From The Crease to The Rafters

The Rangers’ rich goaltending lineage that has spanned a century is highlighted by the legendary netminders whose jerseys hang from the rafters at Madison Square Garden. Three Blueshirts goaltenders – Eddie Giacomin, Mike Richter, and Henrik Lundqvist – have received that honor, and the Rangers are one of only two NHL franchises that have recognized three goaltenders in that way.

Giacomin, Richter, and Lundqvist are not only linked by their status in Rangers history, but also through a unique connection with the jersey numbers they wore.

When the Rangers acquired Giacomin in a trade with the Providence Reds of the American Hockey League on May 17, 1965, general manager Emile Francis – a former Rangers goaltender before his managerial career – hoped that he would have a cornerstone in net for the foreseeable future. Although the start of Giacomin’s tenure didn’t go as smoothly as he or the Rangers hoped, he ultimately proved Francis right.

Giacomin – wearing jersey No. 30 – made his NHL debut with the Rangers on October 24, 1965, against the Montreal Canadiens at MSG. By the time he made his second NHL start three days later, he had switched to jersey No. 1. For the next decade, he would star in the Rangers’ net wearing that number.

Building on the legacy that had been established by goaltenders such as Lorne Chabot, John Ross Roach, Andy Aitkenhead, Dave Kerr, Chuck Rayner, and Gump Worsley, Giacomin led the Rangers to nine consecutive playoff appearances between 1966-67 and 1974-75. In his first full season as the starting goaltender in 1966-67, Giacomin was the runner-up for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player. In 1970-71, he and teammate Gilles Villemure won the Vezina Trophy. And in 1971-72, Giacomin helped the Rangers advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Along the way, Giacomin became popular with teammates and Rangers fans, while also earning the respect of his opponents and those who rooted for opposing teams.

“I was a Philadelphia Flyers fan when I was a kid,” Richter, a native of Abington, Pennsylvania, said recently, “but I loved Eddie Giacomin. I remember having a hockey stamp of his when I was a kid. Eddie was such a cool guy, and he handled the puck like nobody else. I was just so enamored by him and he played so well against the Flyers for so many years that you came to appreciate him. That’s when you know you’re a great player – when the people who want you to lose are kind of cheering for you because you’re that good. Eddie was that kind of player.”

“He was our emotional leader,” said Steve Vickers, who was teammates with Giacomin for parts of four seasons. “He was our captain, just without the ‘C’ (on his jersey).”

During his tenure with the Rangers, Giacomin broke Worsley’s franchise record for wins and Kerr’s record for shutouts. Beyond his exceptional statistics on the ice, Giacomin’s impact on the Rangers and their fans was cemented two days after his departure from the Rangers, when he returned to MSG in a Detroit Red Wings uniform. On that night – November 2, 1975 – Giacomin received a standing ovation from Rangers fans from the time he stepped on the ice, and they began the familiar chant of “Edd-ie! Edd-ie! Edd-ie!” before the National Anthem started. And they cheered Giacomin throughout the entire game.

“So many things have happened on that stage (at MSG),” longtime Rangers PR director John Halligan said years later. “But I think the uniqueness of this particular moment, the fact that he was coming back with another team and having 17,500 people root for him, we’ll probably never see that again.”

A decade after Giacomin’s tenure with the Rangers ended, the Blueshirts selected Richter with the 28^th overall pick in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. After representing Team USA at the 1988 Winter Olympics, Richter signed his first NHL contract. Richter played with the Denver Rangers of the International Hockey League in 1988-89, but he appeared in games with the Rangers during the pre-season and wore jersey No. 1 – the same number he had worn in the Olympics and with the University of Wisconsin in college – in those games with the Blueshirts.

By the time Richter made his NHL debut in Game 4 of the Patrick Division Semifinals in 1989 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, No. 1 was no longer available. The Rangers had retired Giacomin’s jersey less than a month earlier on March 15, 1989, so when Richter led the team onto the ice, he was wearing No. 35. Giacomin, meanwhile, was an assistant coach with the Rangers when Richter began his legendary career.

In parts of 15 seasons with the Rangers – including the one game he played in the 1989 Playoffs – Richter earned the reputation of being a big-game goaltender. That was never more evident than in 1993-94, when he set a franchise record with 42 wins during the regular season, was named the MVP of the 1994 NHL All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden, and then won 16 games in the playoffs to help the Rangers win the Stanley Cup.

Throughout his tenure with the Rangers, Richter set several franchise records. One of those records was for most wins in franchise history, which was a record Giacomin held for nearly three decades. Richter recalled how Giacomin embraced him when he set the new benchmark for Rangers goaltenders.

“Eddie has always been a really supportive, good friend,” Richter said recently. “I remember that he wrote me an incredibly gracious note when I broke that record. I just thought, ‘wow, here is this icon as a goalie and in the sport who is reaching out as graciously as possible.’ I have a lot of regard for Eddie Giacomin, and that was pretty meaningful.”

Richter announced his retirement in September of 2003, and on February 4, 2004, his No. 35 jersey was raised to The Garden rafters. In 2001, while Richter was still playing for the Rangers, he met the franchise’s next legendary goaltender.

“The first time I met Mike was the first time I was in New York as a 19-year-old,” said Lundqvist, who was selected by the Rangers in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. “I was drafted by the Rangers the year before and I was in New York to visit, and Mike was in the players’ lounge by the locker room. Mike is a legend and he couldn’t have been nicer to me.”

Lundqvist came to New York for the 2005-06 season after a distinguished career in Sweden. While playing with Frolunda, Lundqvist had worn jersey No. 35. When he arrived at training camp with the Rangers, he had the option of selecting either No. 30 or No. 40. Lundqvist chose 30, and the rest is history.

During his 15-year career with the Rangers, Lundqvist rewrote the franchise’s goaltending record book, establishing records for career appearances, wins, and shutouts in both the regular season and playoffs, while also earning a franchise-record nine Team MVP awards (including seven in a row between 2006-07 and 2012-13).

In a span of five days during the 2013-14 season, Lundqvist broke two franchise goaltending records. First, on March 18, 2014, he earned his 302^nd career win as a Ranger, passing Richter to become the franchise’s all-time wins leader. Then, on March 22, 2014, he earned his 50^th career shutout as a Blueshirt, breaking the record that Giacomin had held for over four decades.

On March 24, 2014, the Rangers held a pre-game ceremony at MSG to recognize Lundqvist’s achievements, and Richter and Giacomin were in attendance. It is a moment that Lundqvist still remembers vividly.

“Having Eddie and Mike out there with me was very special,” Lundqvist said. “When you start playing many years for a franchise, it’s hard not to care so much about the organization. You understand the rich history and the goaltenders that played here before me. To have them be out there celebrating that moment for me was special.”

Another pre-game ceremony would be held for Lundqvist on January 28, 2022, when his No. 30 joined Giacomin’s No. 1 and Richter’s No. 35 in the rafters of MSG. The celebration culminated Lundqvist’s legendary Blueshirts career and reinforced the extraordinary goaltending legacy that the Rangers have been able to create throughout their history.

“When you name the goaltenders who have played for this organization, there are a lot of great goaltenders,” Lundqvist said. “It’s pretty cool to be part of that list for this franchise.”