Mike Richter in June 1985 -- to the final pieces -- Glenn Anderson, Craig MacTavish, Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan at the NHL trade deadline in March 1994.
Players came to the 1994 Rangers in many different ways, as the chart below illustrates. Only five of the 25 players whose names made it onto the Cup were actually drafted by the Rangers, but the Rangers could not have won the Cup without them.
Two of the team's five Rangers draftees -- Richter and Brian Leetch -- now have their numbers retired, and two others -- Sergei Zubov and Alexei Kovalev -- have combined for six All-Star Game appearances in their NHL careers.
A complete look at how the 1994 Stanley Cup champs were put together:
EVOLUTION OF A CHAMPION -- 1985 to 1994 | |||
DATE | ACQUIRED PLAYER | NOTES | |
June 15 1985 | ![]() | Mike Richter![]() 1985 NHL Entry Draft | Drafted in the second round, Pick No. 28 overall |
June 21 1986 | ![]() | Brian Leetch![]() 1986 NHL Entry Draft | Drafted in the first round, Pick No. 9 overall |
June 17 1989 | ![]() | Neil Smith![]() Hired | Named Rangers Vice-President and General Manager |
June 16 1990 | ![]() | Sergei Zubov![]() 1990 NHL Entry Draft | Drafted in the fifth round, pick No. 85 overall. The pick was obtained as compensation for Quebec's signing of unrestricted free agent Guy Lafleur on July 14, 1989. |
![]() | Sergei Nemchinov![]() 1990 NHL Entry Draft | Drafted in the 12th round, Pick No. 244 overall | |
March 5 1991 | ![]() | Joe Kocur![]() ![]() Trade with Detroit | Detroit sends Kocur and Per Djoos to Rangers in exchange for Kevin Miller, Dennis Vial and Jim Cummins. |
June 9 1991 | ![]() | Alexei Kovalev![]() 1991 NHL Entry Draft | Drafted in the first round, Pick No. 15 overall |
Sept. 3 1991 | ![]() | Adam Graves![]() Free Agency | Graves was considered a restricted free agent. Troy Mallette was sent to Edmonton as compensation on Sept. 12, 1991. |
Oct. 4 1991 | ![]() | Mark Messier![]() ![]() Trade with Edmonton | Edmonton sends Messier and future considerations (Jeff Beukeboom for David Shaw) to Rangers in exchange for Bernie Nicholls, Steven Rice and Louie DeBrusk. |
Nov. 12 1991 | ![]() | Jeff Beukeboom![]() ![]() Trade with Edmonton | Completion of Oct. 4, 1991, trade listed above, with Beukeboom sent to Rangers in exchange for David Shaw as future considerations portion of deal involving Messier. |
March 9 1992 | ![]() | Jay Wells![]() ![]() Trade with Buffalo | Buffalo sends Wells to Rangers in exchange for Randy Moller. |
Dec. 11 1992 | ![]() | Kevin Lowe![]() ![]() Trade with Edmonton | Edmonton sends Lowe to Rangers for Roman Oksiuta and a 1993 third-round pick (Alexander Kerch) |
Dec. 28 1992 | ![]() | Ed Olczyk![]() ![]() Trade with Winnipeg | Winnipeg sends Olczyk to Rangers for Tie Domi and Kris King |
March 17 1993 | ![]() | Esa Tikkanen![]() ![]() Trade with Edmonton | Edmonton sends Tikkanen to Rangers for Doug Weight. |
March 22 1993 | ![]() | Mike Hartman![]() ![]() Trade with Tampa Bay | Tampa Bay sends Hartman to Rangers for Randy Gilhen. |
April 17 1993 | ![]() | Mike Keenan![]() Hired | Named Rangers Head Coach |
June 25 1993 | ![]() | Doug Lidster![]() ![]() Trade with Vancouver | Vancouver sends Lidster to Rangers for John Vanbiesbrouck. |
![]() | Glenn Healy![]() ![]() Trade with Tampa Bay | Tampa Bay sends Healy to Rangers for return of 1993 third-round pick, which was compensation for Tampa Bay's signing of restricted free agent Rob Zamuner on July 13,1992. | |
July 29 1993 | ![]() | Greg Gilbert![]() Free Agency | Gilbert met conditions required for Group III unrestricted free agency. |
Sept. 9 1993 | ![]() | Alexander Karpovtsev![]() ![]() Trade with Quebec | Quebec sends Karpovtsev to Rangers in exchange for Mike Hurlbut. |
Oct. 3 1993 | ![]() | Mike Hudson![]() NHL Waiver Draft | Claimed from Edmonton. |
Nov. 2 1993 | ![]() | Steve Larmer![]() ![]() Trade with Hartford | Hartford sends Larmer, Nick Kypreos, Barry Richter and 1994 sixth-round pick (Yuri Litvinov) to Rangers for James Patrick and Darren Turcotte. |
![]() | Nick Kypreos![]() ![]() Trade with Hartford | Hartford sends Kypreos, Steve Larmer, Barry Richter and 1994 sixth-round pick (Yuri Litvinov) to Rangers for James Patrick and Darren Turcotte. | |
March 21 1994 | ![]() | Stephane Matteau![]() ![]() Trade with Chicago | Chicago sends Matteau and Brian Noonan to Rangers for Tony Amonte and Matt Oates. |
![]() | Brian Noonan![]() ![]() Trade with Chicago | Chicago sends Noonan and Stephane Matteau to Rangers for Tony Amonte and Matt Oates. | |
![]() | Glenn Anderson![]() ![]() Trade with Toronto | Toronto sends Anderson, Scott Malone and 1994 fourth-round pick (Alexander Korobolin) to Rangers in exchange for Mike Gartner. | |
![]() | Craig MacTavish![]() ![]() Trade with Edmonton | Edmonton sends MacTavish to Rangers for Todd Marchant. |