Archives: Season Recap

The seismic shifts began before the puck even dropped. Following a tense and highly publicized contract negotiation period over the summer, the organization made the stunning decision not to re-sign legendary captain Mark Messier, who packed his bags for the Vancouver Canucks.

Losing the Captain, who was a key component of the 1994 Stanley Cup championship, left a massive leadership and emotional void in the locker room. Defenseman Brian Leetch stepped up to wear the ‘C’, inheriting the unenviable task of anchoring a squad trying to reinvent its identity on the fly. Coming off an Eastern Conference run in the playoffs in the previous season, management still believed the remaining veteran core could contend, but the reality on the ice proved to be an uphill battle.

The previous season had been a disappointment for the Rangers. The league-wide lockout had delayed the chance to celebrate their historic Cup victory in 1994, and ended with the Rangers limping into the playoffs. This year would be different, and General Manager Neil Smith was determined to trade his way back into contention.

After a couple of more minor moves he found a deal that he wanted, bringing him former Kings great Luc Robitaille along with rugged defenseman Ulf Samuelsson. The cost was steep though, with New York sending back Sergei Zubov and Petr Nedved to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.