While winning the Stanley Cup in 1994 was monumental for the New York Rangers organization, it is also a time that marked the beginning of a period where the Blueshirts sacrificed their future for veteran presence and the hope of more Stanley Cups.
Joh Kreiser at NHL.com wrote about what the team gave up in 1994 to end their 54-year drought:
To Smith, that “different kind of team” meant more grit and more experience—particularly experience in winning the Stanley Cup. If it meant sacrificing some skill and young talent, so be it.
To add more grit, Smith dealt talented young forward Tony Amonte to the Chicago Blackhawks for grinders Brian Noonan and Stephane Matteau. The shot of added experience came with the addition of five-time Stanley Cup winner Glenn Anderson, who came in a deal with Toronto that cost the Rangers perennial 40-goal scorer Mike Gartner. In addition, Smith traded promising young center Todd Marchant in a deal that brought checking center Craig MacTavish, a teammate of Anderson’s on Edmonton’s 1990 Cup-winning team.
That would be a major shakeup for any team—it was almost unprecedented for a team leading the League.
Click here for more.
Original Story:
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php...
